7
who will devote themselves to castration, the necessity for which is clearly
shown in Veterinary-Captain Maxwell's remarks on this subject.
37. The number of mares covered by horse stallions during the year under
review shows a decrease of 29 when compared with last year, but Veterinary-
Captain Maxwell's remarks on the subject of village tats having hitherto
received the services of Thoroughbred English stallions will show how necessary
it was to prevent any but branded mares being covered, even at the cost of
reducing the coverings. Little improvement can be expected until our stallions
can be made more attractive, for I feel that as they are at present, they do not
meet with the approbation of the breeders. Badly groomed and badly cared
for, they in many cases look worse than the country-breds owned by the
Zemindars, but all this is receiving Veterinary-Captain Maxwell's attention
and as soon as proper stable accommodation is provided, I feel that a change
will be effected.
38. The Superintendent spent about five months of the year in Sind; this
is what was required. In this way he will soon become well known to the
breeders and consequently development is sure to take place.
39. As giving an insight into the capabilities of Sind, especially as a
mule-breeding centre, I give the following extract from Veterinary-Captain
Maxwell's report:—
"The Province of Sind is divided into the following districts:—
Upper Sind Frontier ;
|
Hyderabad;
Shikarpur;
| Karachi; and
Thar and Parkar.
"The position of each district as regards its horse and mule-breeding capabilities are, so far as I am able
to judge, somewhat as follows:—
UPPER SIND FRONTIER.
"Horse-breeding.—In the Upper Sind Frontier district is practically centred the horse-breeding of
Sind. It is carried on by the many semi-Baluch tribes who have settled over our Frontier, and it is these
men alone who make the Jacobabad district so successful a breeding ground. They are keen horsemen, fond
of racing and other sports, and very different from the pure Sindhi in their love for horses.
"The number of horse stallions employed in the Upper Sind Frontier District last year was 12, with an
average of 20 coverings.
"As there are reported to be 1,419 branded mares in this district, and as only 242 mares were covered in
1897-98 and 52 foals dropped in 1898-99, it is capable of showing a very great improvement without any
appreciable addition being made to the stallion power in it.
"Mule-breeding.—A fair amount of mule-breeding is done in this district by the Sindhi, but the Baluchi
does not take to it. The number of donkey stallions employed last year was six, with an average of 19 cover-
ings, showing that they are not fully utilized.
SHIKARPUR.
"Horse-breeding—The Shikarpur Collectorate has practically no horse-breeding in it, and is reported
to have made no progress for the past six years. With the exception of one or two known men, the zemindars
are averse to using the Government stallions; they greatly prefer a Sindhi horse. I toured all through this
district last cold weather and in it I branded 182 mares suitable for Arab stallions, and when stable accom-
modation is available I hope to place one or two more horses in this district. As it is a very promising field
for mule-breeding, I am anxious to increase, if only slightly, the number of mares in it, but I do not anticipate
that this district will ever produce British Service remounts.
"The number of horse stallions employed in the Shikarpur District last year was, three, with an average of
18 coverings, so here, apparently, there is no demand for an immediate increase of stallions.
"Mule-breeding.—As a mule-breeding District, Shikarpur is distinctly promising, and the Sindhi in that
part takes more interest in that than he does in horse-breeding. The number of donkey stallions employed last
year was 13, with an average of 36 coverings, and I think mule-breeding in this district can be extended.
HYDERABAD.
Horse-breeding.—The
horse-breeding centres in the Hyderabad District are two—the Naushahro
Division in the north, and the Tando Division in the South. An annual Horse Show is now held in each Moro
in the north and Talhar in the south. I am of opinion that the Northern Division will prove the better of the
two, judging from the brood mares exhibited at the late Shows.
"In the Nanshabro Division, one horse stallion was employed last year with an average of 35 coverings.
In the Tando Division, two horse stallions with an average of 31 coverings. I am of opinion that in both these
centres horse-breeding is capable of considerable extension, and I think there is new ground in this district to
be opened out.
"Mule-breeding.—From the mule classes and the classes for mares covered by donkey stallions at the
recent Shows, I consider the Naushahro Division much the most promising as regards mule-breeding, but in
both centres I believe this can be greatly extended.
"In the Nanshahro Division four donkey stallions were employed last year with an average of 36 coverings.
In the Tando Division, two donkey stallions, with an average of 27 coverings.
KARACHI.
"Nothing in the way of horse or mule-breeding has been done in this district since 1894, when the only
stallion in it was removed. I am of opinion that one or two donkey stallions may be employed in the Northern
portion adjoining Shikarpur, but consider it quite useless for horse-breeding.
"A brief summary of the above facts will at once show that the Upper Sind Frontier district is the only
one that can be rightly called a horse-breeding district.