NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
49
Societies is being continued and it is hoped that in the course
of few years appreciable progress will be made as zamindars
come to realise the benefit of these societies.
Part IV.—Establishment.
Numerical
Strength —
Table VI.
42. The numerical strength of the subordinate veteri-
nary staff remained the same as last year,
viz., 27 Veterinary Inspectors and 213
Veterinary Assistants.
The abolition of the post of Itinerating Veterinary
Assistants and the cutting down of the travelling allowance
allotment during the year under report has resulted in a
serious set back in the steady progress which the Department
had been making in the past. It was only by the most
careful supervision that the activities of the Department
remained so little affected.
It is most sincerely hoped that the additional staff
recommended by the recent Departmental Conference will
be duly sanctioned and that we shall not in future have to
sit down and watch cattle die for lack of budget allotment,
to buy serum to protect them or for lack of travelling allow-
ance to reach them.
The Department cannot carry on a campaign against
contagious disease unless it is supplied with the sinews of
war.
Part V.—Expenditure.
Expenditure—Table X.
43. The expenditure of the Department is given in
Table X. The Provincial figures are
as usual supplied by the Accountant-
General, Punjab. These figures are subject to modification
till the accounts for the year under report are finally closed
in August 1924.
The local figures are obtained from the various local
bodies of the Province.
Part VI.—General Remarks.
44. The experiment of giving rewards to Patwaries
for prompt reporting of contagious disease mentioned in the
last report was not continued, as no funds were allotted for
the purpose. Opinions as to the probable efficacy of this
measure differ a good deal, but personally I think it should
be given a further trial. The question of prompt reporting
E
50
is so important that no scheme with that end in view should
be given up without an exhaustive trial.
45. Owing to financial stringency there is an inclina-
tion on the part of certain local bodies to cut down their
Veterinary budget. This is a matter for great regret as at
present the Veterinary staff of the Province is already ri-
diculously inadequate. Considering that the area of the Pro-
vince is 97,209 square miles, and according to the corrected
cattle census of 1923 the total number of live-stock in the
Province comes to 23,333,333, the total number of Veteri-
nary Assistants employed purely for field work is 205 (those
employed in Civil Veterinary Department Offices, Govern-
ment Cattle Farm, Hissar, and the Punjab Agricultural Col-
lege, Lyallpur, are not included in the number) allowing
15 per cent. on leave, etc., we have 175 Veterinary Assistants
actually at work. It would thus appear that we have only
one Veterinary Assistant for every 133,333 animals and for an
area of about 555 square miles.
46. The subordinate staff, both Clerical and Veterinary
(with few exceptions), have continued to work satisfactori-
ly during the year. I wish to bring on record the valuable
help rendered by my Head Clerk, Lala Ram Rattan.
The following members of the staff are specially men-
tioned for the good work done during the year :—
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
Bhai Sham Singh, Veterinary Inspector.
M. Muhammad Abdullah, Veterinary Inspector.
M. Muhammad Jan,
„
„
M. Jan Muhammad,
„
„
M. Habib Ullah,
„
„
Kh. Ghulam Hassan,
„
„
M. Barkat Ali,
„
„
M. Talib Ali, „ „
M. Muhammad Ishaq, Head Clerk, South Punj-
ab Office, Ferozepore.
My thanks are due to Major Sikes, Messrs, Garewal and
Brett for energetic and able way they carried out their
duties in their respective Circles. I am also indebted to the
Deputy Superintendent, Rai Sahib Lala Kotu Ram (retired),
P. Janki Nath and and M. Talib Khan for the assistance and
help given by them during the year.
The usual assistance received from the District Officer
is gratefully acknowledged.
51
Annual Report of the Government Cattle
Farm, Hissar, for the year 1923-24.
THE Farm was in charge of Mr. R. Branford for the
whole of the year under report.
2. Rainfall was above the average, although the rains
did not begin till July 8th and finished on August 28th
(no rain at all falling in September or October).
Mr.
Branford remarks "The year was by far the best so far as
Bir grazing areas are concerned that I have known. My
personal experience dating from April 1911.
"This no doubt was due to the fact that between above-
mentioned dates, rain fell in just sufficient quantity and at
suitable intervals. For about two months the Bir was
always moist and never too flooded that is sufficient time in
warm weather for our South Punjab grasses to obtain their
maximum growth.
"As a rule in this tract, in so-called good years, inter-
vals between falls of rain are too long. Hot dry winds
occur between falls and the grasses are almost always
more or less stunted and come into seed too soon;
or occasionally rain, when it does come is too heavy, floods
out low-lying areas, and sometimes destroys grass germinat-
ed in them by a previous fall.
"On a moderate estimate about three-fourth of the Bir
in 1923 carried at least three times as much grass as I have
seen before. 1923, so far as grazing and Bir hay is concern-
ed, was a bumper year."
3. Sixty-two thousand, three hundred and ninty-two
maunds (82 pounds to the maund ) of Bir hay were saved.
This is three times as much as the record since 1899 (the
year the Civil Veterinary Department took the farm over).
More hay would have been saved, except for Malaria
and Dengue fevers, These fevers were rampart in this dist-
rict all the autumn, and very seriously affected the labour
supply. Malaria began to be a serious scourge in August,
a month earlier than usual.
4. Canal supplies were good throughout the year,
except on the Dabra Minor in the first half of the kharif.
This Minor, the tail of which supplies the farm is usually
E2
52
our best channel, but for kharif 1923 the tail received so
little water that we were unable to sow our main kharif
crop on the area fed by it till heavy rains came at the end
of July.
5. Fodder in reserve at the end of the year amount-
ed to 134,730 maunds as against 51,726 maunds (maund=
82 lbs.), on the 31st March 1923, i.e., fodder saved exceeded
the amount consumed by 83,004 maunds.
The farm now has a substantial reserve of fodder in
hand.
6. Bir fires.—With a railway running through the
Bir and numerous roads and rights of way traversing it, the
risk of fires when the grass dries up after the rains is always
considerable. However, between 1911 and till 1924 only
two fires of any magnitude at all have occurred, and these
two only burnt up a few acres. Towards the close
of the year now under report fires have occurred
with distressing frequency. The arrangements made
to detect and blot them out have been very successful
and only one fire in which about 400 acres of grass was
burnt has done any serious damage. The fact however of
so many fires occurring is interesting and supplies additional
evidence to the presence of more grass than usual. The
reason for no fires in other years being, that as a rule there
is nothing to burn.
7. Live-stock.—Table XII shows the changes in
farm stock during the year. As is usual- when grazing is
available, the condition and growth of stock during the year
was satisfactory. Commenting on them in detail.
(a) Cattle have done exceptionally well. One thousand,
two hundred and eleven calves were born during the year.
Demand for cattle stock was good and the following
were issued or sold :—
Bulls :—
To Punjab District Boards ...
To Grantee farms ... ...
To Jind State ... ...
To Ceylon ... ...
To Mauritus
...
...
To Probynabad Stud Farm ...
To villagers of Rohtak District ...
... 226
... 4
... 2
... 2
... 4
... 2
... 1
241
53
Male stock:—
To Agricultural Department, United Provinces
To Grantee farms ... ...
To Private breeder ... ...
Female stock:—
To Co-operative Societies ... ...
To Probynabad Stud Farm ...
To Ceylon ... ... ...
To Grantee farms ... ...
To Muzaffargarh District ... ...
To Private breeder
...
...
Cows :—
To Ceylon ... ... ...
To Grantee farm
...
..
Bullocks :—
To Military Department ... ...
To Irrigation Department ... ...
To Jail Department ... ...
To Probynabad Stud Farm ...
10
...
2
...
2
14
... 47
... 12
...
3
... 30
...
8
...
1
101
...
1
... 7
8
... 30
... 10
...
9
... 4
53
An interesting item under this head is the fact that
one bull was sold to a deputation from a Rohtak village,
the villagers being willing to pay the full value for him
(i.e., about double the privilege rate available for District
Boards) and expressing the greatest admiration for him.
At the end of year an innovation, so far as this farm is
concerned, was made in the shape of milk records.
Periodic tests of the milk yield of cows in the milk
lines have often been made in the past, but we now propose
to keep records of complete lactation periods. The number
of cows we shall be able to record depends on whether or
no the extra staff and accommodation asked for from Gov-
ernment is sanctioned. An interesting fact noticed in this
54
connection up to date has been the high percentage of
butter fat usually found in the farm cows; and of cows
listed to date, the most generous milkers have generally been
found to have the highest percentage.
(b) Donkey stock.—Poor financial results under this
head are largely clue to an eleventh hour refusal on the
part of the Army Department to take over 7 jacks duly
indented for by them at the beginning of the year. Finan-
cial stringency also prevented the Punjab Government from
purchasing to fill existing vacancies in their stallion cadre.
As was pointed out by the Quinquennial Valuation Com-
mittee of 1923, this is not good business. The donkeys are
already the property of the Punjab Government. If they
could be transferred to District Boards' control as required
without these delays caused by financial manipulations,
not only could the jacks get to the work for which they
are bred and reared at great expense and for which there
is presumably a demand, Government would also save the
cost of their feed and keep.
The policy of training jacks to cover pony mares
before issue continues, and our experience is that practically
all of them cover if given time, and dealt with patiently.
No doubt their slowness is often a source of annoyance
to syces, but slow coverers are generally the best stock
getters.
The following were issued :—
Donkey colts :—
Punjab District Boards
...
Kashmir State
... ...
Donkey fillies :—
Probynabad Stud Farm ...
... 12
...
1
13
...
4
(c) Mules.—Owing to the change of system of issue
recommended by the Quinquennial Valuation Committee,
no mules were issued to the Military Department during
the year.
Six were sold to Khairpur State at the new valuation
prices.
55
(d) Sheep.—The Farm flock continues to flourish, and
continues profitable.
Lambs by the pure Merino Rams, imported last year
from Australia, are very promising.
Demand for ewe lambs continues to exceed the number
we can supply. I hope that the recently started Co-opera-
tive Sheep Breeding Societies, will lead to an increased
demand for Ram lambs.
The following were sold during the year :—
Ram lambs :—
Co-operative Societies ... ...
Probynabad Stud Farm ...
Kangra District Board ...
Muzaffargarh villagers ...
Lyallpur District ... ...
Shahpur District ... ...
Gurgaon District ... ...
Sheep Breeding Society, Naraingarh (Ambala)
Ewe lambs :—
Lyallpur District ... ...
Shahpur District ... ...
Gurgaon District ... ...
... 3
... 2
... 20
... 4
... 9
... 5
... 18
... 3
64
... 61
... 16
... 5
82
(e) Arab Horse Breeding.—Eight foals were born during
the year, and one stallion was issued to the Gurdaspur Dis-
trict Board. One young stallion ready for issue this year will
probably be retained on the Farm. He is exceedingly well
bred, being by the well-known Arab "Gunboat" (now dead)
out of mare No. 10 by the famous "Mareukh." This colt
has been much admired by all judges of horseflesh who have
seen him, it is not likely that we can buy anything equal to
him.
Three more colts will be ready for issue next year,
all are likely to be well up to stallion standard, and are cer-
tainly much better quality animals all round, than the
majority of the so-called Desert Arab;, available now-a-day
in the open market.
56
8. Contagious Diseases.—The year on the whole was
again very fortunate in this respect. We were again com-
pletely free from Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia in spite of the
unusually heavy rains. If we have, as we now begin to
hope, really eradicated this scourge from the Farm it is a great
achievement. This disease often causes more deaths in the
Punjab than even Rinderpest etc.
The most disquieting item under this head, was a serious
Recrudesence of Equine Contagious Abortion. We had be-
gun to hope that our recent policy of early diagnosis (with
the help of the Director, Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory,
Muktesar) and isolation would enable us to control the dis-
ease. The Chief Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, Punjab, hopes during the year to meet the Director of
the Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory to discuss further
action as regards this disease.
Details of contagious diseases usually met with
on the Farm are as follows :—
(a) Anthrax.—Three cases only occurred :—
(1) Donkey filly,
(1) a calf, and
(1) a lamb.
(b) Contagious abortion.—The number of cases
was as follows :—
Mule breeding mares
Arab mares
Donkey mares
... 5 as against, 3 last year.
... 3
„ nil „ „
... 11
„ 8 „ „
(c) Black quarter.—Three deaths occurred as against
23 last year.
(d) Foot and Mouth Disease.—Two deaths were
due to this disease as against nil last year. An
outbreak of this disease in the spring was un-
usually virulent, a large number of working
bullocks and aged cows were attacked, some
so severely as to be laid up for weeks, as a rule
outbreaks of this disease on this Farm are con-
fined to young stock.
(e) Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—No deaths occur-
red as against 2 last year.
(f) Rinderpest.—No case and no death occurred.
57
9. Cultivation.—Jowar, the Farm's chief kharif crop,
was better than usual, it was however considerably damaged
in September by the attack of an "Aphis" green bugs, locally
known as "Tela". This materially affected the yield of
jowar hay.
The usual quantity of ensilage was made. We have
now a good deal of ensilage on this Farm which has been in
pits for two years. Two-year old pits now being issued
as rations are turning out ensilage of very good quali-
ty.
Oats, our main cold weather crop, was not quite so
good as in the previous year.
This was probably due :—
(i) To the late sown crop being damaged by early
winter rains, which were unusually heavy just
at the time the seed was germinating.
(ii) The seed bed prepared for a large proportion of
the crop was not so good as usual. This was due
partly to the unusual prevalence of Malaria and
Dengue already referred to affecting the labour
supply. Not only was a large proportion of our
working staff absent daily but many of those
who were able to answer the roll call were weak
and not able to do a full day's work or even to do
the little they did efficiently. The unusual rains
also kept us off the land for the greater part of
July and August.
Our early oats has, however, done well, some 40 acres
of the Stables Farm has yielded over 22 maunds clean oats
per acre.
Lucerne, a few acres of this crop are always maintained
on the Farm to provide green fodder for hospital cases, foals
and mares, etc.
If kept clean and hoed properly it does extraordinary
well.
One cutting from 1 acre of lucerne put down in 1912,
this spring yielded 70 maunds.
One cutting from 1 acre put down in 1918 ...
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
1921
...
90 mds.
116 mds.
We cut lucerne about 10 times a year; once a month or
oftener except from July to October.
Mr. Read, the Farm Bailiff, worked to my satisfaction
throughout the year.
The following tables show the weight and value of
crops received from the cultivation and Bir, during the year
58
Cultivation.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10
11
12
13
Name of crop.
Oats (Avena Sativa) ... ...
Oats bhoosa (Avena Sativa)
... ...
Oats-in-straw (Avena Sativa) ... ...
Oats green (Avena Sativa)
... ...
Kurby Jowar (Sorghum Vulgare) ...
Green Jowar (Sorghum Vulgare) ...
Ensilage Jowar (Sorghum Vulgare) ...
Green Guar (Cyampsis Psoralioides) ...
Bhoosa Guar (Cyampsis Psoralioides)
...
Guar (seed) (Cyampsis Psoralioides) ...
Green Grass (Cynodon Daclylon) ...
Green Lucerne (Medicago Sativa) ...
Green Juar and Guar ... ...
Total ...
Weight.
Mds. Srs.
8.873 0
19,678 36
679 32
1,136 0
28,361 15
16,935 31
15,551 23
3,208 35
159 0
159 0
6,049 20
5,864 20
2,104 10
106,764 27
Value.
Rs. A. P.
35,504 0 0
13,119 4 3
1,018 8 0
533 5 4
16,893 3 8
7,893 10 7
7,775 13 7
402 15 4
1S1 11 5
374 1 10
2,707 12 11
3,909 10 8
701 6 8
91,020 8 3
Bir
1. Hay (mostly from Anjan Grass (Pennisetum
Cenchroides).
2. Anjan Grass seed (Pennisetum Cenchroides)
3. Pala (leaf of wild Beri Zizyphus Numma-
lera).
Total ...
Weight.
Mds. Srs.
62,392 16
17 0
67 0
62,476 16
Value.
Rs A. P.
62,392 6 4
170 0 0
33 8 0
62,595 14 4
10. Experimental Work.—
(a) The black oat isolated in 1922, sown this year
compared badly as regards yield with our main crop of white
oats, and has been discontinued.
59
(b) The superiority of Formalin over Copper Sulphate
as a preventative against smut, at all events in the hands of
the ordinary farmer was again demonstrated this year.
My intention was to have treated all oats seed this year
with formalin, but owing to the supply temporarily running
short we had to fall back on copper sulphate for a few
maunds of seed only.
Areas sown with formalin treated seed were for all
practical purposes free from smut. Careful examination
of several acres revealed only one affected ear.
The area treated with copper sulphate was noticeably
affected with smut.
Formalin was used in the following proportion :—
2 oz. of formalin desolved in 4 gallons of water, was
used to soak one maund of seed. Germination after this
-treatment was very good indeed.
(c) More dentition statisties with a view to the accurate
ageing of Indian cattle have been collected, we hope to
publish a note on this subject shortly.
id) Owing to the accommodation being required for
other purposes, weighbridge feeding experiments, to test
the value of whole Guar soaked, as against crushed, could
not be completed, but I think there is little doubt that the
most economical method of feeding this valuable grain to
cattle is the whole soaked method.
(e) At the end of the year, through the kindness of
the Director of Agriculture, a turf of the African "Kikuyu "
grass (Pennisetum Clandestinum) was received from Mr.
Robertson Brown. It was duly planted out as directed and
has taken well.
It will be interesting to see if this grass is superior as
an irrigated fodder grass 1o our local dub (Cynodon dactylon)
and palwa (Andropogon Bladhii).
11. Veterinary Hospital—As last year, the hospital
was in charge of Veterinary Assistant Abdul Ghafoor
(under my personal supervision). The Veterinary Assistant
incharge and the hospital staff worked very wall.
The average number of cases treated daily was 46 as
against 51 last year.
60
30 male produce were castrated.
2 herd bulls were castrated.
11 mules were castrated.
365 cattle were inoculated against Black-quarter.
350 cattle were inoculated against Hæmorrhagic Sep-
tieæ mia.
12. Staff.—As usual the Farm superior staff worked
during the year to my satisfaction. The unprecedented op-
portunity to make hay had to be seized on and involved
extra work for everyone from end of August to December
as the work of the staff employed on hay-making had to be
carried out by the remainder.
The whole staff, both out-door and clerical, are to be
commended for the good results achieved, these inspite of
the epidemics of Malaria and Dengue raging at that time.
I may specially mention the Deputy Superintendent,
Syed Ghulam Hussain,
the Farm overseers—
M. Muhammad Ashfaq and
M. Atta Muhammad
the Head Clerk, Lala Pearey Lall,
the Accountant, Babu Pearey Lal, Gupta,
and the second clerk, Babu Jagat Narayan.
The Bir Darogha, Jemadar Ghulam Muhammad.
(late 23rd Cavalry) retired during the year after 15 years
of Farm service. His successor, Daffadar Qasim Ali, has
made a satisfactory start, and has been confirmed in his
appointment.
13. As usual, a few photographs are appended at the
end of this report :—
(1) Depicts a group of young Farm-bred bulls just
nose strung.
(2) A flock of cross-bred merino lambs six weeks
old.
(3) Shows the Farm threshing and Bruising Machine
at work.
(4) Shows cutting and weighing lucerne crop.
T. J. EGAN,
I. V. S.,
Officiating Superintendent, Government Cattle Farm.
No. II. A flock of Cross Bred Merino Lambs six weeks old.
No. I. A group of Young Farm Bred bulls just nose strung.
No. III The Farm Threshing and Bruising Machine at Work.
No. IV. Cutting and Weighing Lucerne Crop.
TABLES.
No.
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
Subject.
Statement showing the main results of the Punjab
Veterinary College.
Statement showing the number of deaths from con-
tagious diseases amongst animals, as reported by
Patwaris.
Statement showing results of preventive inoculation
Statement showing the number of animals treated
and castrated by Veterinary Assistants on tour.
Statement showing the number of animals treated
and castrated at Veterinary Hospitals.
Statement showing the total strength of Subordinate
Veterinary Staff employed.
Return of stud bulls ... ... ...
Return of horse, pony and donkey stallions under
local bodies.
Abstract of particulars regarding cattle fairs and
shows.
Statement showing cost of the Civil Veterinary De-
partment.
Expenditure by local bodies ... ...
Return of animals on the Hissar Cattle Farm ...
Breeding results at the Hissar Cattle Farm ...
Abstract showing main results of the working of the
Hissar Cattle Farm.
Pages,
i
ii—iii
iv—viii
ix—xi
xii—xiii
xiv
XV
xvi—xvii
xviii—xix
XX
xxii-xxiii
xxiv-xxvii
xxviii
xxix
I
TABLE I.
PUNJAB VETERINARY COLLEGE, LAHORE.
Year end-
ing 31st
March.
1324 ...
1923 ...
1922
...
Name and duration of
course of study.
3-year Vernaeular course ...
4-year English course ...
3-year Vernacular course ..
4-year English course
3-year Vernacular course ...
4-year English course ...
(1)
Not up to Matriculate
standard.
...
...
...
...
...
...
NUMBER OF STUDENTS ADMITTED.
By nomination.
Matriculates and equiva-
lent.
...
4
...
2
...
...
Intermediate and higher
standard.
...
...
...
...
...
...
f2)
Not up to Matriculate
standard.
...
...
...
1
...
...
By sele ction.
Matriculates and equiva-
lent.
...
32
...
16
...
20
Intermediate and higher
standard.
...
1
...
...
...
...
Total number of students admitted into
the College.
...
37
...
19
...
20
Total number of stndents under instruc-
tion at the end of the year.
7
69
23
34
76
19
Number of candidates passed out.
15
...
52
...
72
...
Fees.
Rs.
5,121
...
5,646
...
8,547
...
INCOME.
Other sourees.
Rs,
11,497
...
10,657
...
9,316
...
Total.
RS.
16,618
...
16,303
...
17,863
...
EXPENDITURE.
Salaries of instructing staff.
Rs.
83,982
...
92,248
...
95,970
...
Other expenses.
Rs.
73,370
...
69,830
...
73,580
...
Total.
Rs.
1,60,852
...
1,62,078
...
1,69,550
...
REMARKS.
...
...
...
...
...
...