6

IV.—CATTLE-BREEDING INCLUDING CATTLE FAIRS AND SHOWS.

8. There are several important cattle fairs in the South Punjab Circle,
but the Superintendent is unable to offer any remarks under this head, as horse-
breeding has taken up all his time.

The Superintendent, North Punjab, has only one important cattle fair in
his circle. He states that cattle-breeding is carried on in a very perfunctory
manner, that the Hissár bulls supplied by Government to District Boards—the
average for the Province is about 60 a year—are allowed to rove about freely,
so that it is impossible to ascertain the number of cows covered and the results
of the coverings. He adds that there is no system of breeding recognised.
Some districts prefer the Hissár bull, others such as Gujrát and Siálkot—to which
the frontier districts might be added—the indigenous breed.

It is, I think, now generally accepted by the best authorities on the
subject that the Hissár bull having been bred up free, loses his vitality if kept
under restraint, and that the present system of allowing them to mix freely
with the village breeds is the only one that will work. The remarks of the
Superintendent as to the apathy and ignorance of the people about cattle-breed-
ing show how necessary it is to have the services of an expert in cattle who
would advice the District Boards and District authorities as to the selection of
the best stamp of bull to cross with the local breeds.

The report of Veterinary Captain Pease (referred to in the last para-
graph of last year's report) on the cattle of the nine southern districts of the
Province supplied a great deal of useful information on this subject, and should
be a guide to the local authorities. A similar report from Veterinary-Captain
Gunn on five of the central districts is now awaited.

                          V.—VETERINARY INSTRUCTION.

9. There are now 7 cattle dispensaries in the Province. 1 at
Siálkot in the North Punjab Circle with 2 outlying branches, and 6 in the
South Punjab; a new one having been opened at Ludhiána during the year.
There are also medical stores at Shahpur, Gujránwála and Dera Ismail Khan.
The following table shows the number of in-patients and out-patients treated in
each, and the cost of the institution :—