BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



225 



To determine the number of stallions needed for this work, allow- 

 ances must be made for failure of stallions to get in foal all mares 

 served, for ordinary losses of foals, and for failure of foals bred to 

 prove suitable for remounts. 



A good sound stallion will get about 75 per cent of his mares in 

 foal. Of the resulting foals, an average of at least 10 per cent will 

 die from various causes before they are old enough to be purchased as 

 remounts. In the proposed army horse-breeding work probably 

 about 50 per cent of the remainder would be suitable for remounts. 



Based on an estimate of 100 stallions, the following results could be 

 expected for varying numbers of mares served by each stallion : 



An estimate of 100 stallions would therefore appear to be con- 

 servative. It is doubtful if stallions average more than 70 mares a 

 season, as a rule. In some localities it would probably be possible to 

 stand stallions for a short fall breeding season in addition to the usual 

 spring season, in which case a larger number of mares could be covered. 

 In others only a spring season would be feasible, and a smaller number 

 of suitable mares might be offered. 



DISTRIBUTION OF STALLIONS. 



The country should be divided into four or more breeding districts, 

 as follows, and stallions assigned as indicated : 



New England district (vicinity of Maine and New 

 Hampshire) 10 Morgans. 



Central district (Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and [ 30 Thoroughbreds. 

 Tennessee, with perhaps certain sections of Indiana and] 10 Standardbreds. 

 Ohio) t 10 Saddlers. 



Southwestern district (vicinity of Missouri or Texas, withf ^ qifjj?"^^^^^*^^' 

 perhaps certain sections of Iowa) } ^ gtandardbreds. 



Northwestern district (Montana, Washington, Oregon, andf 15 Thoroughbreds, 

 perhaps California) I 10 Standardbreds. 



Total 100 



It might be well to subdivide one or more of these districts. The 

 above arrangement is worked out to establish such districts so that 

 they will be in reasonable proximity to government stations where the 

 stallions may be kept between breeding seasons. 



NUMBER OF RKMOUNTS AVAILABLE ANNUALLY. 



Based on the foregoing estimates, the number of remounts avail- 

 able yearly from these sections would be as follows, with stallions 

 covering the maximum of 70 mares, and taking 24 as a convenient 



73477°— AGB 1910- 



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