3
The results are an improvement on those of the previous year but show only
a small advance on those of 1910-11. It is expected that the succeeding year
will disclose really notable progress if the experiment above referred to proves
the success wo anticipate.
6. The question of increasing the number of touring officers is not one
that should be raised at present, as we are unable to recruit men for the
existing cadre and I am strongly opposed to the recruitment of outsiders.
The matter is one that will meet with the consideration it certainly deserves
when the policy regarding education is settled and a steady flow of recruits
of a suitable class has been secured.
7. The fall of about 24 per cent. in the number of cases treated is rather
surprising, but the Superintendent's explanations may be accepted.
8. It may appear somewhat surprising that no more than 5 requisitions
for breeding bulls should have been received during the year, but it should
be remembered that it is by this time well known that the Superintendent of
the Civil Veterinary Department is not in a position to supply breeding bulls
and that applications made to him have almost invariably been infructuous.
It used to be the practice for the Superintendent to arrange for the capture
of Brahmini bulls in consultation with officers or planters in neighbourhoods
where they were so numerous as to be a burden on the people. A few such
areas do exist, but the class of animal to be found is usually very inferior
and indeed the raiyats will not in any case knowingly consent to the removal
of a good animal from their village. It was further recognised that the
haphazard transfer of inferior animals at rare intervals from one district
to another could have no appreciably beneficial effect in improving the breed
of cattle. The practice was therefore abandoned and since then the Depart-
ment have not been in a position to supply full grown bulls. The most that
could be done was to arrange for the purchase of a yearling calf, and this
was hazardous for the reputation of the officers in charge since, at that age,
it is not possible to be certain how the animal will develop. Most requests
for bulls have therefore been met with the reply that the Department was
not in a position to assist. A healthy demand for breeding animals is expected
to spring up upon the constitution of a bull-breeding and bull-rearing farm
in Worth Bihar—a project which has recently been submitted to Govern-
ment.
The loss of the costly Australian bull imported for the Bankipore Dis-
trict Board is regrettable, and although such misfortunes are very liable to
occur both with imported animals and their stock since they are more sus-
ceptible to local diseases than the country cattle, it is hoped that the District
Board will persevere in their project of introducing fresh blood. However
mixed the cattle known as "Bankipore Cattle " or the "Taylor Breed,"
it is assured that they produce much more milk than any breed indigenous
to the province The question of the quality of their milk is one that
has not been considered and which would form an interesting subject for
investigation. Partisans of the local cows, e.g., the Shahabad diara cattle,
declare that the milk of the mongrel cattle of Bankipore is marked by being
poorer in quality, i.e., in milk fat, than that of their indigenous animals, and
this is in accordance with what one would expect.
The Bettiah herd is progressing very slowly. Since the close of the year, a
scheme has been submitted to the Board of Revenue which has been elaborated
by the Superintendent in consultation with the officers of the Raj, and which
will permit of a more rapid advance, since roaring is to be added on a small
scale to breeding.
The report of the special officer deputed to make a preliminary enquiry
into the cattle question is expected upon the completion of a rough census of
the cattle of the province which is to be carried out by the agency of Pancha-
yats—the months of August and September have been chosen for this purpose
since at that period of the year there is no movement of cattle in progress and