( 7 )
45. As the great distances and difficult conditions make it impracticable
to arrange for any responsible supervising agency to carry on breeding experiments
in the Himalayan breeding grounds our field of operations is at present confined
to the plains. Here a great deal of useful information has been obtained and
further experiments are being conducted in the parts which are especially
favourable to sheep.
46. Half and three-quarter bred merino-country rams have been distributed
in many districts to Court of Wards Estates and others and the reports concerning
their progeny have been distinctly encouraging.
Fairs and shows.
See table XIV.
47. I personally attended and judged the cattle and other animals at the
Hardoi agricultural exhibition and Mr. Wilson, 2nd Superintendent, was present
at the agricultural exhibitions and fairs held at Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar,
Bulandshahr and Etawah. M. Niaz Muhammad, 1st Deputy Superintendent,
attended the cattle fairs held at Tigri, Budaun, Aligarb, Nauchandi and
Saharanpur where the latest veterinary instruments and remedies were exhibited.
He also gave magic lantern demonstrations on animal subjects to the cultivators
attending the fair. Mr. T. S. Davies, 2nd Deputy Superintendent attended the
Khairabad show and S. M. Raza Husain, 3rd Deputy Superintendent, attended the
Hardoi district exhibition.
IV.—SUBORDINATE ESTABLIHMENT.
Numbers, supervision and work performed.
See table VII.
48. The strength of the subordinate veterinary establishment as it stood On
31st March, was as follows:—Veterinary inspectors 16, farm overseers 2,
veterinary assistants under district boards 130, veterinary assistants employed by
municipalities 18, and provincial veterinary assistants including 1 at Cawnpore
agricultural farm 13, in all 179 against 177 last year, making an increase of 2 only.
49. Had it not been for the unfortunate outbreak of war the strength of
the establishment would now have been increased by 60 or 70 more veterinary
assistants, as, in view of the scheme for the new settlement of financial arrange-
ments for district boards, over 30 of these bodies had sanctioned an increase in
their subordinate veterinary staff and a demand for more than 60 extra veterinary
assistants had arisen. It is now for the present practically impossible to obtain
these men, in fact several members of our existing staff have had to be deputed to
military employ.
50. From the beginning of the next financial year all veterinary assistants
are being brought on the provincial cadre of the Civil Veterinary department and
in future appointments, etc., will be made by the departmental officers alone. It is
believed that this arrangement will make for greater efficiency as, under the old
system, it was obviously impossible for a district board to efficiently control officers
carrying out work of a technical nature such as ours, and hence their veterinary
assistants found it easy to evade duties which they would be unable to if placed
more directly under the control and orders of the Superintendent of the Civil
Veterinary department.
51. The Inspectors of the department now receive an elementary course in
practical bacteriological methods and where possible are supplied with microscopes
to assist them more thoroughly in their diagnosis. They have continued to do
useful work in the inspection and supervision of the veterinary assistants, the
survey of cattle and the investigation of the disease, while, throughout the year,
they have carried out inoculation operations and conducted campaigns against
outbreaks of contagious disease. They periodically inspect the cattle pounds,
sheds, municipal working bullocks and furnish regular reports on the working
condition of the hackney carriage, tonga and baggage ponies.
52. The work performed by the subordinate staff during the year has been,
on the whole, most satisfactory. Most of these men have worked very hard and
conscientiously in the face of many difficulties. This specially refers to the
provincial staff attached to the headquarters. It is often found necessary to
depute these men at the shortest notice, regardless of time or season, to any part
of the province on urgent special duty connected with inoculation and
investigation.