 The conversion to meat was unfavorable for the Auxois, however. The Percheron was preferred for the quality of the meat and the Ardennais and closely related Auxois were considered to have some of the lowest quality meat. In addition, the promised market for horse meat did not materialize, and French slaughterhouses were overwhelmed by imports of cheap horses from the Americas and Eastern Europe. Because of this lack of profitability, the population of most French breeds, including the Auxois, continued to decline until 1994. The collapse in prices then forced the National Stud to redirect its draft horse-related activities.
