No. 1476/XI-807 OF 1914.
FROM
THE HON'BLE MR. H. E. C. HAILEY, I. C. S.,
DIRECTOR OF LAND RECORDS AND AGRICULTURE,
UNITED PROVNCE,
TO
THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
UNITED PROVINCE, INDUSTRIES DEPARTMENT,
NAINI TAL.
Dated Lucknow, the 30th June 1914.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to forward the report on the administration of the
Civil Veterinary department for the year ending 31st March 1914.
2. The year was marked by serious outbreaks of disease, principally rinderpest,
in different parts of the provinces, accompanied, in many cases, by high mortality
among the cattle. These outbreaks unfortunately coincided with the practical
stoppage of supplies of anti-rinderpest serum from the Mukhtesar Laboratory, which
greatly handicapped the officers of the department in checking and localizing the
disease. The demand for preventive inoculation on the part of cattle-owners afforded
good evidence of the value of the work done in the past and the growing confidence
in the efficacy of the treatment. It is noteworthy that the stock-owners in
Bundelkhand—a tract very much subject to outbreaks of rinderpest—who some
years past showed themselves greatly prejudiced against inoculation, were this
year foremost in asking for the services of inoculators.
3. The Superintendent in his report deals with the expanding activities of
the department and the new work constantly being taken up. In addition to the
treatment and investigation of disease, which necessarily forms the primary concern
of the officers of the department, the breeding of cattle, horses and sheep, are now
engaging a great deal more attention than formerly. The second cattle farm in
the Muttra district is being brought into working order and the number of these
farms must be increased in the near future to meet the demands for a better strain
of milking cattle. After issue the bulls cannot be entirely lost sight of and some
arrangements have to be made for seeing that they are properly looked after.
Horse-breeding is growing in popularity and there is a demand for the services of
stallions in new areas. Sheep-breeding, though still in its infancy, gives great
promise, and there is every prospect of a considerable increase in operations in
the future. The existing staff is quite inadequate to meet this general expansion,
and an increase is imperatively needed in all grades of the service. The generally
sympathetic feeling towards cattle in this country is hardly reflected in the
attitude of some of the district boards, who show a reluctance to increase the
veterinary staff to meet the barest requirements of the district. The most
practical method of demonstrating a care for the preservation of the health and
life of these animals would be the strengthening of the veterinary staff. It is to be
hoped that, now that the finances of these boards have been strengthened, more
money will be devoted to this object. The immediate object to be aimed at is the
appointment of a veterinary officer for each tahsil with a small hospital at the head
quarters of the tahsil. The question of the increase of the superior staff is being
separately referred to Government.
4. The difficulty of recruitment to the department, owing to the reluctance
of students to attend colleges in other provinces, is still acutely felt. The solution
will probably have to be found in the establishment of a college at some centre of
these provinces, and the matter is under consideration.
I have the honour to be,
SIR,
Your most obedient servant,
H. R. C. HAILEY
Director.