( 2 )
by horses in 1892-93. Of the remainder 1,023 are reported as "not held," and
in 476 cases the results were not known. The average known produce per
stallion also fell from 11.95 to 7.58. These poor results are attributed to want
of Inspectors in Sind and Cutch, and the rendering of inaccurate produce re-
turns, as also to the existence of a large number of worn out and uncertain foal-
getters on the registers. With a view to secure improved results, measures have
been taken by the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, to weed out all
stallions of doubtful foal-getting powers. Government trust that the registration
of mares and their produce will be placed on a more satisfactory footing when
orders are passed on the proposals called for in paragraph 5 of Government
Resolution No. 4343, dated 17th May 1894. The Survey Commissioner and
Director of Land Records and Agriculture should be requested to expedite the
submission of these proposals.
3. It is satisfactory to note that mule-breeding is gradually becoming
popular even in tracts where it was hitherto unknown. This is the first
year in which pony mares were covered by donkey stallions in Gujarát
and eleven are reported to have been covered.
The number of coverings
in the Deccan rose from 1 in 1891-92 and 28 in 1892-93 to 45 in
1893-94. The Khándesh and Shikárpur Local Boards, the Khairpur State,
and Mr. Gulam Husain Khán, a Zamindár in Sind, have also expressed their
willingness to purchase donkey stallions. Government are at the same time
glad to learn that the experiment of sending donkey stallions on tour with the
Inspectors has proved successful. The arrangement introduced during the year
under which all the English stallions in Sind were moved during the hot
weather to Quetta, has been productive of good results.
4. The mares branded for horse, pony and mule-breeding on the register
on 31st March 1893 numbered respectively 4,494, 6,172 and 973. In the course
of his tour during the year under report, the Superintendent branded 533 mares
for horse and pony-breeding and 335 for mule-breeding in addition to 365
mares branded by him in Baluchistan, i. e., in all 1,233 against 1,070 in 1892-93.
Excluding 388 mares for horse and pony-breeding removed from the register by
death or sale during the year under report, the total numbers of branded mares
at the end of the year stood at 10,811 for horse and pony-breeding and 1,308
for mule-breeding.
5. There was a satisfactory increase in the number (461) of country-bred
remounts purchased during 1893-94 for the Army, the Police and the Remount
Rearing Depôt as compared with 351 in 1892-93. Of the number purchased
117 animals were ascertained to be the produce of Government stallions as
against 57 during the previous year. These figures are believed to be much
below the mark as it is found that in several cases the covering and produce
certificates are lost or destroyed or become illegible, and the animals are there-
fore entered as being of unknown parentage. The defect in the present system
will, it is hoped, be remedied to some extent by the adoption of the parchment
certificate which the Superintendent has introduced. The Military and Judicial
Departments should be requested to invite the attention of purchasing officers
to the remarks made by Veterinary Captain Morgan in paragraph 89 of his
report in regard to the filling up of this certificate. The number of colts
castrated by Veterinary Assistants and salutris was 109 as against 326 in 1892-93.
The Veterinary Assistants employed in the districts do not appear to have been
sufficiently active in impressing on owners of colts the expediency of castrating
them and their attention has been drawn to the matter by the Superintendent.
6. The total expenditure of the Department fell from Rs. 68,268 in
1892-93 to Rs. 60,581 in the year under report. The figure for the former year,
however, included the expenditure for Baluchistan, and the Superintendent
should have shown how much of the saving in the latter year was due to exclu-
sion of that province from his jurisdiction. Of the total expenditure the Pro-
vincial share amounts to Rs. 35,767, and Rs. 12,201 and Rs. 12,613 were debited
to Local Funds and Imperial Revenues respectively. The attention of the
Superintendent should be drawn to the remarks made by Colonel Godfrey in
paragraph 14 of his memorandum regarding the method of showing the average
cost of maintenance of stallions. In view of the circumstances brought to notice