8
Other diseases
55. Table IV gives the number of animals treated and castrated by Veteri¬
nary Assistants on tour during the year. It appears from this that the 320
Veterinary Assistants visited 41,657 villages and treated 211,718 cases. This
shows a falling off in the number of villages visited, but more animals were
treated. The chief decrease shown in the number of villages visited is in the
Punjab, but on the other hand more cases have been treated there, although one
man less was employed. There is considerable progress in the North-West
Frontier Province.
56. There was a marked increase in the number of animals castrated,
1,854 of which 911 were equines, against 1,385 last year.
Veterinary
Hospitals
and
Disper saries.
57. Table V gives the number of these institutions, the Veterinary Assis-
tants employed and the number of animals treated as in and out-patients. There
is a satisfactory increase in the number of hospitals and dispensaries working,
315 against 290 last year. Four new ones have been opened in each of the Pro-
vinces of Punjab, Eastern Bengal and Assam, and Bombay, 3 each in the Cen-
tral Provinces and Bengal, and 2 in the North-West Frontier Province. Mad-
ras shows 4 more than last year and Burma 4 less.
58. The number of Veterinary Assistants employed in dispensaries is 317
against 308 last year, an increase of 9.
59. The total number of in and out-patients treated was 267,555 of which
83,922 were equines, 143,650 cattle and 39,983 other animals, a total increase
of 1,858. There has been a steady increase all round excepting in the case of
Eastern Bengal and Madras, in which latter province the decrease is shown as
42,528 cases. Last year's figures for Madras were incorrect.
III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
(1). BOVINES.
Stud bulls and
their produce.
60. Table VIII gives the number of stud bulls employed and obtained
during the year. Some progress has been made in the provision of bulls for
breeding purposes, the total number present being 20 Government and 386 the
property of Local Boards. New Government bulls have been obtained only in
Central Provinces. The 42 shown under this head in the Punjab last year have
been transferred to local bodies. In the Punjab very good work has been done
in this direction and a scheme for the regular supply of breeding bulls at the
rate of one per tahsil annually, has been sanctioned. This year 180 have been
purchased and issued, so that this province now possesses 356 out of the total of
386 in the whole of India.
61. In the Central Provinces, 5 Government bulls became available for issue
from the Telankheri Cattle Farm, and the same number were turned out by
local bodies in the North-West Frontier Province. In Bombay, 9 were obtained.
In this Presidency a scheme to provide stock bulls to villages requiring them
was instituted in the Admednagar district. The village was to receive con-
jointly an advance of money as " tagai " for the purpose of buying a bull suit-
able for breeding and which had been approved by the Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department. Thirty-four villages availed themselves of the offer
and 30 young " khillari " bulls were bought.
62. In the United Provinces it is satisfactory to learn that increasing interest
is being shown in many parts of the Province in regard to the improvement in
cattle breeding. Twenty-two stud bulls of the "Kharigarh" breed are being
introduced into the Court of Wards Tiloi Estate and 30 cows into the Peagpur
Estate with a view to breeding bulls. Six bulls were also bought by the
Sassendi Estate and many other districts and estates are anxious to introduce
good bulls and improve their cattle.
63. In Bengal, some demands for bulls were received which could not be
complied with. In consequence of the failure of the experiment conducted
with eight Montgomery bulls obtained last year to improve the milch strain of
local cattle, it is not proposed to supply bulls for the production of milch cattle
until the young stock at the Pusa and Siripur Farms are old enough for
selection.