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PART II.
CIVIL VETERINARY DEPARTMENT PROVINCIAL REPORT.
Preliminary.
As in the preceding year, we have had three circles throughout the year
under report. The North and South Circles have confined
Preliminary. their attention to horse breeding, and the officer in
charge of the North Punjab Circle has retained charge of the Frontier Pro-
vince, under the directions, so far as that Province is concerned, of the
Revenue Commissioner. The statistics included in this Report are only for the
Punjab. Veterinary Captain Oliver was in charge of the North Punjab Circle
throughout the year. Veterinary Lieutenant A. Smith was Superintendent of
the South Punjab Circle up to the 24th October 1902, when he was succeeded
by Mr. Oliver, M.R.C.V.S. The third, or Provincial Circle, has been in charge of
Veterinary Captain Walker.
I.—HORSE-BREEDING.
At the beginning of the year, District Boards owned 4 horse stallions
and 90 pony stallions. The balance, last year, was erroneously shown as 91
pony stallions, owing to a mistake in the Jhang returns. One horse stallion
was destroyed as a case of dourine, The Jhelum, Dera Gházi Khan and
Ludhiána Districts each lost one pony stallion. On the other hand, two pony
stallions were bought for Jhang, and two for Dera Gházi Khan, so that, at the
close of the year, there were three horse and 91 pony stallions (89 of which are
Arabs), on the register. The number of pony stallions belonging to private
persons is 3, and remains unchanged. During the year there were 4 horses
and 90 ponies employed at stud work. The number of mares covered by pony
stallions was 5,741 as against 5,651. The horse stallions covered 317 mares
as against 223 last year. Pony stallions owned by private persons covered
87 mares, the same number as last year. The average of coverings shows that
the demand for stallions was good.
The number of foals dropped as the result of the previous year's working
was 1,459 as against 1,316 in the preceding year. The number " not held " was,
returned as 2,676, and " not known " as 1,739. The average results per stallion
are 15.52, 28.47, and 18.50, respectively.
II.—MULE-BREEDING.
There were 13 donkey stallions at the beginning of the year, and eleven
were handed over by the Civil Veterinary Department to the following dis-
tricts :—Ráwalpindi (2), Siálkot (4), Lahore (2) and Jhang (3), making a total
of 24. Eleven donkeys were, however, handed over after the close of the
covering season.
The average number of pony mares per stallion is 44.2 against 44.4 last
year. The total number of donkey mares covered has increased from 50 to
403 and the average per donkey is 40.3 as against 10 last year.
Veterinary Captain Trydell makes the following remarks on donkey
breeding:—
" Donkey breeding requires fostering, and this would be done at fairs "
" by giving really good prizes. I would suggest, too, a small silver medal "
" should be given at such fairs as Ráwalpindi and Gujrát, where the best"
"donkeys are brought for sale to Government. If the supply and Trans-"
" port Corps and Native Cavalry Corps were to start employing donkeys,"
" they would find in them an excellent baggage animal, and a couple of stout "
" ones can draw a good load."
The demand for donkey stallions is said to be only moderate in the
South Punjab.