7
provided. This leads up to the subject of the liability for the extra cost. It is clear
that the number of stallions now maintained by District Boards is inadequate. The
number required will be somewhere between this and the total number in the
districts before the Imperial Department withdrew its stallions. It must also be
admitted that District Boards are not in a position to increase their expenditure
appreciably, if at all. I submit that the interests at stake being Imperial or Provin-
cial rather than local, there is a good case for assistance. This is not, however, the
occasion for a detailed discussion of the situation, or of the measures which should
be taken. I have made enquiries and discussed the question with the Superinten-
dents, but I have deferred any further action at present, as I understand that the
matter is engaging the attention of the Inspector-General of the Civil Veterinary
Department.
The class of stallion re-
quired in the non-selected
districts.
40. Mr. Oliver has expressed himself in favour of Arab ponies for im-
proving the indigeneous breed, and he writes :—" I consider
that past results justify District Boards in employing Arabs
as far as possible for stud purposes. The Arab stallion
stamps his stock more than any other class of sire and corrects the faults of con-
formation met with in the country bred. Moreover, being of an oriental breed,
and using him to cross with an oriental breed, that too excessive extreme is
avoided which often results in sterility."
Abolition of the North
and South Circles.
41. These reports will be the last submitted from the North and South
Punjab Circles. The posts of Superintendents, North and
South Punjab, have been abolished and the duties connected
with District Board horse and mule breeding in non-selected districts will be
discharged by the two Superintendents of the Provincial Department.
I.—HORSE BREEDING.
Horse breeding opera-
tions by District Boards in
non-selected districts.
Appendices VII A, B, C
and D.
42. At the beginning of the year there were 3 horse and 91 pony
stallions owned by District Boards,—besides 3 pony stallions
the property of private persons. The selected districts
accounted for 3 horse and 45 pony stallions and the 3
private stallions, leaving 46 pony stallions in the non-selected
districts. Three ponies died, two were sold on account of old age, and two were
purchased by the District Boards of Ludhiána and Gurdáspur. There were thus
43 at the close of the year. In addition, two Arab horse stallions were taken over
from the Civil Veterinary Department by the District Boards of Umballa, and
Gurgáon after the close of the covering season. All the stallions are Arabs with
the exception of two country-breds. Forty-three ponies were employed at stud
work and they covered 2,840 mares as compared with 2,807 in the same districts
in 1902-03, The average per stallion was 66.05. As the result of the previous
year's working, there were 889 foals. The number "not held" was returned as 1,092
and " not known " as 826. The average result of foalings is 19.32 per stallion as
compared with 15.52 in 1902-03.
II.—MULE BREEDING.
Mule and donkey breed-
ing by District Boards in
non-selected districts.
Appendices VII. H and K.
43. There were 24 donkey stallions owned by District Boards at the
beginning of the year. Of these, 15 were in selected dis-
tricts and 9 in non-selected districts. Fifty-two donkeys
were taken over from the Civil Veterinary Department,
making a total of 61 at the close of the year. The donkeys
taken over from the Civil Veterinary Department were received after the close of
the covering season. Only 4 donkeys were at stud work in the non-selected
districts compared with 5 in 1902-03. One hundred and seventy-nine ponies were
covered and 24 mules were returned as the results of last year's working, the
rest being " not held " or " not known." Fifty-two donkey mares were covered
during the year.
III.—CATTLE DISEASE, INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION.
Captain Walker submits the following report:—
Total mortality reported.
Appendices VII. Land M.
44 The statistical information under this head is comprised in two tables,
viz., Appendix VII. L, showing mortality from all kinds of
cattle disease, and Appendix VII. M, showing the results of
preventive inoculation. The mortality figures show an increase of 2,032 deaths from