6
Arab sires. The object in view is not to produce remounts, but a class of
animal suited to the people and not too expensive to feed. It is also under-
stood that the cross is frequently larger than the sire, and forms a good basis
for future breeding for a higher class of animal. From almost all districts
reports are received of the increasing popularity of the District Board stallions.
The Superintendent, South Punjab, reports that this class of stallion is
undoubtedly doing an immense amount of good in improving the class for which
it is intended, and notwithstanding the very great scarcity of fodder during
the first part of the year under report, the Superintendents of both North
and South Punjab Circles, report favourably on the success of the breeding
operations of the year. In the North Punjab, the average number of coverings
per stallion was slightly in excess of the average of the previous year, and in the
South Punjab, the number was about the same.
II.—MULE-BREEDING.
The cost of Mule-breeding operations in the Punjab is at present borne
almost entirely by the Imperial Government, which has placed 304 donkey
stallions at different centres in the Punjab. The demand for donkey stallions
continues especially under the new system adopted by the Government of India
of placing them in the hands of zamíndárs. District Boards own only six donkey
stallions, which are employed in mule-breeding. It is understood that the pro-
pesal to which many District Boards have consented to contribute to the cost
of maintenance of a certain number of donkey stallions to be provided by the
Imperial Government for donkey-breeding has been sanctioned.
III.—CATTLE DISEASE—INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION.
The number of cases of rinderpest reported during the year was 13,511;
and deaths 8,121; the mortality from this disease was 60 per cent. of the
cases attacked. The actual number of cases which have occurred must be far
larger; no figures are available showing the number of cases which occurred in
the Simla District and the neighbouring Hill States, where the mortality is
known to have been severe. In the Roru Tahsíl of the Bashahr State, over 20,000
cattle were lost. The Assistant to the Inspector-General to the Civil Veterinary
Department proceeded to Roru, and the people brought their cattle to him in
large numbers for inoculation. It is understood that the results of the inocula-
tion and the attitude of the people were encouraging. In the Hoshiárpur
District, 3,021 cases of rinderpest were reported, the percentage of deaths being
61.07. In the Gurdáspur District there were 1,794 cases, and there were over a
thousand cases in each of the districts of Jullundur, Amritsar and Kángra.
The mortality in the Batála Tahsíl of the Gurdáspur District was exceedingly
severe. Out of 1,569 cases treated by Veterinary Assistants in this district,
only 14 recovered. In the North Punjab Circle rinderpest was most virulent in
the districts of Lahore, Hazára, Jhang, Ráwalpindi and Gujránwála. English
copies of Dr. Lingard's Note on the success obtained with serum inoculation for
rinderpest have been distributed. Translations of his report have now been
prepared and printed, and copies will be circulated for distribution among
zamíndárs.
Anthrax claimed most victims in the Lahore, Hazára, Ferozepore, Amritsar
and Mooltan Districts. The total mortality was 1,658.
Foot and mouth disease was again very prevalent, more especially in the
Kángra District.
The Superintendent of the South Punjab supervised measure for dealing
with an outbreak of rinderpest and foot and mouth disease on the Simla-Kálka
Road in May and June 1900. Isolation and hospital posts under a Veterinary
Assistant were formed at Kálka and Sogi with satisfactory results.
Treatment of cattle disease was carried out by itinerant Veterinary
Assistants, who submit their reports to the Superintendent of the circles to which
they belong. The two Superintendents are chiefly occupied in Horse-breeding
operations; as far as possible, they supervise the Veterinary Assistants, inspect the