10
Supply and care of bulls.
60. The grant for veterinary improvements enabled districts to buy more
bulls than they would otherwise have been able to afford.
We are fortunate in being able to get good bulls, suitable
for a great many districts, from the Government Cattle Farm at Hissar at
moderate price. Indents for 81 Hissar bulls were received from 16 districts and
these were fully complied with. A number of bulls of the Dhunni breed were ob-
tained privately from the Jhelum District, with the assistance of the Superintend-
ent, Civil Veterinary Department, North Punjab, and a few others were purchas-
ed locally. One that had gone astray was recovered. During the year, District
Boards were reminded that they are practically in entire charge of cattle breeding
and that the arrangements for seeing that studs bulls are properly looked after
are purely a district concern. This Department has laid down certain general
principles, but local conditions vary and the subject should be very interesting to
rural members. In localities where bulls are appreciated and used intelligently,
the young stock show signs of great improvement since selected bulls have been
more liberally supplied. With the rise of price of bullocks, cattle breeding on
intelligent lines requires to be fostered by local interest. The larger questions of
provision of grazing grounds and increased production of forage crops will require
to be dealt with probably by special measures.
Sargodha Bull Farm.
61. The scheme for a bull farm in the Jhelum Colony has not progress-
ed owing to the difficulty experienced in obtaining the neces-
sary grazing rights. If sufficient grazing cannot be obtain-
ed the scheme will probably have to be dropped.
SECTION 2.—EQUINES (UNDER LOCAL BODIES.)
Number of horse and pony
stallions in the non-selected
districts, Table X.
62. At the close of the year under report there were 64 horse and pony
stallions at work in the non-selected districts. This is two
less than the standard scale, Gurdaspur being short
by that number. Since the year ended, however, two ani-
mals have been purchased locally. Sanction has been asked to increase the
standard scale of the Jullundur District by two ponies to enable one animal to be
placed in each tahsil.
Number of donkey stal-
lions in the non-selected dis-
tricts, Table X.
63. At the end of the year 1907-08, there were 67 donkey stallions at
work in the districts or 7 short of the standard scale.
During the year, the 5 Catalonians that had been kept
at the Hissar Farm to mature were issued as well as two
more which had become available. In addition, 6 Hissar bred animals were
supplied or a total of 13. Ten casualties occurred during the year. The standard
scale of donkey stallions is short, therefore, by 4 animals. These will be obtained
from the Government Cattle Farm, Hissar, next autumn if possible. The donkeys
received from Europe have become acclimatised and are doing good work, in most
cases. Mule breeding in the Punjab should improve greatly within the next few
years now that the supply of donkey stallions has been placed on a more satisfac-
tory basis.
Service of stallions, Table
XI.
64. The average number of mares covered by the horse and pony
stallions during the year under report was 54 and that for
donkey stallions 41. The services of the newly imported
donkey stallions were strictly limited and the average was lower than usual in
consequence, though a larger total number of mares was covered.
Feed and keep of stal-
lions, Table XII.
65. The average cost of feed and keep of stallions for the year was Rs. 382
per horse, Rs. 374 per pony and Rs. 202 per donkey. This
was an all-round increase on the figures for the previous
year due to the prevailing prices of grain, and in some places to an increase in
the wages of the attendants.
SECTION 3.—FAIRS AND SHOWS.
Fairs and shows, Tables
XIII and XIV.
66. The necessary statistics in regard to fairs and shows as received from
districts are given in Tables XIII and XIV. Those for the
horse fairs relate to the non-selected districts only.