The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-06-23
Raising Horses
For the Market


producer, said Professor Skinner be-
fore the Nebraska Live Stock associa-
ton. Such horses are demanded by
many manufacturers and wholesale
merchants at high prices. In the mar
kets today they will range in price
from $3.50 to $500. depending on the
size and quality. Everything consid-
cred, this type of horse will be most
profitable for farmers. Some think the
light horse, such as used for bus and
express purposes, better adapted to
farmers condition, but in his effort to
produce the heavy type a sufficient
number of failures will result in
enough of the lighter type to supply
the demands.
The heavy draft horse is the best for
several reasons. Re can be produced
easily and cheaply, requires little at
tentiOn and is readily broken. Further
more, he can be used on the farm from
two to four years and thus pay his
way. BlemiSheS do not detract so much
from his sale, as in the case of many
other types and he is we'll suited to
the heavy work now found on the
farm.
A few years ago much was said
about the very short legged, extremely
blocky horse, and today such are good
sellers, but far superior farm horse is
found in the active, outstanding horse
of 1,600 pounds and upward with good
action and style. Such horse will not
nnIu coll fo oduo 70 ra h.,f fiji tho roll
of farm horse we'll. He can be taught
to walk rapidly and does not know
what load is. Where such are bred
and raised on the farm they cost very
little and help nightly in making up
for the losses from cattle feeding, etc.
They can be produced by mating the
heavier mares with pure bred draft
stations of any of the leading draft
breeds Of approved type and quality.
How the Colt Grows.
At birth the average colt will weigh
ITO pounds, at end Of first year $40
pounds. At end of second year the av-
erage colt will have gained 2SS pounds
more, making his weight SOS pounds.
At the end of the third year be will
his weight 926 pounds. At the end of
the fourth year he will have gained 70
pounds more. So at the end of the
fourth year the average colt will weigh
996 pounds.
Prepotence of Stations.
With drafters most authorities agree
that twenty-five mares are enough for
a three-year-old horse, while one
year older may cover forty, which
would indicate that dentition or no den
tition a stallion is expected to do more
. in the stud at four than he is at three
Stations have covered at these ages
many more mares than the numbers
named and suffered not at all from so
doing, but as a general rule it will be
found that it is better to go very slow
with horses four years of age. 1t is al
ways well to save something to finish
with, and it is no hard trick at all to
OverdO a three or four year old horse
in the Stud-Breeder's Gazette.
The Big Drafters.
I have no quarrel with the man on
the small farm, with only work for two
or possibly three horses, who prefers a
lighter type than the draft horses, said
II. w. Avery before the Kansas board
of agriculture. Such farms are the ex-
ception and not the rule in Kansas.
But ON the larger grain and stock
farms there can be no doubt but the
big horse is the most profitable, and
know of a number of Instances where
single pair of good draft mares are
yielding net profit in labor and foals
equivalent to the total income of the
average small farm. but he is so big
and clumsy" some one says. Tween
ty-flye years ago nearly everybody said
the same thing, and, my friends, it is
possible that owing to some delay you
got into the wrong generation. Today
there are more people worried about
how to get them large enough.
Alfalfa For Brood Mares.
Any one who has not tried alfalfa
and particularly an alfalfa pasture for
the draft horse has left a remarkable
Kansas industry undiscovered. For
the brood mare it seems to be particu-
larly adapted to meet the especial re-
quirements of fetal development as
we'll as maintaining the mother in
healthy condition before and after foal-
ing. 1t encourages a flow of milk
which gives the young a symmetrical
development of bone, muscle and flesh
that is surprising even to those that
expect much. Let me say right here
that regard the question Of bone de-
velopment the most important problem
that hOrsemen ali over the country and
particularly the west have to deal with.
H. w. Avery.
CrOssbred Horses.
Since there has been considerable
controversy of late on the subject of
crossbreeding draft horses, and as
that manner of mating has its advo-
Gates and IFS 0pDononts T take tho Iih-