Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1911-10-12
THE COST OF HORSE LABOR.

! The tradition that III doesn't cost
anything 70 keep a horse, when yOu
I I've on a iarm, Is rudely shattered
I In Bulletin No. IT," by Prof. Thomas
I y. Cooper. just issued BY the ExteD.
I sion III .isiOn OF the Wisconsin Col.
| legs Oi Agriculture. The writer
shows that, taking into account on
" such Items az the city business
man would consider In keeping a
debit and credit account with a horse
every such animal really does cost
the farmer round sum for bis kC ep.
birst, there lB the inter q. on IN
purchase price or sel4ng ga.ue o. [ g
n0rse. Putting the rate at pr
cent, and the value at only $3.50, the
interest comes 10 50.
Next, We must consider that the
rage working life OF a horse oes
~ exceed ten or tLWelse years
IsrelOre. AZ least Onetwelfth OF his
diue must be annually char cd to
appreciation. There goes auO her
1880 on the value Of tho sl5J 10 Sc
and II the animal is worth $500, o
probation cost Is doubled
The acreage duration o. fran o
Jarn, according 10 underwriters Ia
Jlos. Is ~ years and the capital per
Iead. In ested In such structures,
may be said TO average $50. Divide
his by forty, and W0 have 81 so as
appreciation and SO as interest, max
Ing the cost Of shelter for a horse,
per year. $3.50.
The Items OF use and depre citation,
1l harness, shooting and mis- ell aneOus
Expense add an average OF az asst
SZ.S7 annually, and bring the total
cost on the $3.50 animal up 10 S28.67,
without any reference 10 the cost of
led and labor expended In caring
or the horse. The iarm value oil the
sod, based on accounts with 10 hori.
% kept In different parts Oh Mime
sofa. averages $54.84 per horse, the
value OF labor spent IN caring Tor
.lem. $l5.Z5 per horse. 7 hese items
bring the aggregate cost OF keeping
u yl00 horse In Minnesota, for one
loar up TO 1886. Mr.. COoper's stab
los. however, are based on an ayerage
sAIuaton OF considerably less than
1850 per horse, and omit any allow
ance for the cost of barn-room or
5nelteri hence, they make the cost
II maintenance only about SS5 per
}ear.
Even at this lower figure. howey-
,r, II will be seen that with say |
our horses on the farm, the ex
lense entailed reaches the very re- |
ipectable sum of $40 a year. As 1
he work horse on the average farm /
equally works only about 900 hours
II a year, II Is seen that the cost Of
iJrse labor with the low priced an
mails used as a bass OF Mr.. coop
RS figures. Is SO cents per day o.
on hours.
A variety Of suggestions are made,
loking TO a reduction OF this heavy
rain upon the farmers resources.
hese include: % The use of more
rood mares on the farm; (2) A bet
lr distribution of horse labor thru
at the year. by diversified farming;
- Reducing the number of work
1rses on the farm; ca More eco
Omic methods Of feeding; 60 The |
Sc on small farms of machinery re {
uiring less horsepower. Among
1 Sc methods, the substitut on Of [
rod mares .or the geldings most
employed will comm nd it.
III as tho most desirable. It is dem. S
lsJrated that mares In toal can 5
lrk not only without injury. but B.
h Advantage to both mare and foe :
no three and four year old colts
IN be used. for much of the work
place of the aged hors now dr.
And finally. the sale OF colts will j
lra than pay for the keep of the u
ares. L