3
24. Dealing with this subject, it may be noted that no reliance whatever
can be placed on the produce returns as the staff maintained for collecting
them is, I think, inadequate. I had occasion to go into this matter very care-
fully in the Bombay Presidency and found that the Depôt stallions which
were under my immediate control and where I was able to, more or less, check
results, showed a produce percentage of 43.41, whereas, the combined results
throughout the Presidency and Sind only amounted to 26.30. I think that
there cannot be much doubt that the young stock are in the country, and it is
very unsatisfactory that we are not able to record more accurate results.
25. This subject has received very careful consideration by the Civil
Authorities and this Department, but up to date, I regret to say, no sound
method has been suggested (without entailing great expenditure) to collect
this information.
Country-bred
Remounts
purchased.
26. There is an increase in the number of country-bred Remounts
bought: the figures standing at 1,433 against 1,297 in the previous year. The
number purchased by the Army Remount Department is about the same as
last year, but there is an increase in those secured by the Native Cavalry and
Police.
Relative success of
different classes of
stallions as sires.
27. From Table XIV, which is an abstract showing the produce of Gov-
ernment stallions that won prizes at Horse Fairs and Shows, it will be observed
that the Australians again took the lead with a proportion of 6.93. Thorough-
bred English come next with 4.40, Stud breds with 4.14 and Arabs with 2.75.
General statement
of the cost of the
Department.
28. A reference to Table XVIII will show that the cost of this Depart-
ment, debited to India Estimates, amounts to R6,56,620-11-8 against
R7,21,878-15-8, giving a decrease of R65,258-4-0. The principle decreases
appear under the heads of Prizes—Officers' Salaries—Establishment—Purchase
of stallions and Stable feed and keep.
29. The prices paid for imported horse and donkey stallions during the
year under review were as shown below :—
Price of 11 T. B. E. stallions imported from England,
£3,180 at 1s. 4d. per rupee . . . . . .
Price of 4 Arab stallions imported from England, Gs.845 at
1s. 4d. per rupee
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
£
s. d.
Price of 28 Italian donkeys at £18 each .
504 0 0
Price of 25 Cyprian donkeys at £26 each .
650 0 0
TOTAL
. 1,154 0 0
at 1s. 4.4. per rupee
Price of 3 Chinese donkeys at E60 each
TOTAL
R
46,950
13,308
17,310
180
77,748
a.
0
12
0
0
12
p.
0
0
0
0
0
against R63,202-8-0 in the previous year, showing an increase of
R14,546-4-0 due to a larger number of horse stallions having been imported
than in the previous year.
Maps.
30. The usual maps will be found in the cover of this Report showing
the breeding districts, the stands where stallions are located, and the number
of stallions at each stand.
II.-MULE-BREEDING.
Number of donkey
stallions on the
Register.
31. Table I will show that at the beginning of the year there were 460
donkey stallions present; 60 were received during the year and 42 removed
from the Register, leaving a balance of 478. Of the latter, as will be seen by
reference to Table II, 302 were up to 10 years of age, 144 over 10 and up to
5 years, and 32 over 15 years old.
Number of donkey
stallions at work.
32. A reference to Table VII will show that of 478 donkey stallions on
he Register, 411 were actually employed at stud against 378 in the previous