The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-23
UNITED STATES
FACES SHORTAGE
OF DRAFT STOCK
Million and Half Animals
Have Been Taken For
War Purposes
MARKET LIMITED
BEFORE THE WAR
Demand Never Up to The
Supply-Situation is
Reverse Now

I Lincoln, Neb, June 23-That this
state and the whole United States is
facing a serious shortage in draft
horses and mules is the belief of ]. s.
Anderson, state veterinarian. Great
Britain, Italy and France have already
taken one and one-fourth million an
imals out OF this country, and with the
United States getting ready for hos
tilities and requisitioning a quarter mil
| lion animals as q starter, he fears there
will not be enough left for domestic
purposes.
1t requires horses and mules at least
four years old to do heavy work, and
the armies of the allied nations will
not take them at a younger age, Mr..
Anderson explained. An extra year is
required for the production OF colt
after breeding. This means that breed
| ers who start now to increase the
equine product will not be able to
achieve substantial results, so far as
relieving the prospective shortage Is
concerned for five years.
Market Limited Before War.
Before the war. Mr.. Anderson said
the market for horses and mules was
limited, and the demand did not al
ways come up to the supply. When
the war broke out and foreign buyers
came to the United States. it was re-
garded as a golden opportunity to
unload the surplus stock at good prices,
but breeders as a rule, did not expect
the war to last long enough to make
any great difference permanently.
They supposed the production Of horses
and mules would keep pace with the
demand, and hence, there was no
special reason for Systematically in
creasing the number Of colts.
The state veterinarian suggests that
breeders will find it profitable to them
selves and at the same time do their
country service, If they will breed
mares in the fall as we'll as in the
spring. That is, if foal be not secured
from breeding this spring, the same
mare be bred again in the fall.
Too many, he says. have followed the
old custom of breeding only for spring
colts, which was well enough in the old
days when farms were not equipped to
care for them during the winter; but
nowadays with good warm barns and
other facilities at hand, he thinks colts
can be raised more cheaply. and bet
ter horses produced from the fall
breeding than spring, also the mares
will thus be available for farm labor
during the drop season.
Take intermediate Class.
| A class of horses was taken by the
European buyers which the growers
of this country were glad to get off
! their hands. The type they pre-
ferred was an intermediate one, too
large for first class road horses, but not
large enough for heavy draft work.
The United States government, on the
other hand, buys high grade saddle
horses and draft horses for army use.
Mr.. Anderson said, he talked re-
Gently with a buyer of horses for the
British government, and was told that
much of the allies recent success dur
ing recent months has been due to
their possession of plenty Of horses
and mules for moving heavy guns and
bringing up supplies. The Germans
have been unable to get horses fast
enough to take place of those killed
in service, he asserted, and as result
have had to abandon many cannon
when conducting retreats, many Of
which guns the allies are using.