6
50. Malda.—Veterinary
Assistant P. C. Mookherjee continued to hold
charge of this dispensary, which is working satisfactorily. He treated 1,274
cases at the hospital against 1,404 of the previous year. The decrease is due
to his continued absence from head-quarters attending outbreaks of cattle
diseases.
51. Cooch Behar.—This dispensary is under the management and super-
vision of the Cooch Bihar Raj. No particulars regarding it are therefore
available in this office, except the figures supplied by the Raj. One hundred
and fourteen cases were treated in it against 165 of the previous year.
52. In paragraph 11 of the Resolution on the last year's report of this
department Government was pleased to notice the want of accommodation
for in-patients at Bakarganj, Noakhali, Bogra, Pabna and Dacca dispensaries.
I visited all these dispensaries, except Bogra and Pabna, and am of opinion
that there is no urgent need for such accommodation in these dispensaries,
except Bakarganj and Dacca.
As regards Dacca, there is already a proposal for a new dispensary
building with all necessary accommodation.
PART III.-BREEDING OPERATION.
53. Table VIII shows the number of stud-bulls at present serving in the
various districts of the province. These bulls are mostly kept by the local
bodies at the head-quarters station for the use of the town people generally,
and by the Jail authorities for the jail cattle only. They are too few in
number to be of any appreciable benefit to the public.
51. Applications were received during the year for bulls, but could no
be complied with for want of suitable animals.
55. No part of the province as now constituted is suitable for breeding
purposes. The raiyats show very little interest in the selection of bulls, with
the result that immature, debilitated and badly shaped animals are generally
mated, and that a very large amount of inbreeding takes place. To prevent
this, and to effect some improvement in the breed and condition of cattle,
suitable bulls were procured by this department every year and supplied to
different District Boards. The people were advised as to the possible means
of improving their cattle, and arrangements were made with the District
Boards with a view to their purchasing bull calves and getting them reared.
Members of the Agricultural Associations were also approached on the subject.
56. In spite of our determined and continued efforts, practically very
little progress in this direction has been effected, owing to the (1) scarcity
of suitable bulls in the country, (2) want of co-operation of the local people,
(3) absence of any special system of management of cattle in vogue and
(4) rise of price of agricultural stock—
(1) For some years Brahmini bulls from Bihar were supplied. But this
practice of depriving certain districts of their good bulls, was not a commend-
able one and was objected to by the people.
(2) In districts in which bulls are stationed the inhabitants make very
little use of them, and even when they do so, fail to benefit through ignorance,
half-starving the cow and calf.
(3) Feeding alone will improve the local cattle considerably, but this point
is difficult to drive home, as it necessitates extra expenditure on the part of the
owner with no appreciable result to be seen for a considerable time.
(4) The rise of price of agricultural stock is also responsible for a certain
amount of deterioration because people, instead of keeping good calves for
bulls, castrate them.
57. To remedy these and to really improve the breed, the establishment
of a cattle farm is necessary, where the good result of feeding and caring for
local cattle can be demonstrated, and from whence the resulting improved
young stock can be distributed round the neighbouring districts. Such a
dairy and breeding farm is being started experimentally in connection with
the Agricultural Farm at Rangpur, and, if it proves a success, it is hoped the
plan will be adopted in connection with other agricultural farms.
58. Cattle-breeding farm.—There
was only one cattle-breeding farm at
work in the province during the year, at Kalimpong, under the management of
the St. Andrew's Colonial Homes. This farm was started in 1907-08 for