The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-03-16
VALUE OF HORSES
SHOWS INCREASE
HAS INCREASED MATERIALLY
IN PAST FEW YEARS
MONTANA STATE COLLEGE)

MONTANA STATE COLLEGE)
Montana stOckmen and ranchers
who have kept faith with the horse
during the past decade have, during
the winter of 1933-34, been able to
capitalize on hat faith, according to
Ross Miller of the State College an
fmal husbandry department. The
rancher who had some surplus horses
to sell has been able to realize very
satisfactory prices for them.
The February l report of the federal
bureau of agricultural economics at
Washington. gives the average price Of
horses on Jan. l, 1888 as $50 per head
and for Jan. l, 1884, as $73 per head,
an increase of S14 or 1877 percent. Dur
ing the same period the price of lambs
increased 34.6 percent, beef cattle is
percent, hogs 10.4 percent, wool 174.1
percent and butter and butterfat de-
clined five and 10 percent respectively.
I'm other words, only one kind of farm
animal has advanced more rapidly in
price than horses. The horse market
has improved since Jan. l, 1884. Dur
ing 1882 horses were the only farm pro-
duct of nationwide importance that
showed a gain in market price," Miller
says.
The cause for this increased demand
and higher prices has been the rapid
decline in horse numbers since 1919 and
cheap feed, Miller believes. From 1919
to 1888, the number of all work stock
in the United States dropped IS per-
cent while horse numbers declined 43
precent. Mules gained in numbers from
1919 to 1925, so that the reduction in
the total number of work animals has
been less than in the "a of horses
alone. Limited horse production and
a high death rate has caused a 16
percent decrease in work stock in this
country during the past five years.
Another factor which Miller believes
may have been important in bringing
about an increased demand for horses
is that in some farming sections trac-
tors are being replaced by horses. What
effect this trend has had on the de-
mand for horses cannot be measured.
The question of increasing horse
breeding operations in Montana is one
farmers and ranchers are thinking
about. The proportion of brood mares
to the total horse population in the
Ou1CeQ SCdCeS Has OeCTedSeO 1TOU DO
percent in 1919 to 20 percent in 1888.
At present the ratio of ~15-year-old
mares to three-year-old brood mares is
five to three, or for every 100 Of Is
year-old mares, there r only 60 of the
three-year-olds.
IF the percentage of colts produced
during the next lO-year period is the
same as the production during the 10
year Immediately prior to the World
war, our horse and mule population for
the next few years will be smaller than
at present due to the high death rate
we may expect from our large percent
age of old horses" Miller says.
Other major factors which Miller be-
ieves will limit production are the scar
city of stations, the lack of desirable
brood are and the urgent need for
work animals.
He suggests as a safe breeding pro-
gram for Montana farmers and ranch
ers, M that will furnish them with
their own replacement power. 1.-THE
rancher following this policy will be able
to realize some revenue from the sale
of surplus stock" he says.