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PART II.—PROVINCIAL REPORT.
MULE BREEDING.
Donkey stallions
belonging to Dis-
trict Boards, etc.
713. Mule-breeding by Provincial or District Board Agency makes but
little progress, and until all requirements connected with the supply of ponies
are complied with, I consider it would be impolitic to urge on District Boards
the necessity of maintaining donkey stallions.
Number of pony
mares covered.
714. In the North-Western Provinces, 3 donkeys are shown in Table J
(page xciv) as being employed by the Province, but in addition to these,
8 were maintained by Court of Wards. It is to be regretted that no informa-
tion is available with reference to the number covered by these stallions.
In North Punjab, two donkey stallions are maintained; these covered 89
this year against 52 mares last year.
In South Punjab, the only circle which seems to take up the matter, we
find that, as last year, 5 donkey stallions are employed; these covered 340
against 446 last year.
Produce.
715. It would be worse than useless to attempt to give any idea of the
number of produce based on last year's coverings, as no reliable statistics are
at hand.
Cost of feed and
keep of district
donkey stallions.
716. Table K (page xcix) will show the cost of feed and keep per
donkey stallion employed by District Boards, etc.
Demand for don-
key stallions.
717. On the question of the demand for donkey stallions, the Superin-
tendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western Provinces and Oudh,
states :—
"Eleven applications remained uncomplied with at the beginning of the year. None were received, and
the names of six applicants were removed from the register, as they refused to take donkey stallions. Two
donkeys Were supplied, thus there were 3 applications uncomplied with at the end of the year."
The fact that 3 applications were uncomplied with was mainly due to the
fact that no money could be made available during the year by the North-
Western Provinces Government for the purchase of stallions, but even if funds
had been forthcoming, I would not have known where to obtain the donkey
stallions.
The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North Punjab,
states:—
"There is no demand for donkey stallions, the property of District Boards. I am of opinion that mule
and donkey breeding is better left in the hands of the Imperial Government, as every effort is made to supply
donkey stallions when required, and so long as donkeys are supplied, it does not matter greatly to whom they
belong, and no special advantage can be derived from the maintenance of them by District Boards."
The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, South Punjab, states :—
" I do not consider it advisable as yet for District Boards to keep donkey stallions, Suitable jacks cannot
be obtained until donkey-breeding by Imperial donkey stallions has made further progress. I have already seen
some very fine donkeys by Imperial stallions which, I believe, were purchased by the Inspector General, Civil
Veterinary Department, at the last Rawalpindi Horse Show."
718. I agree with the remarks contained in the reports received from
the two last named officers. To develop mule-breeding by Provincial or District
Board Agency, it will be necessary to have a supply of indigenous jacks, the
price of those imported being prohibitive. As, however, the supply is very
limited and not equal even to the demand for Imperial purposes, the question
of development in this direction must be postponed. Again, when speaking
of the demand for District Board ponies, I showed that more could, with
advantage, be employed, but that District Boards maintain as many as they
can possibly afford. It is much more important that we should develop in
this direction first, as if we can supply enough jacks on the Imperial strength
we are able to reach the mares set aside for mule-breeding; it is, however,
different in the case of District Board ponies, as these cover mares which
otherwise would be covered by country "Tats," there being no ponies on the
Imperial strength.
Colts castrated.
719. The number of colts castrated by Veterinary Assistants and
Salutris paid by District Boards ( vide Table L, page c ) has already been
alluded to in paragraph 222 of this report.