'File 35/5 Development of Grazing Grounds (Supplies from Persia)' [‎46v] (92/118)

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yi©v/ of cattle, male or femle. Bullocks appear to be used only to an
insignificant extent for cultivating th© soil and for raising irrigation
water from open wells.' Practically all the cultivation is done by hand
labour. Cows are said to be very Jealously guarded from view in the closed
yards of dwelling nouses because of th© "evil eye* superstition.
«5°* In considering the possibilities of an increase in the number
of cattle, it has to be born© in mind that there is no natural grazing,
that the animals mmh bo entirely stall-fed, that no dry fodder of the
nature of wheat or oat straw, dried millet or maize stalks is produced
locally, that the only local fodder is the excellent lucerne which is fed
green and that dry concentrates must constitute the remainder of the feed.
Concentrates of the types usually fed in other countries are not available,
unless imported, and at present sun-dried sardines take their place.
31* 3-® clear, therefore, that the scope for Increasing the
number oi livestock is limited by the food possibilities. An improvement
in the cropping system, whereby fodders and vegetables are grown in
rotation, may increase the supply of green felder and to that extent my
permit 3xi increase in the number of cattle, as well ns an increase in
the area of lana under cultivation, in so far as irrigation resources
permit, Generally speaking, however, it would seem that the greatest
contra button to animal husbandry may lie in an improvement of. the asilking
tiualities of the cows. It appears to be popularly oonaidsred that the
indigenous cow© give very fair milk yields but, even so, there can be ho
doubt, jdiafc present milking qualities can be improved by the practice of
selective breeding. That it can be improved to an even greater extent
am within one generation only, by importing male animals of certain well-
western cattle breads for crossing with local cows, is undoubted but
^ ne insroduction of mixed blood is not without certain drawbacks, and it
c>.e£»irabi.^ ti.* concentrate on the slower policy of improvement by
selection within the indigenous-animals themselves. Such work should be
a feature of the activities of the agricultural department of the State,
x or this purpose it would bo necessary to found a small dairy herd. If
properly organised and managed the sale of milk and other products of
■ ne dair ^ r should make the scheme almost, if not entirely, sulf-supporting.
32. Man-power for cultivation is said to be limited, but if bullock
labour were used for some of the cultivation operations which are now
performed entirely by hand labour, the capacity of the existing man-power
could oe increased so as to enable larger areas to bo cultivated.
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TH*< STATE AGRICULTDRAI, GA«W
-w*c ■*»*—J- tr~ , -.rMHf: •S f ~r Mt-»
33* tiC-j&Q years ago the State established an agricultural garden
at Badaiya on th© west coast of th^aland. From time to time its area
appears to have been extended ~ the latest extension has been made only
recently- — till it is now about 33 acres.
34» ^ i.he OiiicQr in charge of this garden is Mr. Ahmad Lutfi, an
Eg^tian gentleman who was appointed in 1946 on a two years’ contract.
On its completion Ms employment was further extended for four years.
His salary and allowances are stated to b© Rs* 490 (about £36.15 B Qd)
per mensem, plus a free house. Mr. Lutfi did a four ye«irs ? agricultural
course at the Higher School of Agriculture at Shibin el«Kom in Egypt.
On its completion h©'worked as a teaching assistant on fruit and vegetables
at Giza under the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture, He then went to
ijaudi Arabia for three years, of which he spent two at El Khari and one
ff 3a ‘ Subsequently he entered the service of th© Bahrain Government
in his present capacity. He is 29 years' of ar?©.