NO1423/XI-795 OF 1913.
FROM
THE HON'BLE Mr. H. R. C. HAILEY, I.C.S.,
DIRECTOR OF LAND RECORDS AND AGRICULTURE,
UNITED PROVINCE,
TO
THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
UNITED PROVINCE, INDUSTRIES DEPARTMENT,
NAINI TAL.
Dated Lucknow, the 27th June 1913.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to forward the report on the administration of the
Civil Veterinary department for the year ending 31st March 1913.
2. The difficulties of recruitment mentioned in last year's report continue
to be experienced, and in spite of the co-operation of the officers of the Education
department who kindly circularised the advantages of the service no larger number
of candidates has been forthcoming. There appears to be a reluctance to go to
another province for training, notwithstanding the offer of scholarships. The
authorities of the Lahore Veterinary College have now limited the number of
students who can be admitted to the college from these provinces to four and it
will become increasingly difficult to fill the ranks of the service.
3. There were a number of serious outbreaks of cattle disease during the
year, notably of rinderpest, which imposed a good deal of additional work on the
staff. The total number of preventive inoculatious rose from 44,497 to 62,435, and
those for rinderpest from 27,594 to 48,333. The results were generally reported
to be satisfactory in checking the spread of the disease and there was a general
readiness on the part of owners to have their animals inoculated. The existing
staff is quite inadequate to deal with these frequent outbreaks; but, apart from the
difficulty noted above of recruitment, there is an unwillingness, or possibly inability,
on the part of the district boards to entertain a larger number of veterinary
assistants. Some of the outbreaks of rinderpest have been traced to infected
animals from fairs; and it may be found necessary to take steps for the closer
supervision of cattle admitted to the larger fairs.
4. One branch of the work of the department which is being rapidly
developed is cattle-breeding. The rising cost of cattle for agricultural purposes
has brought the subject into prominence and stimulated the demand for bulls of
the best draught breeds; while the numerous projects mooted for improving the
milk-supply in large towns have led to enquiries regarding suitable milking cattle.
The poor milk-giving qualities of the majority of the breeds of these provinces and
the restricted cultivation and ignorance of the value of different fodder crops are
likely to prove serious obstacles to the success of these projects. Partly with a
view to assist this movement by providing a better class of milch cattle, and
partly to provide bulls for breeding the heavier type of animals required in the
western districts, a cattle farm is being opened in the Muttra district. The land
acquired is commanded by the canal and this will permit of considerable areas
being placed under fodder crops and their value for feeding purposes demonstrated.
The Kheri farm, which is maintained for providing bulls of the Khairigarh
and Parehar stock, is gradually being cleared and will shortly support a larger
number of animals. The first issues have been made, mainly to Court of Wards
estates, the demand from the local bodies and co-operative societies being
principally for the larger breeds, such as the Hissar and Kosi.
5. The number of hospitals and dispensaries maintained by the district
and municipal boards has increased considerably during the year and more use
has been made of them by the public. Some divergence of practice exists with
regard to the charging of a small fee at these institutions from wealthier owners.
Where, however, it has been tried it has not been found to result in any material
decrease in the number of patients, and in some instances it has brought in an