Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-06-25
UNITED STATES FACES
DRAFT HORSE FAMINE
Wars Demand Threatens to
Exhaust Supply Of Work
Animals in This Country.

LINCOLN, Neb., June c".-That
this whole United States is facing
serious shortage in draft horses and
mules is the belief Of j. $. Anderson,
state veterinarian. Great Britain,
Italy and France have already taken
1850, 600 animals out of this country,
and with the United States getting
ready for hostilties and requisitioning
Il quarter million animals as starter.
he fears there will not be enough LETT
for domestic purposes.
IL requires horses and mules at least
years old to do heavy work, and the
armies Of the allied nations will not
take them at Il younger age, Mr.. An
derson 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.
Before the war, MIR. 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. II was re-
garded as "A golden opportunity to un-
load the surplus stock at good prices,
but breeders as n 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 systematical-
ly increasing the number of colts.
The state veterinarian suggests that
breeders will find 1t profitable to
themselves, and at the same time do
! their country u service, II they will
breed mares in the Nall, as we'll as in
the spring. That is, If foal be not
secured from breeding this spring the
same mare he 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 cheap
| ly, and better horses produced from
! the fan breeding than spring; also
| the mares will thus be available for
farm labor during the crop season.
| A class Of horses was taken by the
/ European buyers which the growers
/ of this country We're glad to get off
/ their hands. The type they preferred
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 recently
with n buyer of horses for the British
government, and was told that much
OF the allies recent success during re-
cent 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 places OF those killed
in service. he asserted. and as re-
suit have had to abandon many can
non when conducting retreats, many
Of which guns the allies are using.