44
other hand, to try and breed remounts from thorough-breds or Arabs only, I do not think
would be a success. We want a certain proportion of hackneys to keep up the class of
mares, and then with thorough-breds like 'Vendor,' St. Porcaire,' 'François' and
'Harvester' the produce ought to be capable of carrying a British soldier."
The conclusions of the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department, are
as follows:—
"1st.—That we cannot do with any one class of horse; that we require some of each
class in different districts.
2nd.—That for some time to come, the greatest number must be thorough-breds and
Arabs to counteract the long continuance of the Norfolk Trotter strain.
3rd.-That the Arab and thorough-bred sire must be powerful, and that the former
must be big; the small Arab, whilst frequently getting most symmetrical stock, does not
get them big enough for the weight which they have to carry."
Upon the strength of these high authorities, I venture to think that some
pause should be given to the process of gradual elimination of the Hackney or
Norfolk Trotter stallion in this Presidency.
Stallions actually at stud-
work.
5. The effective strength or the actual number of stallions at stud-work
during the year rose from 56.37 to 59.52, of which
8.92 were working in Gujarát, 14.65 in Sind and
Cutch, and the rest in the Deccan.
Mares covered.
Province.
Deccan
...
Gujarát ...
Sind ...
Average ..
1895-96.
32.65
28.16
39.64
33.59
1896-97.
32.29
29.70
33.65
32.24
6. The total number of mares covered was 1,919, i.e. 25 in excess of last
year. Out of these, 265 were covered in Gujarát,
493 in Sind and 1,161 in the Deccan, against 236, 515
and 1,143 respectively during the preceding year. The average number of
mares covered per stallion is 32.24 against 33.59 in the previous year. The
Superintendent attributes the falling off to scarcity of forage.
But, as the
marginal figures will show, the fall was really
due to the considerable decrease in Sind, which
is, no doubt, owing to the backwardness of the
people in Lower Sind (where a beginning has
only lately been made) in utilizing the services
of the stallions. As the system becomes more
familiar, no doubt an improvement will show
itself, and the Superintendent is sanguine that the
arrangement of stationing stallions at the houses
of the most influential zamindárs will work well.
Certification system.
7. The certification system can hardly be said to have had a trial. It was
put in operation only in Kaira by the Acting Col-
lector, Mr. Bagnell, who certificated no less than 303
mares, many of them undersized and too young to be covered. It is with
reluctance that I record an observation calculated to check the interest taken by
a district officer in horse-breeding operations.
But it is clear that in this
instance Mr. Bagnell's zeal outran his discretion. From paragraphs 101 to 107
of the Inspector-General's report it appears that the professional authorities
in Northern India find that the system works badly, and is used in order to
evade the brand. It might be advisable, if the system is to be further tried, to
direct that the certificate should be accompanied by a brand of the letter "V"—
the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, to add the letter "I" when
he inspects the mare, unless he rejects her. It might also be laid down that no
more than a specified number of mares per stallion located in the district should
be certificated in any one year and that they should not be less than four years
old, and than such height as the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
might prescribe for the district or táluka, having regard to the size and charac-
ter of the stallion stationed there. The certificate is, by the rules, valid for no
more than a year; this restriction should be carefully observed, and no mare
be granted a certificate two years in succession. With some such safeguards,
the system might be tried a little longer. But I confess, in view of the bad
results recorded regarding it in other Presidencies, I am no longer in favour of
it. If a larger supply of mares fit for the brand is required, it could more
successfully be obtained by means of Local Board stallions, which would be
permitted to serve unbranded stock.