2
Punjab may fairly claim to be the most advanced Province of the Empire.
In past years the Lieutenant-Governor has recorded his opinion that this
satisfactory result is due to the close touch which the Department maintains
with the people. One indication of this is the fact that in the college the
instruction is given in the students' own vernacular and is therefore more
practical and more readily assimilated Another is the admirable system of
informal lectures to villagers on veterinary work which Colonel Farmer has
developed. The Lieutenant-Governor thinks that it would help towards the same
end if the Veterinary Department were brought into touch with the Agricultural
Associations which have now been established in many districts and if Veterinary
Officers attended their periodical meetings. He believes that the Punjab zamin-
dar is only too willing to listen to and act upon expert advice once he is con-
vinced that the expert is speaking from practical knowledge of local conditions
and not merely by the book.
4. Owing to the failure of the monsoon the year was financially a disas-
trous one for the Hissar Farm. Fodder had to be imported in large quantities and
the stock suffered considerably, the number of casualties being greater than in
the previous year in spite of the fact that the farm was unusually free from con-
tagious disease. Expenditure rose from Rs. 1,54,070 to Rs. 1,85,416, while re-
ceipts declined by over Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 1,01,024. The number of animals of
all sorts sold was only 613 as compared with 845 in 1914-15, though 181 bulls
were issued to district boards, a number which again beat all previous records.
The year was in fact most trying to the staff, and great credit is due to Mr.
Branford, the Superintendent, and his Bailiff and other assistants for the manner
in which they met their difficulties. The great fluctuations in the results of
the farm's working turns almost entirely on the fodder supply, and the fact
that 60,000 maunds of fodder had to be purchased from outside—at a cost of
perhaps Rs. 70,000 —against 114,000 maunds raised on the farm (which has an
area of 41,548 acres) points to the need of more effective local arrangements.
The Lieutenant-Governor doubts whether enough is being done to store the
surplus of a good year in the form of hay and ensilage to meet the deficit of the
frequently recurring dry years. The present year promises to yield an un-
usually abundant supply of fodder and the Lieutenant-Governor considers that
full advantage should be taken of this and arrangements made for storage on a
really large scale.
5. No new veterinary dispensaries were opened by local bodies during
the year, but the rebuilding of three old hospitals according to the standard plan
was completed and various additions were made to existing dispensaries. The
Lieutenant-Governor has noticed with pleasure that several public-spirited
gentlemen have provided buildings at their own expense, and he trusts that
others will follow their example. The interest of district boards in breeding ope-
rations was well sustained, and in addition to the 181 bulls obtained from Hissar
16 Dhanni and 3 Dajal bulls were bought through the Department and 27 cross-
bred merino rams were purchased from Hissar: 38 rams were obtained from the
same source by private individuals.
887 CS-401—12-9-16—SGPP Lahore.