28
158. As bearing on the question of the supply of mules which is one of
paramount importance at the present time, I reproduce the report submitted by
the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay, on the subject. He
states :—
At the request of the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department, the following information with refer-
ence to mule-breeding has been incorporated in this year's report.
Table showing the progress of mule-breeding in the Deccan and Khandesh.
Year.
1881-82
1882-83
1883-84
1884-85
1885-86
1886-87
1887-88
1888-89
1889-90
1890-91
1891-92
1892-93
1893-94
1894-95
1895-96
1896-97
Stallions.
3.50
8.0
541
5.03
3 0
3.0
3.0
2.15
1.0
...
0.45
1.56
2.35
3.82
3.22
2.0
Mares
covered.
88
123
69
80
44
46
52
47
19
...
1
28
45
59
67
41
Produce.
15
9
10
20
18
15
12
7
2
...
1
3
16
6
10
8
Mares
covered
per
stallion.
25.14
15.37
12.75
15.90
14.66
15.3
17.3
21.86
19.0
...
2.2
17.9
1914
15.44
20.80
20.50
Produce
per
stallion.
4.28
1.12
2.29
3.99
6.0
5.0
40
3.25
2.0
...
2.2
1.92
6.8
1.57 }
3.10
4.0
REMARKS.
Khandesh returns not
received.
Of the total coverings, 133
were effected at Sirur and
107 in the Khandesh, Nasik,
and Ahmednagar districts.
A glance at the above table will give some idea of the extent to which mule-breeding operations have
been carried on in the Deccan and Khandesh. It will be seen that in the year 1884-85, five stallions were stationed
in the Deccan and only 80 mares covered. From that date to 1889 a gradual falling off took place, and Government
in their Resolution in the Revenue Department No. 3819, dated 25th May 1889, approved of the action of the
Superintendent in removing all donkey stallions in the Deccan. I took over the Department in May 1892 and for
the two previous years no attempt had been made to breed mules. I made most careful enquiries throughout the
district and realized that the ordinary ryot was very averse from caste prejudices to carry on the industry and the
only material left me to work upon consisted of a few small and half starved mares the property of Mahomedans and
low caste Hindus. I also realized that if caste prejudices were to be broken down, the only possible way was to show
the ryot that mule-breeding was an industry where comparatively large profits were to be made at a very small out-
lay, and only on these conditions could I see that any headway was likely to be made. With this view I addressed
Government on the advisability of establishing a mule run in Guzerat so as to buy up the young stock as soon as
they were weaned. The plan was approved and I. spent considerable time and labour in inspecting various tracts of
land which I thought might be suitable for the purpose, being careful to avoid tracts liable to famine, to select some
central place where fodder and water was plentiful, where the mule produce of Sind could easily be brought, as well
as animals bred in the Deccan and Guzerat. After some 18 months or 2 years, the project was abandoned for want of
sufficient funds. In the meantime, every endeavour had been made by myself and the subordinates of this Depart-
ment to induce owners to breed mules. Larger prizes were offered at the Shows, they were told that Government
would purchase their young stock at 6 months old (a promise which I regret to say I was unable to keep) and every
village I visited, the whole subject was carefully gone into by me with the assembled breeders, and as a last
resource I ordered all Inspectors to travel with a donkey stallion from village to village. I obtained promises from several
men that they would get their mares covered by donkey stallions, which they never fulfilled. Considerable reluctance
was shown by owners to get even wretched little mares, which graze along the sides of the road, covered, and only
the persistance of the Inspectors and the promise of prizes at the Shows gained an unwilling consent. This
class of animal was selected because owners of better mares steadily refused, and it was thought that a start, no
matter how bad, was better than attempting nothing. The opposition was steady from the very beginning, and
no part of the Deccan showed any signs of giving way or taking up the industry. During the whole time I have
been in the Deccan, only on two occasions have I seen owners of their own free will bring their mares to be covered
by donkey stallions. This alone will give some idea of the tremendous odds that the Department has been working
against in endeavouring to establish an industry opposed alike to the prejudices and wishes of the people, and as I
have stated before when the ryot realizes that money is to be made out of mule-breeding, the industry may gradu-
ally become popular, but at present there is no market for a young mule and until that is established any further
attempt will be to court failure. This unsatisfactory state of affairs has been carried on for the last four years in the
hope that time would effect any improvement but as that improvement did not take place, I was compelled to
remove the stallious with the view of preventing further waste of Government money.