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A very satisfactory increase is reported from Ongole, Ellore, Coimbatore, Tiru-
vannamalai and Berhampur. Veterinary Assistant, Natesa Aiyar, in charge of the
first named, deserves great credit for the vast improvement he has made. The
Sivaganga hospital does not show much improvement in spite of a change of Assist
ant, while Vellore is still as poor as ever. The remission of fees in the case of
agricultural stock and jutka ponies at the last mentioned hospital was sanctioned
only at the end of the year, but the same concession granted earlier by the District
Board for the Berhampur hospital resulted in an appreciable increase.
The most considerable drops in the number of admissions occurred at Cocanada,
Vizianagram and Tanjore. The removal of a number of old decrepit animals from
the Samasthanam and the introduction of fees for outside patients are given as the
cause at Vizianagram, while a similar sale of Palace animals is reported from
Tanjore. No explanation is offered for the fall at Cocanada.
The Court of Wards opened a new hospital at Parlākimedi in August 1912:
otherwise there was no change either in the number or management of existing
institutions. The proposal to start hospitals at Amalapur, Nellore, Calicut and Erode
is very old and, as far as this office is concerned, nothing remains to be done, but
still it does not appear likely that they will be ready for opening in the near future.
In the same way the correspondence about the proposed hospitals at Hindupur,
Nandyal, Madanapalle, Mangalore and Cuddalore has been going on for a long time.
This inability to get through more expeditiously the preliminary arrangements, such
as the selection of a site, drawing up estimates and plans, etc., is seriously retarding
the expansion of the department in this one very important direction.
One point which has been brought to light during the year is the difficulty in
obtaining suitable compounders for veterinary hospitals. A proposal was previously
made to open a class for training veterinary compounders at the Madras Veterinary
College, but this was negatived by Government. The difficulty has been partially
overcome by placing a youth for training under the Veterinary Assistant in charge
of the hospital which requires a compounder, and requiring him to undergo an
examination by the Superintendent at the end of his probation.
III.—BREEDING- OPERATIONS.
(i) Bovines.—Of the 19 bulls at the beginning of the year, one was declared
unfit for stud in October 1912 and was replaced by a new bull purchased at the
Ongole show towards the end of March 1913. Only in the case of 14 bulls an
attempt has been made to register coverings and the register maintained in this
office shows that 527 were made by those animals. This register, however, is but
a very incomplete record of the bulls' work, as with the exception of 5 they were per
mitted to roam about with the herd for grazing. This cannot be prevented until
the system of maintaining them is changed. The subject of maintenance is now
under the consideration of the Board and Government in connection with Mr. Samp
son's report on his cattle survey. No satisfactory attempt can be made for ascer
taining the results of coverings.
(ii) Equines.—Only three stallions were at stud during the year, two in the
Coimbatore district and one in Madura. They covered 108 mares giving an average
of 36 per stallion against 21 last year. This satisfactory increase may be ascribed
partly to the ever-growing interest shown by the Revenue authorities for the work of
this department, which is perhaps stimulated by the activities of the subordinate
staff, and partly to the fact that the stallions at present in the department are parti
cularly goodlooking active ponies.
Better results still are hoped for in the future from the new scheme which has
recently been sanctioned, by which each stallion will be under the immediate charge
of a special Veterinary Assistant.
(iii) Fairs and Shows.—Three shows were held during the year at Madura,
Tiruppur and Ongole. In addition to the two silver medals usually awarded by
Government for the best bull and the best cow exhibited, two more medals were
granted at the Tiruppur cattle and pony show—one for the best mare with foal at foot
and one for the best yearling colt or filly. The shows at Tiruppur and Ongole were
again a great success, and separate reports on all three have been or will be forwarded
for the information of Government.
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