(4)
decrease in the number of animals which have annually succumbed during the
past few years. Five hundred and sixteen cattle were immunized by the vaccine
method and 3,228 were inoculated with generally satisfactory results.
27. Black quarter.—Here again there has been a satisfactory decrease in
the outbreaks of and mortality from this malady. It appeared in 17 districts and
395 deaths only have been reported. In those places where the disease appears
to recur periodically vaccination was resorted to as a preventive measure and 400
animals were treated by this method, which is probably responsible for the
decrease in the death-rate this year.
28. Anthrax.—This is reported to have occurred in 28 districts against 32
last year and destroyed 1,585 head of cattle. Entire reliance, however, cannot be
placed on these figures owing to the fact that the disease usually occurring
sporadically, is of sudden onset and runs a rapidly fatal course. It is not easily
diagnosed by laymen and often is mistaken for other diseases. It is therefore
not likely that all the cases occurring are always correctly reported.
29. Foot-and-mouth disease.—During the year under report the province
has suffered less severely than usual from this scourge. The reported losses from
the disease were 1,824, the mortality being chiefly confined to young stock or old,
weakly and decrepit animals.
Apart from the losses by death from this disease it causes much inconve-
nience to agriculturists, especially during harvest or ploughing seasons. The
veterinary assistants have been kept very busy throughout the year in attending
and treating cases of this disease. Where funds were available medicines have
been distributed free to owners of affected cattle.
Other contagious disease.
30. One hundred and sixty-five head of cattle are reported as having died
from other contagious diseases, which include pleuropneumonia, bovine piroplas-
mosis, tuberculosis, contagious abortion, &c.
Contagious diseases amongst other animals.
31. Pleuropneumonia and rinderpest have, as usual, been responsible for
many deaths amongst sheep and goats. Rabies, tetanus, hæmorrhagic septi-
cæmia, fowl cholera, spirochetosis, surra, distemper and various parasitic ailments
have accounted for many deaths among the smaller domesticated animals.
Preventive Inoculation.
See table III.
32. During the year under report protective inoculations, chiefly against
rinderpest, have been carried out on a very large scale, and whenever possible this
method of dealing with the disease is now adopted. Operations of this nature
were undertaken in no less than 1,170 outbreaks against 573 in the previous
year and 78,194 animals have been inoculated. A special effort to deal with
a serious outbreak of rinderpest was made in the Gorakhpur district. Two
inspectors and three veterinary assistants were lent from the provincial staff
to supplement the district board men. The result was that 6,440 animals
were immunized and the outbreak promptly got in hand. In this district con-
siderable opposition to inoculations had previously existed, and now that this
has been effected it is hoped that the prejudice has been overcome. Considering
the widespread prevalence of disease and the enormous area of these
provinces, it is obvious that but for inoculations very much heavier losses must
have occurred. The satisfactory results attending this work are gradually over-
coming the prejudices of the people, and in most districts very little opposition
is now met with; in fact, during the year many applications were received
from cattle owners in infected localities praying that inoculators may be sent to
deal with their animals.
Other diseases.
See table IV.
33. The veterinary assistants have visited 21,913 villages and have treated
39,011 animals for diseases other than those already reported on. In addition
to this they have castrated 305 animals, and attended 40,339 cases of contagious
disease exclusive of those treated in hospitals and dispensaries.