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"Bihari Brahmini bulls (Sitamarhi and Darbhanga), for which requisitions were made, were procured and
supplied to the following persons :—Collector of Pabna (2); Manager, Tikari Raj (1); Chairman, District Board,
Backergunge (4); Secretary, Howrah Municipality (2); Manager, Pal Lahari estate (1); Baramba estate (1);
Talchar estate (1); Narshingpur estate (1) ; Dhenkanal estate (2); Secretary, Cossipore and Chitpur Muni-
cipality (1) ; Chairman, Local Board, North Lakhimpur, Assam (2); Deputy Commissioner, Lohardaga (1) ;
and General Manager, Deoghur (3). Besides, the Sub-divisional Officer of Buxar, and the Manager, Bettiah,
Raj estate, were each supplied with a Hissar bull.
" Applications for bulls have also been received from the following persons :—
Commissioner, Bhagalpur Division (in connection with agricultural
experiments and improvement in Purnea and Sontal Parganas) .
Manager, Kanika estate, Cuttack
.
.
.
.
.
.
Collector of Chittagong (for Government estates, Chittagong) .
Deputy Collector in charge of Sub-divisional office, Rajmahal (for
Government estate Damin-i-Koh)
.
.
.
.
.
.
Collector of Balasore
.
.
.
.
.
.
Manager, Khagra ward's estate, Purnea
.
.
.
.
.
.
President, Suri Fair
.
.
.
.
.
.
Collector of Bogra (for Jaipur Government estate) . . .
Deputy Commissioner, Darjeeling
.
.
.
.
.
.
Mr. E. Good, Collector of Customs, Chittagong . . . . . .
Collector of Dinajpur (for Maldwar ward's estate)
.
.
.
.
Collector of Backergunge (for Dakhin Shabazpur estate)
and I am trying to supply these demands. . .
2 good bulls.
2 Beharis.
2
„
2 Half-bred English.
1 Behari.
1
„
1
„
5 Beharis.
Several.
1 Hissar or Hansi bull.
2 Beharis.
2 Beharis and 2 cows.
" The good results obtained by distributing good Behari bulls led me to hope that they were liked by the
people of Lower Bengal for if these bulls were not popular, I could procure others of medium size only at a great
expense from other provinces. The first lot collected this year was fair, but the last was not good. Plenty
of bad Behari Brahminis are obtainable, and there is no difficulty in collecting them, but the people object
to their good bulls being caught. During the year I corresponded with the Manager of the Darbhanga Raj,
and received permission to export some of the local Brahminis, but my Agent reported that those he saw were
rather old and not up to the standard required. Mr. H. E. Abbott, of Shapurindi Factory, rendered me assist-
ance in securing bulls. Recently he procured 10 bulls for this Department, but they are not of such good stamp
as I expected them to be. I do not like this system of exporting bulls from Behar, for though there are many
bad ones there, I doubt if there be too many good ones. To export the bad ones for breeding purposes is not an
advantage to the districts they are sent to, to export the good bulls is bad for Bihar.
" I suggest that if we are to attempt to improve the cattle of the lower districts, we must do it by breeding
our own bulls, and by distributing them in a proper systematic way. The same remarks applies to the importa-
tion of bulls from Hissar into Northern Bengal. Out of 8 Hissars imported last year, I castrated one, as he
was not. suited to improve any breed, and one purchased by Mr. Toomey has not covered a single cow throughout
the year, nor will he go near one ; and I think the Hissar Farm has not treated us at all well in this matter.
" It was never intended to establish a Hissar breed in North Bengal, but to use it to refresh the local one.
Here, again, it would be much better if we were to breed our own bulls, and distribute them in Behar, etc. If
Hissars are to be purchased, it would be well if I went to the Farm and selected them myself. I have come to
the conclusion that the attempts we make now to distribute bulls is not of much use, and we had better let the
matter rest until we can breed our own bulls.
" Cattle farms.—In accordance with requests received from the Director of Land Records, I have sent up
proposals and estimates for cattle farms at Hathwa, Pussa, and Jalpaiguri."
716. I am not, as a rule, an advocate for the importation of foreign or
other breeds of bulls into a Province. The conditions of climate, soil and food
vary so considerably in different parts of India that if we attempted any radical
change in the breed of any particular part we would in all probability produce
an animal that would be unable to exist in that portion of the country for
which it was intended.
717. The Hissar breed cannot therefore be looked upon as one suitable to
improve all breeds of cattle; but as being of medium size, with deep girth and
great power for agricultural and draught purposes, besides being of good milch
strain, it is one that should do good generally. I agree with Veterinary Major
Raymond that those received from the Hissar Farm were not such as would
be likely to improve the breed of cattle in Behar, but I trust that in a few
years, the Farm being under skilful management, we shall be in a position to
supply bulls that are calculated to do good.
718. I scarcely agree with Veterinary Major Raymond in deferring this
important subject until Bengal is in a position to breed its own Bulls; in such
districts which have a distinct breed, breeding from selected bulls of that type
should be followed out. To do this, good bulls of one year of age should be
bought and if Cattle Farms are started at Hathwa, Pussa and Jalpaiguri, they
might be easily kept there until such time as they are of an age to issue.