mi-press-releases
                                                                                
News Release
NR-08-04
January 15, 2008
                                                                                
U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Michigan Field Office
Michigan Department of Agriculture
Post Office Box 26248
Lansing, MI  48909-6248
                                                                                
Phone:      (517) 324-5300
Facsimile:  (517) 324-5299
E-mail:     nass-mi@nass.usda.gov
Web site:   www.nass.usda.gov
                                                                                
David D. Kleweno, Director
                                                                                
                           2007 Equine Survey Summary                           
                                                                                
Results from the 2007 Michigan Equine Survey have been compiled. The survey 
was conducted last summer by the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Funding 
for the survey was provided by Michigan State University Extension, the 
Michigan Department of Agriculture, the Michigan Horse Council, Michigan 
Equine Partnership, and numerous other equine organizations.
                                                                                
The estimate of equine in Michigan on June 1, 2007, was 155,000. That 
compared with 130,000 on June 1, 1996, the last time an inventory of equine 
was done in Michigan. The four most numerous breeds, in order, were American 
Quarter Horse, American Paint, Arabian, and Standardbred. They accounted for 
over half the total inventory.
                                                                                
There were 35,000 equine operations in 2007, up from 28,700 in 1991. Almost 
two-thirds of the inventory was located on places with fewer than 10 equine. 
About 63 percent of the equine operations were on land zoned agricultural; 
the remainder was in areas zoned residential or other. Equine were more 
geographically dispersed than other livestock breeds; they were located in 
significant numbers in virtually every county.
                                                                                
Since most equine were on small or medium-sized operations, most equine-
related labor was performed on an unpaid basis by 79,000 operators, partners, 
and family members. Nevertheless, equine operators spent $25 million on 4,300 
hired workers in 2006. That was a fraction of the large number of workers who 
were supported by the equine industry but were not employed directly by 
equine operations: veterinarians, farriers, tack store operators, trainers, 
jockeys, etc. 
                                                                                
Excluding wages and salaries to hired workers, operators and owners incurred 
$805 million of equine-related expenditures in 2006. These included costs for 
feed, fuel, health care, transportation, equipment, tack, boarding, bedding, 
breeding, show and race entry fees, and taxes. This amounted to a substantial 
contribution to the economy of the State.
                                                                                
All tables from the equine survey are available through the NASS home page at 
www.nass.usda.gov. Select Michigan under Statistics by State to access the 
Michigan internet page. In the list of Michigan Publications, choose Other 
Publications to find the Equine Survey information.
                                                                                
          Equine: Operations and inventory         
                by primary activity                
---------------------------------------------------
    Primary activity   : Operations  :  Inventory  
---------------------------------------------------
                       :          Number           
                       :                           
Boarding stable        :    1,000         11,500   
Training stable        :      550          7,500   
Breeding farm          :    1,600         21,000   
Lesson stable          :      200          2,800   
Other equine activity  :      650          6,200   
Other farm             :    4,400         20,000   
Private residence      :   26,600         86,000   
                       :                           
Michigan               :   35,000        155,000   
---------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
  Equine: Inventory by principal use 
-------------------------------------
     Principal use     :  Inventory  
-------------------------------------
                       :   Number    
                       :             
Breeding               :    21,000   
Competition            :    19,400   
Work                   :    12,600   
Racing                 :     5,700   
Trail riding           :    17,300   
Recreation/pleasure    :    57,500   
Idle                   :    21,500   
                       :             
Michigan               :   155,000   
-------------------------------------
                                                                                
                          Equine: Number of operations                         
                          and inventory by size group                          
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Size group      :        Operations         :         Inventory         
                       :---------------------------:---------------------------
                       :    1991     :    2007     :    1991     :    2007     
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                        Number                         
                       :                                                       
1-2 head               :   14,700        15,400         24,000        24,000   
3-9 head               :   11,500        16,600         54,000        76,000   
10-29 head             :    2,150         2,650         33,000        38,000   
30+ head               :      350           350         19,000        17,000   
                       :                                                       
Michigan               :   28,700        35,000        130,000       155,000   
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
        Equine: Operations, inventory, and acres,       
           used for equine, by land use zoning          
--------------------------------------------------------
    Zoning    : Operations  :  Inventory  :    Acres    
--------------------------------------------------------
              :   Number                                
              :                                         
Agricultural  :   22,200        110,000       345,000   
Residential   :    8,000         27,000        60,000   
Other         :    4,800         18,000        35,000   
              :                                         
Michigan      :   35,000        155,000       440,000   
--------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
            Equine: Assets, June 1, 2007           
---------------------------------------------------
               Category              :    Total    
---------------------------------------------------
                                     :1,000 Dollars
Current replacement value of assets  :  7,800,000  
                                     :   Number    
                                     :             
Acres used for equine                :    440,000  
Operations with indoor arenas        :      2,300  
---------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
 Equine: Income, expenses and wages, 2006
-----------------------------------------
          Category         :    Total    
-----------------------------------------
                           :1,000 Dollars
                           :             
Income from equine         :   330,000   
Expenses for equine 1/     :   805,000   
Equine wages and salaries  :    25,000   
-----------------------------------------
1/ Excluding wages and salaries.         
                                                                                
   Equine: Number of workers by category  
------------------------------------------
        Category       :     Workers      
------------------------------------------
                       :      Number      
                       :                  
Hired managers         :         300      
Full-time workers      :         650      
Part-time workers      :       3,350      
                       :                  
Total paid workers     :       4,300      
                       :                  
Unpaid workers 1/      :      79,000      
------------------------------------------
1/ Includes operators, partners, and      
    family members.                       
                                                                                
 Equine: Activity participants by age and gender 
-------------------------------------------------
                 :         Participants          
                 :-------------------------------
   Age category  :    Females    :     Males     
-------------------------------------------------
                 :            Number             
                 :                               
Adults over 50   :    14,800          16,200     
Adults 19 to 49  :    28,800          17,100     
Youths 8 to 18   :    13,200           7,000     
Youths under 8   :     2,900           2,700     
                 :                               
Michigan         :    59,700          43,000     
-------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
Equine: Inventory by housing category
-------------------------------------
    Housing category   :  Inventory  
-------------------------------------
                       :   Number    
                       :             
Stalled                :    15,000   
Pastured               :    60,000   
Partially stalled 1/   :    80,000   
                       :             
Michigan               :   155,000   
-------------------------------------
1/ Daily turnout time 4 hours or     
    greater.                         
                                                                                
               Equine: Bedding usage               
---------------------------------------------------
           Bedding type          :   Operations    
---------------------------------------------------
                                 :     Percent     
                                 :                 
Wood shavings, sawdust, pellets  :       50        
Sand                             :        3        
Straw                            :       29        
Other                            :        2        
                                 :                 
None                             :       29        
---------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
           Equine: Manure, used bedding,           
              and compost disposition              
---------------------------------------------------
           Disposition           :   Operations    
---------------------------------------------------
                                 :     Percent     
                                 :                 
Remained on operation            :       87        
                                 :                 
Removed from operation           :       13        
  Spread on farmland             :        5        
  For gardening/landscaping      :        7        
  Other                          :        1        
---------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                        Equine: Inventory by county, June 1, 2007                                       
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         County         :  Inventory  ::          County         :  Inventory  ::          County         :  Inventory  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        :   Number    ::                         :   Number    ::                         :   Number    
                        :             ::                         :             ::                         :             
Alcona                  :       550   :: Hillsdale               :      5,500   :: Montcalm                :      2,300 
Alger                   :       200   :: Houghton                :        400   :: Montmorency             :        350 
Allegan                 :     3,900   :: Huron                   :      1,200   :: Muskegon                :      1,300 
Alpena                  :     1,400   :: Ingham                  :      4,900   :: Newaygo                 :      2,400 
Antrim                  :       700   :: Ionia                   :      2,500   :: Oakland                 :      6,900 
Arenac                  :       400   :: Iosco                   :      1,000   :: Oceana                  :      1,500 
Barry                   :     3,900   :: Iron                    :        400   :: Ogemaw                  :        700 
Bay                     :     1,300   :: Isabella                :      1,800   :: Ontonagon               :        450 
Benzie                  :       550   :: Jackson                 :      5,700   :: Osceola                 :      1,500 
Berrien                 :     1,900   :: Kalamazoo               :      3,100   :: Oscoda                  :        550 
Branch                  :     2,900   :: Kalkaska                :        400   :: Otsego                  :        400 
Calhoun                 :     3,100   :: Kent                    :      4,500   :: Ottawa                  :      3,300 
Cass                    :     1,900   :: Lake                    :        550   :: Presque Isle            :        500 
Charlevoix              :       700   :: Lapeer                  :      5,100   :: Roscommon               :        150 
Cheboygan               :       600   :: Leelanau                :        500   :: Saginaw                 :      2,500 
Chippewa                :     1,600   :: Lenawee                 :      3,100   :: Sanilac                 :      3,100 
Clare                   :     1,600   :: Livingston              :      5,900   :: Schoolcraft             :        200 
Clinton                 :     2,200   :: Mackinac                :        600   :: Shiawassee              :      2,600 
Crawford                :       300   :: Macomb                  :      2,300   :: St. Clair               :      3,500 
Delta                   :       650   :: Manistee                :        600   :: St. Joseph              :      3,300 
Dickinson               :       450   :: Marquette               :        650   :: Tuscola                 :      3,000 
Eaton                   :     4,400   :: Mason                   :        750   :: Van Buren               :      1,900 
Emmet                   :       800   :: Mecosta                 :      1,900   :: Washtenaw               :      6,300 
Genesee                 :     3,300   :: Menominee               :        850   :: Wayne                   :      2,300 
Gladwin                 :     1,600   :: Midland                 :      1,500   :: Wexford                 :        800 
Gogebic                 :       200   :: Missaukee               :        550   ::                         :            
Grand Traverse          :       900   :: Monroe                  :      3,300   :: Other counties 1/       :        350 
Gratiot                 :     1,300   ::                         :              ::                         :            
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Baraga, Keweenaw, and Luce.                                                                                         
                                                                                
       Equine: Trail and pleasure riding      
                locations used                
----------------------------------------------
            Location            :   Owners    
----------------------------------------------
                                :   Percent   
                                :             
Parks or recreation areas       :     23      
State or national forests       :     14      
Wildlife management areas       :      6      
Public roads                    :     36      
Private land                    :     53      
Other                           :      6      
                                :             
Do not ride                     :     41      
----------------------------------------------
                                                                                
    Equine: Transportation to and from Michigan    
              state parks and forests              
---------------------------------------------------
               Category              :    Total    
                                     :   Number    
Owners transporting                  :     10,000  
                                     :    Miles    
                                     :             
                                     :             
Distance transported                 :  5,600,000  
---------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                   Equine: Inventory and value by breed                  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :           Inventory           :     Value     
                         :-----------------------------------------------
          Breed          : June 1, 1996  : June 1, 2007  : June 1, 2007  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :    -------- Number -------      Dollars/head  
                         :                                               
American Quarter Horse   :     36,000          41,000          3,000     
American Paint           :      5,600          14,000          3,000     
Appaloosa                :      6,900           6,400          2,000     
Arabian                  :     15,500          12,500          4,500     
Belgian                  :      5,800           7,700          1,500     
Clydesdale               :        500             500          3,500     
Donkey                   :      1,100           3,800            500     
Haflinger                :      1,400           2,500          1,500     
Half-Arabian             :      2,500           3,400          4,000     
Miniature Horse          :      1,700           5,800          2,000     
Morgan                   :      3,500           4,000          4,500     
Mule                     :      1,300           1,400          1,500     
Percheron                :      2,500           3,200          2,500     
Pony of the Americas     :      1,200           1,200          2,000     
Saddlebred               :      1,400           1,800          7,000     
Shetland                 :      3,100           2,200            600     
Standardbred             :     12,000          12,000          5,000     
Tennessee Walking Horse  :      2,200           3,700          3,000     
Warmblood                :      2,000           3,800         14,000     
Thoroughbred             :      7,600           7,100          7,000     
Welsh                    :      1,800           1,100          1,500     
Other Light Horse        :      3,100           4,900          6,000     
Other Draft Horse        :        700           1,400          8,000     
Other Pony               :      3,100           2,100          2,000     
Grade Light Horse        :      7,500           3,700          1,000     
Grade Pony               :                      2,700            600     
Grade Draft Horse        :                      1,100          1,200     
                         :                                               
Michigan                 :    130,000         155,000                    
-------------------------------------------------------------------------