( 7 )
erection of the buildings, &c., the farm has already been partly stocked with 76
animals and it is hoped that the first batch of bulls of the Hissar breed, and
superior buffalo bulls will be ready to be issued at the end of 1916 as provided for
in the sanctioned scheme.
(2) EQUINE (UNDER LOCAL BODIES).
(i) Horse and pony stallions.
See table X.
37. At the commencement of the year there were 57 horse and pony stallions
at stud belonging to this department.
38. Five stallions were purchased during the year. One was castrated and
sold as it was considered unfit for further stud work. One died from enteritis
and one was destroyed as suffering from rabies, thus leaving a balance of 59 on the
list at the end of the year.
See table XI.
39. Fifty-one stallions were at stud work during the year and the number
of mares covered by these stallions amounted to 3,003, which is again a very
satisfactory increase of 244 on the previous year's coverings.
One new stand has been opened at Tamkohi, district Gorakhpur.
40. Regarding young stock, the progeny of these provincial stallions, there
is a continued improvement and promise shown by them in many parts particularly
in the districts of Saharanpur, Moradabad, and Budaun. Some excellent colts and
fillies have been seen at the Saharanpur fair, the progeny of "Achilles," "Oberon,"
and " Nelson, " Arab stallions.
41. As I mentioned last year, the functions of this department in so far as
horse-breeding is concerned, are confined to the improvement of the indigenous
horse and pony from a point of general utility, in those tracts other than the four
selected districts of Aligarh, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr, and Meerut.
The Royal Horse-Breeding Commission, in their report of 1900-01,
considered that these unselected tracts were not suitable for the production
of horses up to the standard required, as remounts. Here I am in agreement
with them, but although also personally doubtful of the possibility of breeding
horses up to that grade, it is evident that these localities are now proving
themselves capable of producing much better animals than formerly.
(ii) Donkey stallions.
See tables X
and XI.
42. At the beginning of the year there were 16 provincial donkeys on the
register and 4 were since purchased from the Hissar cattle farm. Of these, 14
were at stud, and the number of mares covered by them amounted to 709, which
shows an increase of 117 on last year's figures. There appears to be still an increasing
demand for the services of donkey stallions for mule-breeding, but as was mentioned
last year, the limited number available renders it difficult to meet the demand.
The Hissar jacks have not proved very successful, and as the price of them has
been considerably increased, it is not considered worthwhile continuing to
purchase them. Some arrangements for importing these sires seem imperative
if the mule-breeding industry is to be encouraged as it deserves.
43. A piece of land adjoining the stallion dépôt at Moradabad has been
acquired for the extension of the premises, and is found to be of great use for the
safe exercising of the horses.
Sheep-breeding.
44. The results of sheep-breeding experiments recently undertaken by this
department with a view to ascertain how far it is possible to improve the quality
and quantity of the wool of the indigenous sheep have up to the present proved
very encouraging and satisfactory. The introduction of the merino strain has
been found to have a very beneficial effect on both the quality and the quantity
of the fleeces.
It being primarily of importance to find out in what parts of the province,
the climate and other conditions would be favourable to wool-growing, flocks of
young ewes indigenous to the tract in which they are located have been formed,
and are now distributed at the following places :—
Lucknow, Garhwal, Bahraich, Kheri, Muttra, Banda, Moradabad, Aligarh,
and Allahabad.
These have been crossed with pure merino rams and already a considerable
number of half-breeds have been produced. Samples of the wool from the first
shearing are being regularly submitted to wool experts who have reported most