Annual Report of the Department of Horse-Breeding Operations for 1891-92.
No. 2451.
REVENUE DEPARTMENT.
Bombay Castle, 8th April 1893.
Letter from Mr. J. K. Grainger, Superintendent, Horse-Breeding Operations, No. 491, dated
15th April 1892—Submitting a report on his tours in the Bombay Presidency and
Beluchistán; and making remarks on the general working of the Department of
Horse-Breeding Operations.
Memorandum from the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, No. 873, dated 21st April
1892—Forwarding the above.
Letter from the Superintendent, Horse-Breeding Operations, No. 714, dated 10th May
1892.
Endorsement by the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, No. 1086, dated 13th May
1892—Forwarding the above.
Letter from the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, No. 987, dated 27th June
1892—Submitting for consideration the detailed report of the working of the Depart-
ment in his charge, together with statistical returns for the year 1891-92; and making
remarks.
Letter from the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, No. 3784, dated 31st December
1892—Submitting the above with his review thereof.
RESOLUTION.—This report which relates to the operations of the year
ending 31st March 1892 has been reviewed in detail by the Director of Land
Records and Agriculture, as directed in paragraph 10 of Government Resolution
No. 1259. dated 19th February 1892. The explanation furnished by the
Director for the delay made by him in the submission of the report to Govern-
ment is accepted, but care should be taken to avoid such delays in future. The
proposals regarding the amendment of the form of this report, submitted by the
Director in a separate communication, are under the consideration of Govern-
ment, and orders will be passed on the subject in due course.
2. Mr. Grainger, who was in charge of the Department throughout the
year under review and who proceeded on leave shortly after the close of the
year, seems to have moved over a sufficiently large area of the Presidency during
the period. The results of the operations of the year, so far as they relate to
horse-breeding, are far from satisfactory. The total number of mares covered by
horse and pony stallions, the average number per stallion and the number of
mares newly branded and brought on the register of the Department fell from
3,270, 37.5 and 1,046 in 1890-91 to 3,087, 34.81 and 809 in 1891-92 respectively.
This decrease is mainly attributed to the fact that, owing to the scarcity of
fodder during the year, there was a considerable falling off both in the number
and condition of the animals in parts of the Presidency. There was also a fall-
ing off in the produce results ascertained during the year as compared with those
of the previous year, the total number of foals being 698 (370 colts and 328 fillies)
against 813 (430 colts and 383 fillies) in 1890-91. Ten casualties occurred
during the year among the horse stallions, 6 animals having died and 4 having
been sold as unfit for stud purposes. The total number of stallions remaining
on the books of the Superintendent on 31st March 1892 was 99 against 104 on
the corresponding date of the preceding year, and the average number employed
on stud work during the year was 88.67 against 87.1 in 1890-91. It is satis-
factory to notice that every effort is being made to keep the stallions in an
efficient condition. The remark made by the Director in paragraph 8 of his