2
5. As a result of the combined efforts of the Veterinary staff, the District
Officials, some of the leading Zemindars and Co-operative Societies, cattle-
owners in certain areas are gradually recognizing the usefulness of scientific
measures for the prevention and cure of cattle-diseases. But in the majority
of cases the prejudice against inoculation amongst the cultivators continued as
strong as ever, and in Gaya it culminated in an assault on the Veterinary staff
by some villagers with the result that the inoculating staff had to be withdrawn.
The great drawbacks are, as pointed out before, the absence of legal authority
to enforce the inoculation and isolation of cattle and also the temporary nature
of the immunity conferred by the vaccines and sera. It is, however, satisfactory
to note that the number of cattle immunized during the year amounted to
118,788 as compared with 98,144 in 1915-16 and that the percentage of death
among cattle inoculated against rinderpest was as low as 4 per cent. The
Veterinary staff inoculated 89,118 animals while 29,670 were inoculated by the
Ranchi inoculators. The Superintendent thinks that a much larger number
could have been inoculated if he had a sufficient number of Veterinary
Assistants under him. Another satisfactory feature of the report is that Co-
operative Societies are evincing more interest in cattle inoculation.
Two outbreaks of Glanders were reported during the year, one from the
Hazaribagh Pinjrapole and the other from Angul. Revised rules and notifica-
tions under the Glanders and Farcy Act have been framed and are under the
consideration of Government.
6. Although the Ranchi inoculation scheme has not achieved the results
expected of it, some measure of success has been obtained where the Missiona-
ries took an active interest in the work of the inoculators under their supervision.
There was a further falling off in the number of inoculations performed by the
Ranchi. inoculators, and it was decided to restrict the working of the scheme to
a more limited area with a smaller staff.
7. Of the three serum dep6ts at Ranchi, Cuttack and Muzaffarpur, the last
was closed owing to the comparative rareness of outbreaks in Tirhut. The
dep6ts at Ranchi and Cuttack worked satisfactorily.
8 The number of Veterinary hospitals remained the same as in the previous
year. The hospital at Dumraon had to be closed for want of a Veterinary
Assistant. The number of animals treated at all hospitals during the year was
28,180 against 26,213 of the previous year. The number of cases treated by
itinerant Veterinary Assistants was 55,311 against 54,904 of the previous year.
9. The Government cattle-breeding farm at Sepaya continued to show good
results. The number of the herd rose from 204 to 256 at the close of the year.
There were eight young bulls of breeding age for disposal on the farm during
the year under report. One will be retained as a prospective stud-bull and the
others distributed to District Boards and Co-operative Societies. Two bull-
calves and 17 young female calves were rejected from the herd and sold by
public auction, the price realized amounting to Rs. 725.
10. The cattle-breeding farm of the Bettiah Raj continued to be managed
under the supervision of the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department.
The strength of the herd was supplemented by 20 cows and 16 bull-calves
selected by the Superintendent from Shahabad, Ballia and Bhagalpur. Nine
bulls and five buffalo-bulls were distributed from the herd.
11. The subordinate staff of the Civil Veterinary Department at the close
of the year consisted of seven Inspectors and 70 Veterinary Assistants.
12. The Inspectors and Veterinary Assistants are reported to have worked
satisfactorily on the whole. Mr. Quinlan continued to exercise efficient control
and supervision over the Department single-handed throughout the year.
I have the honour to be,
SIR,
Your most obedient Servant,
G. MILNE,
Director of Agriculture, Bihar and Orissa.