17
I need scarcely point out that as Table F is incomplete by three or four
districts, and that in other cases it is quite apparent that the numbers given are
incorrect, that the total of mares shown as present at the. close of the year, viz.,
18,437, is not to be relied on, and until District Officers make it their business to
insist on more care being exercised, with reference to these annual returns, we
cannot arrive at any satisfactory conclusions as regards the number of mares
(other than branded mares) present in this Circle. I consider the time has
arrived when the attention of the District Officers should be called to this matter,
and in future that more care should be exercised in the compilation of these
returns ; this is the second year under report, and it is time that a little more
interest on the subject was exacted.
Number covered by dis-
trict stallions.
13. One thousand two hundred and nine mares were covered by horse
stallions and 830 by pony stallions, making a total of
2,039 mares, against 1,514 last year, showing an increase
of 525 mares.
3.—Produce.
Number foaled showing
averages to mares covered
and per district stallion
employed.
14. Out of 1,514 mares covered by all stallions during 1893-94, 553
foals dropped during the year, giving an average of 36.52
percentage of mares covered and 10.84 per stallion
employed. The results of coverings of 369 mares are not
known. Here again my experience in the districts leads
me to believe that these figures are quite unreliable.
Often when inspecting stands, I have called for a register of coverings,
which has been brought and been shown to be kept up to date and satisfactory.
On enquiry for the register of produce, I have been told that there was
none, and in these cases the record of foalings was evidently left to chance.
The last cold weather, however, I have impressed upon the Deputy
Commissioners the desirability of making the district Salotrís answerable,
under supervision of the Tahsíldár of course, for any District Board stallion
that may be standing in their respective tahsíls. I have also suggested that,
apart from the register of the Tahsíldár, these men should keep a register of
coverings of their own, and that they should be held responsible that the results
of these coverings are not lost sight of, and that an entry of the result of every
covering is made in the register. There need be no difficulty about this, when
these men go into the villages in connection with their other duties, if they
have their registers with them they can easily trace the animals that have been
covered and can form for themselves some idea as to what the result of
the covering is likely to be. If the animal prove to be in foal then they can
arrange to visit the locality at a later date and make their entries accordingly.
II.—MULE-BREEDING.
1.—Donkey stallions belonging to District Boards, &c.
Number present at be-
ginning of year.
15. There were four stallions at the beginning
of the year.
Number added to regis-
ter.
16. Two donkeys were added to the register. One Italian was pur-
chased by the Mamdot Estate in Ferozepore district, and
one Persian by the District Board, Hissár.
Number removed from
the register.
17. Two donkeys were removed from register. These two animals
are shown as removed from the register for the reason that
they belong to private individuals in the Umballa district
and for the past 12 months have done no work.
Number present at close
of year.
18. Four were present at the close of the year and
were located as follows:—
1 Italian at Jalálabad ... ... ...
1 Persian in Hissár District
...
...
1 Persian in Delhi District
...
...
1 Home bred in Mooltan District
...
...
Property of Mamdot Estate.
Property of District Boards.
Number at stud work.
19. Four donkeys were at stud work during the
year.