ANNUAL REPORT ON THE CIVIL VETERINARY
DEPARTMENT IN THE PUNJAB
DURING 1911-12.
Note by the Director of Agriculture on veterinary progress
in the Punjab.
THE future of the Punjab Veterinary College is in the balance. The
policy of Government is to enlarge the classes and to introduce a post-graduate
course. To this end an increase in the number of the European professors has
been sanctioned. But on the other hand practice has fallen off and is not suffi-
cient even for the present numbers; and the college is to be moved from its
present excellent site to some other, which, at the best, cannot be so favour-
able. Whether on the old site or on a new, enlarged buildings are required, if
full advantage is to be taken of the increased staff.
To the Punjab it is of the utmost importance that the conditions of
an enlarged college—increased practice, additional professors and adequate
accommodation—should be realized without delay. The following figures will
show how Punjabi students, who are required to man the Civil Veterinary
Department and to furnish a supply of private practitioners, have been edged
out in recent years by the orders which require a certain number of men to be
trained for the army and for other provinces. The result is that at present
selection of veterinary assistants is impossible, and there are evident signs that
the unfit are being recruited:-
1906......
1907......
1908......
1909......
3910......
1911......
1912......
Total new
students.
124
91
71
78
64
64
59
Civilian students
of the Punjab.
61
38
29
28
16
10
8
2. In district work the present year marks the close of one period of de-
velopment. Each district has been provided with a touring veterinary assistant
and each tahsil with a stationary veterinary assistant and with a hospital—
though in many cases the hospital buildings are still but temporary—and there
is one inspector for every two districts. Existing sanctions carry us no further,
and in the coming year the lines of future progress must be laid down.
Should there be two veterinary assistants for each tahsil? Should
there be a veterinary inspector for each district? Should the work of
the European Superintendents be lightened and the first step taken to opening
a career for native veterinary surgeons by the creation of a grade of Deputy
Superintendents? Can veterinary assistants be placed under the control of
the local bodies who pay for them? These are the questions which are now
under consideration.
3. The increase of establishments costs money, and so does the purchase
of bulls, and in determining our future policy we must weigh men against
bulls, for we are not likely to have funds for a full supply of both. At present
the construction of hospitals is nearing completion and more money can be
devoted to bulls. The urgent need of more good bulls for breeding in almost
all the districts of the province is being constantly pressed upon district boards.
Many boards are enthusiastic in the matter, but sometimes there is an evident
inclination to disguise parsimony or the demands of a rival (and doubtless
excellent) hobby under the cloak of insurmountable difficulties. The want of
grazing; the scarcity of good cows, the waning sanctity of the bull, who tramples
down the ripening grain, are all difficulties; but they can be overcome by plac-