109
575. The cost of feed was as follows:—
Horses
Donkey
. .
. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
R
. 318
. 400
a.
12
1
p.
4
0
The cost of feed and keep of the donkey would appear high, but the cost
of his transit from Babugarh to Nagpur and a new set of gear is charged in
this amount.
576. The following information has been collected and furnished by Veteri-
nary Lieutenant Trydell. Although it is customary to speak of horse-breeding
operations in these Provinces, still, as the stallions are galloways or ponies, the
biggest being 14½ hands in height, it would be well to remember that the
results obtained will lead more to increase our transport supply than to furnish
remounts for the army.
DAMOH.
In this district there are said to be only 50 mares fit for horse-breeding,
and, as suggested by Veterinary Lieutenant Trydell, if there are only
this number dotted about a district—100 miles in length and 60 miles broad—
it is obvious that it is scarcely worthwhile to maintain a stallion; but,
in addition to this, many of the mares included in the above fifty are too old
for breeding purposes; the returns for the past twelve years show that
only an average of 18 mares have been covered annually. As the stallion
standing at Damoh is very old, it has been recommended that he should be got
rid of, and that he should not be replaced until it is proved that the services of
a stallion could be fully utilized.
SAUGOR.
This may be looked upon as the chief horse-breeding district of the
Central Provinces, and although, of course, there are more mares in this
district than in Damoh, still a great deal of the success met with must be
attributed to the interest taken in the matter by Mr. C. M. B. Seagrim, District
Superintendent of Police.
In this district, two stallions are employed; they covered 97 mares, giving
an average of 48.5 per stallion employed, which must be looked upon as very
satisfactory.
One stallion is very old and must be replaced at once. The District
Superintendent of Police reports as follows:—
"Very few of the mares he covered held, and he was almost a total failure; such of his progeny as are in the
district are of a very good stamp, and he has undoubtedly been a fine foal-getter; but, latterly, he has caused
great disappointment to the Malguzars of this district by the large number of his failures."
The younger stallion is not liked as much as the older horse, owing to some
unlucky marks, still, as he has covered 55 mares during the year, he must be
looked upon as having proved a success.
577. The District Superintendent of Police reports as follows on the pro-
spects of mule-breeding:—
" The number of mares in this district, fit for mule breeding, is roughly speaking, 500., The famine has been
a dreadful drag on horse and mule-breeding operations in this district, and is still, as cultivators cannot afford
to keep mares, but I am confident that the endeavours of Government will eventually prove successful.
I advocate four donkeys being kept in this district."
NARSINGHPUR.
It was calculated that 70 mares fit for horse-breeding were kept in this
district, but Veterinary Lieutenant Trydell says it is impossible to say how many
there are at present, as, owing to the famine, many have been sold. Opinions
appear to differ as to the prospects of horse-breeding in this district. On this
subject, Veterinary Lieutenant Trydell reports as follows:—
"The two Tehsildars of the district both declared that mares were very scarce. The Tehsildar of Gadarwara
went so far as to say that only a dozen in his tehsil were suitable to breed from. As I was leaving the district,
I met a Malguzar who was apparently very fond of horses; he gave me a list of some one hundred and seventy
in his tehsil alone, which he said were fit for horse and pony-breeding. He produced 10 of his own, six of which
were in every way suitable for the Narsinghpur stallion.''
One stallion is employed in this district; the average number of mares
covered during the past twelve years is only 25, but this district might be
worked up.