The Gazetteers Department

The primary role of the Animal Husbandry department is to treat sick animals by providing necessary veterinary aid and prevent the incidence and spread of contagious diseases, castration of scrub bulls and stunted bulls etc.

District Animal Husbandry Officer.

The animal husbandry activities in the State sector are controlled by a separate Directorate while in the district sector they form part of the Department of Agriculture. The District Animal Husbandry Officer controls the activities of the department and is responsible to the Agricultural Development Officer of the Zilla Parishad. The animal husbandry schemes under the 'Wardha Plan' are controlled by the Animal Husbandry cum Dairy Project Officer. However, in technical matters, the advice of the Director of Animal Husbandry, Maharashtra State, Pune, prevails.

In Wardha district, there are 7 full-fledged veterinary dispensaries and 34 veterinary aid centres. Three veterinary dispensaries, one each at Wardha, Arvi, and Hinganghat and one veterinary aid centre at Deoli, are managed by respective municipal committees and the rest are managed by the Zilla Parishad.

Veterinary Institutions.

The veterinary dispensary is usually managed by a Veterinary Officer and a Live-stock Supervisor is posted in-charge of the veterinary aid centre. Both the Veterinary Officer and the Live-stock Supervisor treat the sick animals, castrate the scrub bulls and carry out preventive vaccinations against the contagious diseases. Besides these activities, they are concerned with the implementation of the animal husbandry development schemes at tahsil and village levels such as posting of premium bulls under various schemes, maintenance of requisite record, supply of improved rams and poultry for improvement of local non-descript live-stock, etc. In some blocks, separate Animal Husbandry Extension Officers have been appointed to implement the above schemes depending upon availability of technical personnel while in case of some blocks the Veterinary Officer, in-charge of the veterinary dispensary acts as the Extension Officer, Animal Husbandry.

Treatment of Animals, Castrations and Preventive measures.

The work done by the Veterinary staff during the period from 1963-64 to 1966-67 was as under.

Item of work	1963-64	1964-65	1965-66	1966-67
1. Cases treated	65,608	54,182	32,375	59,416
2. Castrations	6,817	3,728	3,365	4,043
3. Vaccinations	1,66,466	1,33,713	1,46,179	1,38,383

Live-stock Development Activities.

The Live-stock development activities are implemented by the local sector as well as by the State sector.

Cattle Breeding Farm.

There is one Government Cattle Breeding farm at Hetikundi. Animals of gaolao breed are kept at the farm. Certain goshalas also participate in activities pertaining to cattle breeding.

Key Village Schemes.

Two key village centres have been established in the district at Arvi and Kharangana in the State sector. Each key village centre has 5 sub- centres under it. The scheme envisages treatment of animals, castration of scrub bulls, preventive vaccination, improvement of fodder, breeding by natural as well as by artificial insemination method and development of marketing facilities. In addition to these, five key village centres organised on the pattern of those existing in the old Madhya Pradesh are now run as veterinary aid centres by the Zilla Parishad.

Premium Bull Scheme.

A district premium bull scheme is in operation at different places under which 185 bulls are located.

Supplementary Cattle Breeding Centre.

Four supplementary cattle breeding centres have been established at Kinhi, Kangaon, Dahegaon (Gosai) and Rahati in the district. A total number of 15 bulls and 178 cows of gaolao breed have been located for breeding purposes.

Artificial Insemination.

Artificial insemination is a new technique for the improvement of live-stock. The artificial insemination work in the district is carried out in one centre located at the district headquarters and eight other sub-centres. The semen collected at the district artificial insemination centre is distributed to eight sub-centres for use in the field.

Fodder Development

In order to reduce the wastage of fodder, chaff cutters have been supplied to cultivators on 50 per cent subsidy basis under C.D. block schemes. Similarly improved variety such as the Gajrat grass sets are also supplied by some C. D. blocks in the district.

Poultry Development

One poultry demonstration centre at Hinganghat is managed by the zilla Parishad. There is also the one day old chick scheme in the district in the State sector.

Loans of Rs. 1,000 with subsidy of Rs. 250 as also loans to the tune of Rs. 5,000 are given to interested and deserving poultry keepers. Three dairy cum poultry co-operative societies have also been established.

Demonstration and Propaganda.

The propaganda for the furtherance of various projects is usually carried out by the field staff in their day-to-day work. The methods used include celebrations such as gosamwardhan day, calf rallies and organisation of district cattle and poultry shows all over the district every year.

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