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PART II—PROVINCIAL REPORT.
III.—CATTLE DISEASE—INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION.
Introductory.
430. Table M. will show the provinces in which outbreaks of cattle disease
occurred; it will also show the mortality together with the death-rate under
the various diseases.
431. It will be seen that of 429,351 animals attacked, 147,145 died,
giving a general percentage of 34.27 deaths.
432. The highest mortality recorded was under "Charbon Symptomatique"
where it reached 89.13. The lowest was under "Foot-and-Mouth disease,"
viz., 6.39 ; this would have been lower had it not been that animals were so
emaciated that they could not withstand any disease, even of a slight nature.
The same holds good with reference to "Other diseases " in which the mortality
amounted to 30.40.
433. The mortality from rinderpest was 46.55 which must be considered
to be low.
North-Western
Provinces.
434. The number of cattle reported to have been affected with disease in
these Provinces this year was 111,619 against 70,107, showing an increase of
41,512. This was mainly due to the prevalence of rinderpest, there being 35,879
more cases this year. Foot-and-mouth disease was also very prevalent. The
percentage of deaths this year was 36.27 against 30.05 last year, the number
reported as having died being 40,492.
435. Two points are worthy of note in connection with cattle disease in
these Provinces. They are :—
(a) That although 67,433 animals were affected with rinderpest, it
was impossible to introduce the preventive system of inoculation
which has proved of such value in India, owing to the fact that
no officer was available and also because the Subordinate Staff
has not yet been trained.
(b) That the returns under the heading "Other diseases" shows a
great reduction. This points to the more careful and correct
diagnosis of the various classes of disease.
North Punjab
436. Returns show 29,672 head of cattle to have been attacked: the
mortality from all causes amounted to 24.86 per cent. That from rinderpest
amounted to 62.05, whilst that from foot-and-mouth disease only amounted
to 2.62.
By careful consideration of the figures given, I am of opinion that the
returns are much more reliable than they were.
437. The time of Superintendents is so fully occupied with horse breeding
that they cannot devote that attention to this important subject which it deserves,
but on the appointment of the third Superintendent, which is sanctioned,
I trust that things will improve as he will devote the whole of his time to
cattle.
South Punjab.
438. Returns show that 34,777 head of cattle were affected during the year
and that the mortality amounted to 26.26 per cent. The greatest number of
cases were those of rinderpest, amounting as they did to 14,512. The mortality
from this disease amounted to 51.64 per cent. I am pleased to find that the
mortality arising from foot-and-mouth disease is shown as having only been
1.50 per cent., thus showing that the Zemindars are adopting more rational
treatment than they have hitherto done. No returns were received from
Kangra, Hoshiarpur and Jullunder districts.
Baluchistan.
439. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Baluchistan and
Sind, states :—
" No Veterinary Assistants have yet been employed in the Agency paid from District Funds to enquire into
cattle diseases, hence no returns referring to investigations and prevention of cattle diseases are prepared.
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