3
Maps.
18 Following the practice of previous years, the maps showing the
breeding districts and the stands where stallions were located up to the actual
date of handing over to the Army Remount Department, have been attached
to this Report; but as no Imperial stallions now remain under the control of
this Departmant, these maps will in future be discontinued.
II.-MULE BREEDING.
Number
of
donkey stallions
on the Register.
19. Table I will show that at the beginning of the year under report there
were 492 donkey stallions present. The donkey stallions imported during
the year, will be accounted for by the Army Remount Department: there
were 16 Punjabis purchased in the Indian market and 8 others added by births
at the Hissar Farm; deducting casualties and transfers to the Army Remount
Department and District Boards, the number remaining at the close of the
year was 29: these are maintained at the Hissar Cattle Farm, and are all
under 10 years of age as shown in Table II.
Number
of
donkey
stal-
lions at stud.
20. The number of donkey stallions employed at stud in selected districts
having been omitted from Table VII, it will be observed that the number
employed to serve pony mares was 127 against 156.7 last year, and the number
utilized to serve donkey mares was 8 against 7.6 in the previous year.
Cost of feed and
keep.
21. A satisfactory decrease in the cost of feed and keep of donkey stallions is
apparent, as compared with last year's figures. Table XII shows the general
average cost to be Rs. 148-6-6, against Rs. 161-9-3 in the previous year.
Short note on
the class of
donkeys
pur-
chased.
22. As all imported donkey stallions were received this year by the Army
Remount Department, they will be commented on in the Annual Report
of that Department.
23. The 16 Punjabis purchased by me at fairs and in the districts were
powerful, straight-backed animals, and in every way promise to grow up into
suitable sires. An abstract of particulars and measurements of these animals
at the time of purchase, is given below:—
Average age ... ... ... ...
„
height ... ... ... ...
„
girth ... ... ... ...
„
shank ... ... ... ...
2 years.
12 hds. 1 inch.
52 inches
6¼ inches
Casualties.
24. A reference to Table III will show that, during the year under report,
8 donkey stallions died, and 5 were destroyed, giving a percentage of 1.6 and
1.01 respectively. The general percentage was 2.6 against 3.97 in the previous
year. Particulars as to causes of death, etc., will be found recorded in Table
III (a)
Sales.
25. Table IV gives detailed information of 52 donkey stallions sold during
the year under report; of this number 37 were disposed of owing to age, or
being otherwise unfit for stud work, and the remaining 15 were sold to the
Army Remount Department and. Native States for mule breeding purposes.
Supply of don-
key stallions.
26. The question of the supply of Imperial donkey stallions in selected
districts, will be dealt with, in future, by the Army Remount Department; but
the supply of suitable jacks to District Boards in non-selected districts and to
Native States, is one of the subjects now under the consideration of the Gov-
ernment of India.
Number of ma-
res covered by
donkey
stal-
lions.
27. The selected districts now under the control of the Army Remount
Department having been omitted from Table VII, the number of mares
covered by donkey stallions in non-selected districts, is 8,333 pony mares and
255 donkey mares, against 9,513 and 319 respectively.
Average cover-
ings per stal-
lion employed.
28. The average of mares covered per donkey stallion is as follows:—
Pony mares ... ... ...
Donkey mares ... ... ...
65.6 against
31.8
„
60.9
41.9