Veterinary Activities of General Inspectorates in the Early Republican Period in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia

After the First World War, the Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923 and immediately embarked on nation-building. In the early years, uprisings such as the Nestorian and Sheikh Sait revolts occurred in the eastern and southeastern provinces. In response, the First General Inspectorate was established in 1927 to secure order and promote nationalization and centralization across Elâzığ, Urfa, Bitlis, Van, Hakkarî, Diyarbakır, Siirt, and Mardin. Under its first inspector, İbrahim Tali Öngören, the institution combined security measures with economic development programs. A Veterinary Office was founded to advance animal husbandry, focusing on Arabian horse breeding and organizing horse races and animal exhibitions to encourage production. Efforts also targeted the expansion of sheep, goat, and cattle breeding and the promotion of beekeeping, while combating regional epizootic diseases. Official reports from the Inspectorate and the Gendarmerie General Command show a marked rise in livestock numbers and increased budgetary allocations for veterinary services in the years following its establishment.