BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



819 



The following statement shows the number of horses on the Mor- 

 gan Horse Farm on June 30, 1912: 



Age. 



Aged 



4-year-okls. 

 S-year-olds. 

 2-year-oIds. 

 Tearlings-. 

 Weanlings. 



Total 



Total. 



27 

 2 

 8 



11 

 6 



15 



1 One stallion leased to Massachusetts Agricultural College. 



* Work horses. 



During the winter the use of silage as a feed for brood mares was 

 tried out with very satisfactory results. The mares were left out 

 during the entire winter, being brought in ju.st before foaling time 

 in the spring. An open shed afforded protection in stormy weather. 

 Their daily ration consisted simply of 20 pounds of silage and 10 

 pounds of hay. The mares came through the winter in better con- 

 dition than those of a check lot wintered under similar conditions 

 but with a grain ration, and their foals wdien dropped were all 

 straight and sound. 



During the breeding season of 1912 the provisions of the Army 

 horse-breeding plan were made available to mare owners in Vermont 

 to breed to stallions at the Morgan Horse Farm. Fairly good re- 

 sults have been obtained thus far, although the plan has not been 

 given the publicity which it needs to acquaint farmers with it. 



ABMY HORSE BEBIEDING. 



Of the 51 mares registered by the bureau in Virginia, in the experi- 

 ment to test the plan of the Government to encourage the breeding 

 of horses for the United States Army, 27 were bred to Henry of 

 Navarre and 11 to Octagon; 13 were not bred. Of the 27 mares bred 

 to Henry of Navarre 13 have foaled, 4 foals being colts and 9 fillies; 

 14 mares missed. Of the 11 mares bred to Octagon 4 are reported 

 as having colt foals, G missed, and 1 died shortly after having been 

 bred. As indicated in my last report, the main feature of this experi- 

 ment is a success; farmers are willing to breed mares to remount 

 stallions on the terms proposed by the Government. 



SHEEP AND GOAT INVESTIGATIONS. 



The range sheep-breeding work in "U'voming progressed very satis- 

 factorily during the year. Although the ytcxr 1<J12 was rather an 

 exceptional one in AVyoming for running sheep, tlit loss in our fi(X'k 

 was very light. The ewes lambed exceptionally well, nyr] the avooI 

 clip was the best obtained since the experiment was inaugurated. 

 The average weight of fleece for the entire flock was 12.5 pouno.. 

 This average is not as good as that for 1911, but the wool was mucii 

 cleaner and the average stated includes the entire flock without any 

 culling. Progress has been made in the experiaient, and the yearling 



