THIRTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII 605 



LICENSED STALLIONS BY STATES. 



By the above table we note that there is a wide variation in the 

 percentage of pure bred stallions in use in the different states. Com- 

 paratively few states can show 50 per cent of pure bred stallions. This 

 fact partly accounts for the very large proportion of mediocre horses 

 that are found in the leading horse markets and the comparative scarcity 

 of really good horses either of the draft or roadster type. The fact is, 

 we have been slow in recognizing the actual money returns incident 

 with the production of the high class horse. Stallions of desirable breed- 

 ing and type have been known to produce colts worth $100 to $200 more 

 at five years of a^e than colts from grade, mongrel or scrub stallions 

 of poor conformation. It is true that Iowa stands at the head of the 

 list in the percentage of pure bred stallions but even in Iowa that 

 percentage is too small. Our leading markets are demanding the big 

 horse with heavy bone and good quality. But a few days ago we saw 

 an Iowa farmer get $350 for a grade Belgium gelding out of a plain 

 farm mare but sired by a very high class pure bred stallion. Another 

 farmer got $160 for a gelding of the same age in practically the same 

 condition and out of very much the same type of mare but sired by a 

 stallion that weighed at least 300 pounds heavier and showed larger 

 cleaner bone with decidedly heavier muscles. We may like a 1200 or 

 1300 pound chunk for the corn plow or a "handy weight" horse to drive 

 to town, but as long as we continue to breed for that type of horse we 

 cannot expect to make satisfactory profits on our horses. The market 

 pays highest for the big horse — pays more than it costs to produce him 

 in comparison with the "heavy weight" chunk. The heavy horse is there- 

 fore the most economical horse to produce. The following table of prices 

 at the various weights taken from one of the leading horse markets illus- 

 trates this fact. 



IGO'O lbs $203 1800 lbs $270 



1650 lbs 216 1900 lbs 320 



1700 lbs 233 2000 lbs 400 



The fact is that even if we breed for the heavy durable type of drafter 

 there will be enough medium weight horses resulting to supply all the 

 demand for chunks. By breeding for heavy horses we may expect a 

 larger proportion of high priced horses but along with them some ordi- 

 nary stuff. If we breed for the ordinary horse we certainly cannot ex- 

 pect to get the high priced horse unless in case of the very rare ex- 

 ception. It is, therefore, to our interest to pay particular attention to 

 the type of stallion we use in order that we may realize a greater profit 

 from the resulting colts. 



Iowa's premier position in the producing of horses is due to a nat- 

 ural fitness for raising horses. Corn, oats and blue grass are the best 

 horse feeds and there is no state whose soil produces these crops in 

 greater abundance. The Iowa farmer has long recognized the value 

 of live stock farming. He appreciates more than any other farmers of 

 the middle west at least, the necessity of marketing his crops through* 

 his livestock and thereby retaining a large per cent of the original 

 fertility of the soil on his own farm. There is no method of livestock 



