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for the herds of Gujarat and also to keep a pure strain of Kankreji cattle which
will form a nucleus from which breeders can start herds of pure bred stock, the
old Gujarát breed having suffered to a considerable extent during recent years
both from a dearth of good bulls and the introduction of inferior breeds of cows.
At the commencement of the year under report the herd consisted of 5 stock
hulls, 140 cows, 82 heifers, 24 heifer calves, 13 two year old bulls, 17 yearling
bulls, and 12 castrated stock. At the close of the year it consisted of 5 stock
bulls, 154 cows, 72 heifers, 30 heifer calves, 6 three-year old bulls, ten two-year
old bulls, 18 yearling bulls, and 22 bull calves, besides which there were
11 bullocks and 2 two-year-old bullocks. During the year 7 excellent young
stock bulls were sold, of which two were sold to the Government Cattle Farm,
Hissar, and five to the Kaira District Local Board. Besides the above 10 cows,
13 heifers, and 23 yearling bullocks were sold. During the year 47 bull calves-
and 48 heifer calves were dropped. The farm as a bull breeding one is just
beginning to get into thorough working order and in future years a steady and
increasing supply of stock bulls will be available for issue but at present the
demand is greater than the supply. Veterinary Assistant P. V. Nagarshet held
charge as Manager during the year with the exception of 43 days during which
time he was deputed to Bareilly to undergo a course of training in rinderpest
inoculation and at the termination of that course to visit the Government
Cattle Farm, Hissar. During his absence Mr. Buxy held charge. Mr. Nagar-
shet's work has been satisfactory.
(2).—EQUINES.
(1).—Horse and Pony Stallions.
55. Horse-breeding in this Presidency has been conducted by two different
departments since 1903. Formerly the horse-breeding was under the control of
the Civil Veterinary Department but in that year the districts of Ahmednagar
and Poona were selected by the Army Remount Department on account of the.
horse stock being deemed superior and likely to be useful for the breeding of
remounts for the Army. In these districts known as the " Selected Districts"
horse-breeding was placed entirely under the Army Remount Department, the
remaining districts being retained by the Civil Veterinary Department, but all
"Imperial" stallions being removed therefrom. The" non-selected districts"
were the inferior ones from a horse-breeding point of view. Horse-breeding
as conducted at present in non-selected districts is done so with the object of
supplying the needs of the people and not with the idea of breeding remounts
for the army.
56. The non-selected districts may be divided roughly into 3 circles, viz.,
Sholápur, North Deccan and Gujarát. The stallions are all the property of
Government. At the commencement of the year there were 20 stallions, of
these 15 were Arabs, 1 Australian and 4 Kathiawaris. They were allotted to
the circles as follows :—Sholápur 3, North Deccan 6 and Gujarát 11. During
the year under report 2 stallions were east, and 1 was presented by the Honour-
able Sir. J. W. P. Muir Mackenzie. The stand at Násik in the North Deccan
Circle was abolished as it was found that there was not sufficient work there to
justify its maintenance.
57. At the close of the year there were 19 stallions on the register and
they were allotted to the circles as follows :—Sholápur 3, North Deccan 5 and
Gujarat 11. The following shows the numbers of coverings at each stand
during the year:—Sholápur Circle—Sholápur 8, Sangola 30, Karmala 15;
North Deccan Circle—Násik 10, Yeola 41, Málegaon 20, Dhulia 24, Chalisgaon
16, Jalgaon 12 ; Gujarát Circle—Ahmedabad 161, Dholka 64, Dhandhuka 37
Parántij 70, Nadiád 49, Kaira 39, Palanpur 52. Frorn this it may be seen that
the stands at Sholápur, Karmala, Násik, Chalisgaon, and Jalgaon have done
very badly and do not at present justify their existence. Horse-breeding in
Gujarat is in a more flourishing condition and the stallions there are appreciated
and utilized by the People.
58. The number of stallions actually employed at stud throughout the
year was 18 against 16.24 in the previous year and the numbers of mares
covered by them amount to 648 or an average of 36 per stallion as against 562 or