26 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



state of efficiency than food and care which they receive will support. 

 (Wis. B. 127.) 



THE STALLION SITUATION ABROAD. 



It may be asserted as a fact that in all foreign countries noted 

 for one or more pure breeds of horses, practically no scrub, grade, or 

 non-registered stallions are used for public service, and some of the 

 foreign governments prohibit the use of such horses. 



The French Government for over a hundred years has main- 

 tained stables of carefully selected, sound, pure-bred stallions for 

 breeding purposes. The best stallions in France are annually chosen 

 for use in these studs, and since 1885, when a government decree to 

 that effect was promulgated, all stallions not coming within special 

 classes have been excluded from public service. The classes referred 

 to are selected by government veterinarians who inspect all horses 

 and grade them as follows: Subsidized class, comprising stallions 

 of a certain standard and for each of which a cash bonus of from 

 $60 to $100 per year is paid to the owner to keep the animal in the 

 country for use by owners of mares; Authorized class, comprising 

 horses of slightly lower quality that are authorized, after passing 

 inspection, by a card certifying them as recommended by the Gov- 

 ernment for use as sires; Approved class, comprising a few horses 

 permitted to stand for service, but not granted a bonus or recom- 

 mendation card. 



In Belgium the Government has, since 1850, maintained a 

 great horse breeding establishment and promotes the breeding of 

 pure-bred Belgian draft horses (Le Cheval de trait Beige) by an 

 annual grant of $5,000 to the official draft horse registration society, 

 and an annual appropriation of $70,000 to encourage the horse 

 breeding industry of the country. Liberal prizes are awarded to 

 mares and foals at shows throughout the country; stallions are 

 officially examined by Government experts, and both approved 

 stallions and mares are granted maintenance bounties to retain them 

 in Belgium. Under such auspices horse breeding is making won- 

 derful progress and only pure-bred stallions are in use for service. 



In Germany Government supervision of horse breeding has 

 obtained for centuries and today is similar to that in vogue in Bel- 

 gium, it having been required by law that no permits should be 

 issued authorizing the use of stallions, unless they passed a satisfac- 

 tory Government inspection. At the present time both the Govern- 

 ment and agricultural societies promote intelligent horse breeding. 

 Prizes are awarded for animals of special merit, and such animals 

 must remain in the country for a specified term. First prizes are 

 awarded only to mature horses and mares that have shown merit as 

 breeders. Stallion shows have long been held at Aurich in East 

 Friesland, where the horses are brought annually for inspection and 

 approval. Prizes for brood mares are also awarded by the 

 Government. 



Somewhat similar supervision of horse-breeding matters is under- 

 taken by the Government of Austria and large sums of money are 



