Gunnison news-champion., 1919-01-10
WARNING TO HORSE BREEDERS
BY K ". Clark Extension Specialist
In Animal Husbandry, Colorado
Agricultural College.

The horse situation should receive
careful attention from the farmers II
Is getting in q critical condition The
cost of production has greatly in
creased while selling prices of horses
have decreased. Automobiles, tractors
and trucks are responsible for the
present situation, and what the future
situation is 70 be no person can pre-
dict. The war. coming when il did,
saved the industry from disaster, be-
cause . tremendously large number of
horses were sent TO Europe for war
purposes.
The government Year Book shows
that about the same number of horses
is being raised as formerly. but that
prices are decreasing. In Ohio, the
number of horses raised last year de-
creased 5000 head. and the price
dropped from SIG 10 SIP per head;
in Indiana the decrease was 5000
head and the price dropped from sl0s
10 sos per head; in Illinois there was
an increase in numbers. but the price
dropped from sl06 to sl03 per head;
in Michigan, there was no increase or
decrease, and the price dropped from
S12l to Sis per head; in Wisconsin
the decrease was 1000 head and the
price dropped from sl20 to sll7 per
head; in Minnesota there was an in
crease, but the price dropped from
SlO9 TO SlO5 per head; in Iowa there
was an increase in numbers, but there
was a drop in prices from sl07 to
slO4; in North Dakota there was an
increase in numbers, but prices drop
ped from SlO6 to Sl02 per head; in
Colorado there was an increase of
10000 head, and an increase in price
from $93 to S97 per head. The total
value Of horses in Colorado, January
!, 1918 was S3S, 900. This is the
hand writing on the wall. and horse
breeders and farmers should take
notice.
Therr is a big demand for good,
heavy draft horses, and prices are
satisfactory. While the price of the
average horse in Colorado is $500,
good heavy horses, weighing 1900 lbs.
or more, are selling from 5000 10 $500
= head. As il costs at least 5000 per
head to raise q horse now, only the
kind that will bring the right price
should be raised. This is the heavy
draft horse. The demand for such is
increasing. The farmer, by using the
tractor and truck, is learning to ap-
praciate this type and the demand in
crcaScs; cities want no other kind, and
foreign countries are beginning to
take them to rchabilitate their herds
destroyed by war conditions. Canada
has taken a number this year for
breeding purposes, and England is be-
ginning to call for them. Good ones
only are wanted, price is according to
quality. They can be raised at a
profit and they are the only ones that
can be.
From now on farmers should use
only pure-bred, sound, typey heavy
stations. The weight should not be
under 1900 pounds in ordinary flesh.
The unsound, light weight, poor type
grade and scrub stallion will bring
the farmer of Colorado to BANKRUPTCY.
There is no market for their progeny
at any price.
All mature mares that weigh under
1900 pounds, and all that weigh above
that, that are unsound and of poor
type should not be bred, and the SOON
cr they are gotten rid of. the better
This is the season of the year when
farmers should plan their horse breed
ing operations for the coming year
and begin to look around for stations.
They should get the best. price should
make no difference. For further in
formation, write to the Agricultural
College, Fort Collins, Colorado.