4
year. By deducting the 60 received during the year and the 7 immature don-
keys which are being reared at the Hissar Farm, it will be observed that the
services of all the remaining donkey stallions were utilized.
Cost of feed and
keep.
33. There is a satisfactory decrease of nearly R20 per donkey in the cost
of feed and keep. Table XII shows the average to be R163-15-11 against
R183-4-3 in the previous year.
Short note on each
class of donkey
stallion.
34. Of the two batches sent by the lately appointed official purchaser—
Lord Arthur Cecil—the first (13) as a lot were only fair, several of them
having very crooked legs and flat sides. Five being under three years of age
have been sent to the Hissar paddocks to be reared.
35. The second batch (23), however, was distinctly good, very level,
straight legged and although several of them were inclined to be small and
light boned, they are, taken as a lot, the best we have received in this country
for many years. Two out of this batch have been sent to Hissar.
36. The official purchaser reports that great difficulty is experienced in
buying Jacks and practically acknowledges that good mature stallions are un-
obtainable in sufficient numbers to meet our requirements, in the Southern
Continental markets.
37. The Chinese market to which reference was made in last year's Annual
Report, has failed completely and any further steps to procure donkeys from
that country abandoned.
38. Major Gough who is on special duty purchasing mules in America
has been commissioned to buy 12 Jacks and ship them to India with the mules.
No hope, however, can be entertained as to the possibility of establishing a
market with this country, as the prices are prohibitive and the difficulties of
transit very great.
39. I realised some 6 years ago that the Continental markets were rapidly
falling and that other arrangements would have to be made to meet our
demands. I then suggested a scheme for breeding donkey stallions in India
but for various reason s it was allowed to lapse. During the past year, however,
the scheme has been sanctioned and is now in working order at the Hissar
Farm. It is an undoubted fact that India can produce some of the finest
donkeys in the world (providing they are carefully bred and reared) and that
the best Ordnance mules are sired by donkeys bred in the Punjab.
40. A further scheme for purchasing young donkey colts and rearing them
on the liberty system at Hissar has also been completed. The colts which I
purchased last year are most promising. Their height, leg and other measure-
ments far exceed Italian donkeys of twice their age. They are well ribbed up,
straight backed and superior in every way to the donkeys obtained from
Europe.
41. Of the success of these two schemes there can be no doubt and I
anticipate no difficulty whatever in the very near future of being able to supply
all our wants with stallions bred in India. It is estimated that under this
system mature donkeys fit for work will be turned out of the Hissar Farm on
an average of R230 against R900 to R1,200 for imported animals.
42. As mature donkeys are not forthcoming, a certain percentage of 2
year olds were imported. They are being reared at Hissar under the same
conditions as the country-breds and are doing well.
Casualties.
43. During the year under review, 13 donkeys died and 19 were destroyed,
as shown in Table III, giving a percentage of 2.82 of deaths and 4.13 of those
destroyed, against 3.41 and 5.01 respectively in the previous year.
Sales.
44. Table IV will show that 7 donkeys were sold during the year and 1
stolen. Of the former, 5 were sold to Native States for mule-breeding purposes
and 2 were disposed of as being unfit for stud work.
45. As regards the donkey that was stolen, full particulars were reported
to the Government of India, Military Department, in this office endorsement
No. 13—375 M. D. of 9th May 1902. The last report received on the subject
from the Deputy Commissioner of Gujrat was to the effect that Police
enquiries had failed to give any clue to the missing donkey.