Sale of rejected
stallions.
3
15. Table IV furnishes all necessary particulars referring to 5 horses and
5 donkeys sold during the year. Of the horses, 1 was sold to the Alwar State
for stud purposes, 1 being a bad foal getter, and 3 being unfit for employment
as sires.
Castration.
16. A satisfactory increase is shown in the number of colts castrated dur-
ing the year by Veterinary Assistants paid from Imperial and Provincial
Funds. Table XI shows that 2,485 colts were castrated against 2,395 in the
previous year.
Number of branded
mares.
17. The year under report opened with a balance of 20,539 branded mares
on the Registers and closed with 21,911. The number branded by the officers
of this Department amounted to 2,764 against 2,041 in the previous year, show-
ing a satisfactory increase of 723.
Number of mares
covered by stalli-
ons.
18. As shown in Table V, there has been a steady increase in the number
of mares covered by Government stallions during the last three years. In
1900-01 the number served was 14,000. Last year, it amounted to 14,604,
and in the year under report, the figures have reached 15,234, which must be
looked upon as satisfactory, considering the imperfect and unreliable agency
through which these particulars are furnished.
Average coverings
per stallions em-
ployed.
19. The average of mares covered per stallion is still more satisfactory.
The figures shown are 56 against 52.15 in the previous year. The increase of
3.85 mares per horse when the actual number of stallions at stud work was
less than the number employed last year by nearly 8 horses, indicates that the
services of the stallions were better utilized.
Produce.
20. The reported foalings, as shown in Table V, also show a satisfactory
increase; the numbers being 3,873 against 3,391 in the previous year. The
average number of foals produced per stallion employed, has also risen from
11.65 in 1901-02 to 13.83 in the year under report.
21. I would repeat the remarks made in paragraph 24 of last year's Ad-
ministration Report, that no reliance can be placed on the produce Returns.
Various methods of obtaining accurate statistics under this head, have been
tried, but I am convinced that the figures rendered are as unreliable as they
have always been. Our District Establishment who furnish this information,
is so insufficient that it is not possible for one man posted to a district consist-
ing of several hundred square miles, to travel and personally ascertain the results
of each mare covered.
Country-bred Re¬
mounts purchased.
22. As shown in Table VI, there is a decrease in the number of remounts
purchased; the total number bought being 1,293 against 1,433 in the previous
year. The only branch of the service which shows an increase over last year's
figures, is the "Imperial Service Troops", the number purchased being 100
against 25 in the previous year; there is a decrease in all the other branches
of the service as shown below :—
Army Remount Department
Native Cavalry .
.
.
Police
.
.
.
.
TOTAL
.
1901-02.
92
1,174
142
1,408
1902-03.
76
1,070
47
1,193
Decrease.
16
104
95
215
23. No returns have been received from the 8th and 13th Bengal Lancers
and from the United Provinces, Bombay, and Sind Police. Probably the non-
receipt of these Returns may account for a portion of the decrease in the total
number purchased.
Relative success of
different classes of
stallions as sires.
24. The Abstract given in Table XIV, which shows the produce of
Government stallions that won prizes at Horse Fairs and Shows, indicates that
the Thoroughbred Australian sires again head the list with a proportion of
5.7, followed in order by the Stud-breds, Thoroughbred English, Arabs, and
Hackneys and Norfolk Trotters.