6
REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT (INCLUDING THE INSEIN
large number of cattle-owners and others interested in stock were present, the
opportunity was taken to try and impress on them the very urgent necessity for
bestowing as much care on the breeding stock as is done in the case of cart and
plough bullocks.
Efforts might be made to institute a fair here, but it will be necessary to
impress on sellers desiring business to ask reasonable prices or sell stock at
market rates. As a rule Burmans attending so-called Agricultural Shows do not
wish to sell. Those who may be so inclined promptly ask prohibitive prices. I
feel sure if a proper fair could be arranged, Municipalities and buyers from Lower
Burma would gladly avail themselves of such an opportunity to procure suitable
animals at fair prices to sellers. Agricultural Shows in Burma proved an absolute
failure. The incentives present in other countries to make such the unqualified
success they are, are in every sense wanting here.
IV.—SUBORDINATE ESTABLISHMENT.
Tables IV
and VII.
12. Veterinary Inspectors.—At the beginning of the year there were eleven
Inspectors and four officiating Inspectors. Seven were serving in Lower and
eight in Upper Burma.
In July Veterinary Inspector Maung Myat E retired after serving over thirty-
four years. A quiet, energetic, willing and reliable man, he earned the confi-
dence not only of the authorities under whom he served, but also of the cultivators.
It is with much pleasure I record an appreciation of his long and faithful work in
the service of Government. He is the last of the few Assistants in the Depart-
ment when I took over charge.
In June Veterinary Assistant Maung San Hla employed in the Laboratory,
was I am glad to say, appointed to an Inspectorship. Veterinary Assistant
Maung Lu Pe under training was appointed in February. At the close of the
year there were 19 Inspectors, viz. 12 permanent, including the two on leave and
whose places were filled by Veterinary Assistants, and seven officiating. Lower
Burma—10, including Maung Pe Than under training for appointment as Deputy
Superintendent, Maung Tun Aung, on special duty at the school, and Maung San
Hla, the Laboratory Assistant. Upper Burma—7. Shan States—2.
Veterinary Assistants.—The strength of the establishment of Veterinary
Assistants at the beginning and close of the year is shown below:—
Assistants.
Lower Burma ...
Upper Burma ...
Reserve ...
Office ...
School
...
Total ...
Strength,
1st April 1917.
70
63
10
2
1
146
Appointed during
the year.
8
3
5
...
...
16
Total.
78
66
15
a
1
162
Casualties.
4
1
...
...
...
5
Strength,
31st March 1918.
74
65
15
2
1
157*
* Excluding 18 Assistants employed in the Shan States.
Two Assistants died, two retired on pension, and one was appointed
Inspector.
Sixteen passed pupils were appointed Veterinary Assistants; of these two
were failures of previous year.
Inspectors visited 2,525 villages in Lower Burma and 1,797 in Upper Burma.
In Lower Burma they attended 139 outbreaks, and in Upper Burma 128.
Reckoning working days, i.e. the days on which Veterinary Inspectors were
not on leave, sick or otherwise, as averaging 3605, the number of days spent on
tour by each Inspector in Lower Burma would be represented by 2877 equal to
79.7 per cent., or at the rate of 290.9 days per annum, while in Upper Burma the
number of working days being an average of 349.1, days spent on tour were
246.5, the percentage being thus 70.6 or equal to 257.6 days per annum.