6
" between the Arabi country-bred and an Arab. Besides several instances have"
"occurred this year of the pony stallion produce being bought for native"
"cavalry remounts. I consider it would be an improvement on the present"
"system if pony stallions were supplied by the Imperial Government and their"
"distribution left to me, the District Board only paying for their feed and keep."
"I suggest this as at present in many districts where pony stallions are greatly"
"needed, it is often the case that the District Board is not in a sufficiently"
"flourishing condition financially to buy a pony."
The Superintendent. Civil Veterinary Department, North Punjab, sug-
gests that the District Board of Siálkot should purchase a couple of pony stal-
lions as there are really very few mares in the district other than pony mares.
The number of foals dropped as the result of the previous year's covering was
1,316, the number not held, 2,205 and the number not known 1,375, the average
per stallion being 15.9, 26.6 and 16.6 respectively.
II.—MULE-BREEDING.
Of the 13 donkey stallions on the register at the close of the year 5
were employed on mule breeding in the South Punjab and 5 in the North
Punjab were employed on donkey breeding. Eight donkey stallions were sup-
plied by the Civil Veterinary Department during the year. They were received
in August 1901 after the covering season was over and were distributed to
the following districts:—
Rawalpindi ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Siálkot ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Lahore ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Jhang ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
3
1
3
1
The average number of pony mares covered per stallion is 44.40 against
28 in last year, and the average number of donkey mares covered per stallion
is 10. The decrease in the average number of donkey mares covered per
stallion is attributed by the Superintendent, North Punjab, to the fact that
the stallions were allotted to stud work after the covering season was over, and
that the fact of their having been allotted for donkey breeding was not suffi-
ciently known to the breeders.
III.—CATTLE DISEASE INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION.
Veterinary Lieutenant Walker, the Superintendent in charge of the
Provincial Circle, submits the following interesting report:—
"It may be said that the scope for work is enormous. Owing probably"
"to last year being a very dry year, and it may be also to some considerable"
"lessening of the total number of cattle owing to recent famines, losses"
"from the two diseases Anthrax and Rinderpest, which caused heavy"
" mortality, show a very great reduction from last year. The figures are at"
" present unreliable as the Veterinary Assistants from whom the information"
"is mainly obtained are too widely scattered to allow of complete statistics"
" being obtained. Moreover, the number of Veterinary Assistants has been"
"somewhat reduced, and some districts have no Veterinary Assistant even."
" Rinderpest is,as a rule, very prevalent in the Simla Hill States, but there is"
"no man belonging to this Department on duty there and no reports of"
"disease have been received. I am strongly of opinion that a Veterinary "
"Assistant is required for every tahsil to enable the work to be dealt with"
"thoroughly. By getting telegraphic information of serious outbreaks from"
"tahsils I have derived great benefit as I have been able to personally visit"
"outbreaks before they died out and institute preventive and suppressive"
"measures."
Foot and-mouth.
"Foot-and-mouth disease was very widespread throughout the"
" province, especially during the cold weather and no "
"district escaped. This is not a serious disease in so far"
"as mortality is concerned. The total number of reported cases was 30,231"
"against 12,519 last year. The mortality was only 0.66 per cent. against 2.90"
"per cent. last year. The disease seriously incommodes agricultural operations"
"as it throws animals out of work for a time. It is extremely contagious and"