16

(b) Bovines.

Stud bulls -Table VII.

39. At the close of the year under report there were
3,857 district board stud bulls in the
various districts of the Province in
comparison with 3;520 last year. There were 721 additions
and 384 castings during the year.

40. Indents for 376 Hissar bulls were sent to the Gov-
ernment Cattle Farm, Hissar, all of which were supplied before
the close of the year.

The castings include bulls which died, or were cast on
account of old age or unsuitability for further retention on
the strength of approved bulls. Having carefully reviewed
the position I consider that the maximum output of bulls
from the Farm at its present stage of development, is definitely
needed for absorption into the districts in order to conserve
the work already initiated by the Department as represented
by the 3,800 odd bulls now located in different villages of the
Province. Under provincial control, these would require
to be cast and replaced on a less haphazard system than has
hitherto been possible under existing circumstances, thereby
securing a greater degree of efficiency for the work.

At the instance of the Department, all the District Boards
in the Province have framed rules and bye-laws with a view
to discouraging the practice of releasing scrub bulls. The
necessity of exercising tact and gentle persuasion in this
direction has been impressed upon the members of the staff.

              BUFFALO-BREEDING.

41. In order to meet the increased demand for milk
and ghee, and to aid the commercial production and sale of
milk by villagers, efforts are being made to improve buffalo-
breeding in the villages. A fairly large number of buffalo
bulls owned by zamindars has now been brought under the
Department's supervision.

A notable feature of the year under report is the philan-
thropic offer of Guru Partap Singh of Bheni Sahib (District
Ludhiana) to give annually, free of cost, all mature male stock
bred at his farm, and declared fit for breeding purposes by the
Department, to the District Board, Ludhiana, for the im-
provement of buffaloes which is a very important industry
in this district.