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Bengal.
1022. In Bengal the subject of cattle-breeding has been taken up vigorously.
Many schemes have been formulated, but so far they have not been very successful.
It is now proposed to utilize the old Pusa Estate which was formerly a horse-breeding
Depot. As land and buildings are available it is considered that this locality would
be very suitable in which to start a cattle-breeding Farm upon intelligent lines.
As this is a most interesting subject it has been thought advisable to furnish a full
extract from Veterinary-Captain Raymond's reports:—
The subject of cattle-breeding has occupied a large portion of my attention during the past year, and I have
inspected nearly all the bulls that have been distributed by the Agricultural Department in former years, and through
the Civil Veterinary Department more recently, and in Appendix LXI will be found some interesting information as
to the success or failure of the animals during the current year. Besides the bulls mentioned, applications have been
received from various wards, estates, &c., as well as from Assam, for bulls.
In my last annual report it was said that the breed of cattle is degenerating. I am sorry to report that more
extended experience has not shaken that opinion, which applies as much to the cattle of Muzafferpur as to those of
Khulna and elsewhere.
It will be recollected that my predecessor suggested a simple plan whereby up-country bulls were to be
imported into Behar and Tirhoot, and Sitamarhi cattle were to be sent to the lower districts.
The plan did not work as well in practice as was anticipated. Up-country bulls could not be procured, as the
local royats objected to part with them, and my attempts to procure Sitamarhi bulls also failed.
This year 1 have been more successful, for eight Hissar bulls have been purchased and some 8 Sitamarhi bulls
have been secured. But this work has revealed a startling fact, viz: the Hissar bulls are far inferior to those imported
in former years. That the bulls on a large Government Farm like Hissar should deteriorate so rapidly, must give rise
to some surprise. The causes of this degeneration when ascertained would form a subject of deep interest to all those
concerned in stock-raising.
But the apparent deterioration of the Hissar Farm bulls does not in any way alter the point of the remarks I
made last year in reference to Bengal, viz.—"I have now shown that good bulls are required and in numbers. I have
shown that we cannot get them now. The remedy seems to be that Bengal shall breed her own bulls, providing it
can be proved to be remunerative when all things are considered." Our recent experience rather emphasizes the
necessity that Bengal should rely upon herself for raising good bulls.
During the year a very large amount of important information has been collected relating to the grazing,
milking, size, rearing, &c., of the cattle in the various sub-divisions of this Province.
The information is not perhaps always mathematically correct, but it is quite accurate enough to be of great
assistance to those who understand something of Bengal cattle, and should prove interesting to a large circle.
It will be noticed that some District Officers have taken very great pains, and have been much interested in
this important work, and others have not.
This work will always be useful for reference, but the main point of interest at the present moment is that out
of some 128 sub-divisions, 5 are reported to have too many bulls, 45 have enough, and 74 have not enough. These
facts point to the size of the task to be done.
In connection with the proposal that Bengal should breed bulls, I addressed the District Officers, on the sugges-
tion of Mr. W. C. Macpherson, the last Director of Land Records and Agriculture, on the subject of land suitable
for a cattle farm.
From the information received, there appears to be land available near Giridih Railway Station in Hazaribagh,
on the Kaharbarce encumbered estate, but it would be necessary to construct large reservoirs in order to store water
for irrigation purposes.
Land is also available near Rampur, 8 miles north of Bagha, in Bettiah. The only drawback seems to be that
the place is 44 miles away from the nearest present station, in a corner of Bengal, and the site is reputed unhealthy.
I have visited Monghyr Fort, which was suggested as a possible site, but apart from other reasons, struck me there
were no facilities for growing forage crops. Moreover, the land is near a large bazar, and probably the Goalas would
attempt to poison the cattle.
I also visited Karnaghar Fort near Bhagalpur, but the place, besides being too small, is surrounded with bustees,
and is unsuitable.
I also visited Buxar, the site of the old horse-breeding stud, and corresponded with the Inspector-General of
Jails in order to ascertain if any land remained unoccupied by that Department. Land was not available.
There remained only the old Horse Farm at Pusa, in Darbhanga.
When I first joined this appointment, Pusa was suggested to me as a good site for cattle-breeding operations,
but in view of the fact that horse-rearing was said to have failed there, I had some fears as to the result as regards
cattle.
Since then I have acquired a further knowledge of the subject, and I am led to believe that the failure of horse-
breeding at Pusa would come under the broad head of indifferent system and expensive management.
Moreover, I have visited the place and the neighbourhood, and as far as I could see and gather, cattle round
about do as well as the scanty grazing will permit, the land being used at present for tobacco and other crops. The
soil is good, water is abundant, a railway station is near. Buildings, graneries, stables are ready to hand, and only
require some repairs.
The land has been allowed to run to jungle somewhat, but the sale of some of the timber would defray the
expenses of clearing.
There is accommodation, not only for cattle-breeding purpose, but for cattle-breeding experiments; moreover,
sheep and goat-breeding experiments might be carried out with advantage. The latter are badly needed, as little seems
to be known about the smaller ruminants.
I have, therefore, reported in favour of Pusa as a cattle-breeding farm, and the matter is under consideration of
the Director of Land Records and the Commissioner of Patna.
I have to add that the rock which apparently ruined the old stud was bad and expensive management; that
should not be forgotten in any schemes which is submitted under the head of breeding experiments. A sketch Balance
Sheet has been forwarded to the Director of Land Records.
It will also be well if the enterprise is not overladen with too many extras in the shape of elaborate scientific
croping experiments, scholastic teaching, &c., though they are most important in their proper place.
I recommend that Pusa shall be a breeding Farm, neither more nor less; and that any other agricultural
matters should be kept totally separated and under separate management.
Scheme for the
supply of bulls.
1023. Although good bulls may be obtained from the Government Cattle
Farm at Hissar, still this is only to a limited extent. It is, therefore, necessary to
look for some other source of supply. In every district there are some very good
young stock by good Hissar bred bulls, and it is suggested that it may be found
advisable to secure the best and most likely looking of these bull calves, brand
them, and keep them at a small Farm centrally placed in each Province. If they
were bought at two years old and issued at four, the expense entailed would not be
heavy.
Another suggestion is, that good young two year old bulls might be pur-
chased, the price would seldom exceed Rs. 30, and after branding them, turn them