, 1923-05-09
LIVE STOCK
FACTS
HORSE SUPPLY is DECREASED
Number In United States is 2o,55e, 900.
as Compared With 2~3,145,ooo
In 1914.

prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.)
An IL per cent decrease in the
worlds supply of horses since 1913
and a slight decrease In the number
of mules and asses nre estimated by
the United States Department of Agri-
culture.
The number of horses in So coun-
tries, which represents about 90 per
cent of the total number of horses re-
ported, Is now 1O3,55O.oO o head, as COM
pared with 116,500,0OO before the war.
Comparative figures for Is other coun-
tries. which have al 900 horses, are
not available.
The decreases occur largely In Rus
sia and the United States. According
to latest estimates Russia has 1S,507,-
900 horses compared with 81, 100000 In
1913. n decrease of Al per cent. The
number of horses in the United States
Is 2~O,550,OOO, as compared with 23,145,-
600 In 1914. Decreases are also re-
ported from the United Kingdom.
France. Germany and Japan. In
creases are reported for Argentina.
Canada, the Union of South Africa,
Denmark, Spain, Sweden and Norway.
The number of mules and asses in
80 countries, which represents about OIL
per cent of the total number reported,
Is estimated at 23,432, 900, as compared
with 23,61S,00O in pre-war years. Com
parative figures for 10 other countries
which have 1,23S,0OO mules and asses
are not available.
The United States ranks first In num-
Der of horses with 20, $50. 900 head, and
Russia second with 1S.507 600 head. In
numbers of mules and asses, the United
States is first with 5,S9S,OOO head, Bra
I'll is second with 1,S65.OO0 head. and
India third, with 1.7S2,OOO head.
Imports of horses into the United
States have dropped from 11,142, the
1909-13 average, to 1888 in 1921. Dur
ing the first IL months of 1922 only
439 horses were brought In. OF United
States imports canada has furnished
80 to 90 per cent in recent years as
compared with about 81 per cent In
the pre-war period. About 20 per cent
of total imports formerly came from
Mexico and France.
Exports of horses from the United
States have decreased since the war,
and exports of mules nave Increased.
Exports of horses averaged 1868
head during the period 1892, as COM
pared with 2S.333 head during 1909-13.
Postwar exports of mules averaged
S.753 and pre-war exports 5,025. Mex
leo has been the heaviest purchaser of
both horses and mules since 1919, sup
| n1pntinU Ifpnn1n which tnnk mora
than any other country before the
war.
Since the war France has imported
more horses han have been exported.
whereas before the war exports were
about three times as large as imports.
Both the export and import trade in
horses of Belgium have fallen off. I'M
ports in 1921 were 2l,O0O head as
compared with an average of $1,000
head for the period 1909-l3. Exports
decreased from nm average OF 81 1000
head in the five-year pre-war period
to $500 in 1921.
Imports into the United States have
decreased to less than n fifth of the
pre-war figure. Exports nave also
fnllen of to some extent. There Is n
marked tendency to replace tractors
with horses In England and Wales. the
British ministry OF agriculture and
fisheries reports. Tractors are being
used to n great extent only on the
larger arabic farms, but even on these
farms tractors are being used less h
In previous years. Few new machines
nre apparently being purchased when
tractors wear out. The low price OF
horses, the reduced cost OF their keep,
and lower labor costs are given ms the
principal reasons for the reversion to
horse labor.