The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-11-12
THE PRODUCTION OF HORSES
AND MULES.
BY Prof. Il. A. Trowbridge OF the
University of Missouri.

The growing demand for high-class
horses and mules of any OF the recog
nized market types has placed the pro
duction OF these animals among the
list of profitable enterprises on the
American farm. Present prices, regu
lated by supply and demand, do not
seem to indicate a decreasing prom
from this business. The relative proht
accruing from this class of animals
as compared with cattle or other live
stock on the farm is a good argument
for its Importance. b percentage
OF good horses in this country today
Is greater than ever before, yet there
is considerable room for Improvement
There are many common errors made
in the care OF various classes or hors'
es with the idea Of economy in view.
II IL, however, poor economy TO starVe
a growing horse to save feed, for there
liz no class of animals on the farm
that will return bigger profits, II prop
erly fed and developed, than good
horses. Farm work Is not so hard
but that 1t can be performed by either
brood mares or horses and mules that
are too young to sell to the best ad-
vantage. For this reason the farm
should be the place Of production and
development OF even more high-class
horses and mules IN the future tina
IL is at the present.
The care and food accorded the
various classes of animals differs con
siderably, not only with the class of
animals but with the object In view
We find horses differing from other
classes of animals as to their general
character. their digestive apparatus,
as we'll as in the object OF production
The object OF production in he case
OF horses is their future ability TO
work and weaT for as long a time as
possible. while that OF beef cattle.
for example. is the fat steer IN his
yearling, two-year-old or th~ree-year-old
form. Consequently there should be
some difference between the ration Of
the growing gelding and the rapidly
~fattening steer.
Ii is true that the breeding animals
of the various classes require much
the same care and feed. Although
the rations may differ as TO the kind
and amount OF hay and grain, their
fundamental composition differ very
little from each other.
The growing animal 10 develop best
must have food which supplies muscle
and bone building material, such as
wheat-bran, oats, ~middlings, alfalfa and
clover. The fattening animal needs
only enough OF these 10 %replenish the
body waste, but which, if il is not
supplied. greatly decreases the ability
OF ala animal TO gain. The bulk, then,
of the fattening ration should be Of
foods which produce fat.
Breeding animals need a ration rath-
er similar 10 that OF growing animals.
For the greater part of the time breed
ing females are nourishing young
either III foetus or after birth, while
males must be healthy and vigorous
and not oyerfat. Their ration should
produce, not high flesh, but rather
muscle. energy and vigor.
Care Of Stations.
The proper care of stations does
not differ materially from the al OF
other breeding animals. Enough of
good. wholesome food and water,
plenty of exercise, grooming and gen
eral cleanliness, along with regular at
t~ention, are the principal factors
requisite to their best welfare. Many
stations fail TO be sure" sires simply
because of lack Of exercise or IN over
generous allowance of poor food, two
factors which, acting together, can
not lead to tie best results. The swol.
len or scurvy legs 80 often cen on stall
lions are generally the result of In.
sufficient exercise and lack OF cleanli.
ness.
Generally speaking, there is no good
reason why a stallion should not be
put TO work. Such dent insures
regular feeding, grooming exercise
and will give him the privilege OF
association with other horses. IL will
do away with the solitary confinement
and irregular attention OF which he
is otherwise the recipient
IL under ordinary conditions. at the
close of the breeding season. a stall
lion is pressed into regular service
and accustomed to work gradually. he
will be the better for 1t In the end
Association with other horses will then
come TO be a regular occurrence, and
the obnoxious actions SO common tc
stations in harness will become less
frequent. AS a horse In regular ser
vice he then receives regular care
and exercise. IL he be from u OF the
lighter breeds as saddler or trotter II
is by no means advisable to use him
for a kind of work which he was never
intended. II is not conducive TO the
best development of horses to force
them " work foreign to their breed
ing and general character. For ex