The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-04-24
IMPROVE THE MULE.
BY DIR. W. E. A. wYMAN, VETERINARY
SURGEON, GREENv1LIE, 8. c.

SURGEON, GREENvILLE, 8. C..
Editors Mtelkgencer:: For reasons
we'll known the mule is the favorite
work animal with US in the South.
AS rule easily raised, not as fre-
quently subject to the diseases which
endanger the life Of the young horse,
able to thrive on food which would
create disturbances in the digestive
apparatus of the young horse, the
mule has gradually grown in favor as
worker, and is recognized to-day as
the farm-animal par excellence. Since
the mule is the best animal our farm
ers can employ for their work, it be-
hooves us to improve his qualities,
both physical and mental.
What is the average build of the
draft-mule we generally meet to-day +?
Certainly not that shape which at once
shows to the eye power, staying quail
tiles, and last, but not least, symme-
try. The chest is too narrow, their
quarters too long, and the thighs want
ing in well-developed muscles /; the
limbs have too little bone for weight
of body, the legs too long, mainly at
fault being the proportion from elbow
to knee, to that from knee to pastern,
and finally the body too long from
withers to Group. This explains the
many cases of curb and sprung knees,
weak backs, spavins and ringbones
which are daily brought before me.
So much as to their physical faults.
Although the mule is debited with
more meanness than this hard and
much-abused worker deserves, there
is plenty of room to improve upon his
mental qualities, as anybody knows
that ever handled them to any extent.
These deficiencies are quite easily ex-
planned. A good many farmers hav-
ing mares not fit for the production
of a colt will say: Well, she is good
enough for mule. Right here they
make, of course, a grave mistake. The
mule being the most valuable all
around worker. is it not reasonable to
make use of superior stock in their
production ? Instead Of selecting
frst-class mare, the opposite only too
often is chosen, and the consequence
is an inferior product. The question
thus arises, how shall we improve upon
that state of affairs What kind Of
mares and what kind Of jacks shall
we make use Of :? to do away with the
defects we now so often find in the
average draft.mule.
First, let us select brood-mare of
kind, peaceful disposition, to equal
ize as much as possible the tricky
character which the jack, more or less,
has tendency to impart. Then let
the mare be of sufficient size, as she
must, as rule, make up for the small
er build of the father, the Jack. Let
it be a mare of not too heavy car
cass, as we want to produce an ener-
getic, but still kind, offspring. A
heavy carcass means a sluggish mule,
and, although too much activity is un-
desirable, there can be no doubt that
most of our mules might be faster in
the execution of their work. Select
mare with an ides.l neck and shoulder
TO fit the collar exactly. A good many
cases of shoulder lameness in the mule
I can clearly trace to faulty confor-
nation of that part Of the anatomy Of
the draft-mule. The brood-mare ought
to have a wellribbed barrel, giving the
heart and lungs room-a very impor-
tant fact to all animals, and certainly
to the brood-mare, an extra amount OF
work being bestowed upon these parts
during her pregnant state. A close
coupled back and powerful quarters to
give power and staying qualities, as
well as legs not too long to stand the
strain working animal undergoes
while earning living for its owner,
are also requisite. The jacks, on an
average, offered for service to our farm
ers, are we'll bred animals, perhaps
their weakest points being size, and
the other certainly of great weight,
their feet; but since this latter fault
is not easily corrected by US, they gen
orally being raised far away from our
section of the State, we must be par
ticularly carefulin selecting the brood
mare, that she may not be possessed
of the same faulty conformation which
the jack may offer.
Since it is our duty as Veterinary
Surgeons, not only to protect our stock
owners and breeders against the raw
ages of diseases attacking any Of the
domesticated animals, but also to fur
ther and help to elevate that branch
of agriculture which is the foundation
Of the fertile farm-namely, stock
raising-I trust that these few re-
h &C I'D NJ To