Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-02-07
DRAFT HORSES IN iowa
Twice as Many Could BE Produced
at Good Profit.
FORM BREEDERS ASSOCIATION.
New Organization Promises to Pro-
mote Interest i'm Valuable
Asset to I0wanS.

New Organization Promises to Pro-
mote Interest in Valuable
Asset to I0wans.
IF Iowa farmers produced again
as many high class draft horses az
they do now they wouldn't begin to
supply the demand. of the market for
them"
That was the message delivered at
the launching of the Iowa Draft
Horse Breeders association at Iowa
State College, by Wayne Dinsmore.
secretary of the Percheron Society
of America. That was only one of
the circumstances attending the or
ganization of this association that
promise to make it one of the strong
est live stock organizations in Iowa.
Nearly hundred prominent horse
breeders from all parts of the state,
representing all breeds, were pres
ent at the meeting and the first list
of officers elected comprises a strong
group of men. The indications are
that the membership will go to the
five hundred mark with in a short
time and that the association will
quickly become a factor in the pro-
motion of the draft horse industry
in Iowa.
Mr.. Dinsmore's statement about
the demand for draft horses was
based upon the most thorough in
vestigation of the horse market.
The receipts of horses at the Chi
cago market for the year 1911 ex-
ceeded one hundred thousand head.
of this number not to exceed twen-
ty-five thousand would weigh over
fifteen hundred and fifty pounds.
which Is the minimum weight con-
sidered for draft horses. OF this
number not more than FIVE thousand
had the quality or the weight Of
seventeen hundred pounds or over
to be classef 40 first class drsfters.
For such animals the price has aver
aged around 1885 per head. Match
ed pairs OF this stsndA1d have
brought fronaSsse to 37o0 per pair.
The supply of this kind Of animal
has been far below the demand and
prices for them have been better this
past year than for any time within
twenty years.
There IL general shortage of
draft horses" said Mr.. Dinsmore. ut
is the judgment of practically every
man that ! have talked with that for
the United States as a whole the
number of horses weighing fifteen
hundred pounds or over will not ex-
ceed thirty animals per one hundred.
A great many well informed men
that have talked with have placed
the estimate at less than 25 per cent.
1t is equally certain that not one
third of these horses are first class,
and by this mean with weight over
sixteen hundred pounds, sound, with
good underpinning and approved
draft conformation. This means
therefore, that less than ten per cent
Of the horses in the United States
are first class draft standards"
Mr.. Dinsmore asserted that the de-
mand is broad because prices have
gone up steadily for fifteen years in
spite OF an increased production of
drafters. 1t Is further proved by the
fact that it is practically impossible
to find a full aged draft gelding of
first class type in the country dis
tricts because buyers have picked
them up cleanly.
Mr.. Dinsmore declared that the
rearing of draft horses is profitable.
An animal will pay for it's keep in
labor until it is ready for market.
and then sell for enough to leave
from 800 to 5000 margin.
The first officers elected by the as
sociati0n were: President, G. w.
Brigsby. Madrid; vice president. c.
w. Damien, Melbourne: secretary.
Howard Vaughn, Marion; treasurer.
Martin Nelson, Cambridge. The
board of directors consists of one
man from each congressional dis
trict and four at large.