496 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



method to the 1920 census figures we find a probable loss of 1,911,727 

 work animals by death in that year, and a probable replacement from 

 the foals of 1919 of only 1,428,764 head, leaving a deficit of 482,963 

 head. 



Horse production on the small farm. — The advantages of intensive 

 farming have been widely discussed for a number of years. Intensive 

 farming is farming on a small scale, but doing it perfectly, hence 

 realizing the largest possible return on a moderate investment. Horse 

 production on a small scale, as discussed here, is similar to intensive 

 farming. It means the ownership of one or two pairs of high-class 

 brood mares, preferably purebreds, which are used to do part or all of 

 the farm work, and which are given the very best care and attention. 

 They are bred only to high-class stallions of the same breed as them- 

 selves, and during pregnancy they are well cared for, well fed, and not 

 overworked. The foals are given the best of care and are carefully 

 trained, being halter broken as early as possible and made gentle by 

 proper handling. They are kept growing after they are weaned, and 

 in due time are carefully and thoroughly educated in harness or under 

 saddle, as the case may be. This is intensive horse production. 



Intensive horse raising therefore means keeping a few extra-good 

 brood mares, and each year producing a few extra-good foals which 

 may be grown out by the breeder or sold as weanlings or yearlings to 

 be developed by someone else. The first costs under this plan are not 

 necessarily less than where a large number of the average kind of brood 

 mares are kept. Good brood mares cost considerable, but they are 

 the only kind on which large profits may be made. If this plan seems 

 impracticable because purebred mares are expensive, why not reach 

 the same end by buying a weanling or yearling filly of the desired breed, 

 growing out this filly to breeding age, and retaining her best filly fcals 

 for breeding purposes? In this way, given a few years' time, it is 

 easily possible to get on an intensive footing with as many mares as 

 are required. 



We have had enough of the average kind of horse production in 

 this country; in fact, far too much of it. It has been demonstrated 

 beyond all doubt that it pays much better to keep a few extra-good 

 brood mares and raise carefully a few good foals, than it does to keep 

 a lot of cheap mares and produce a lot of cheap horses, without feed 

 enough to give any of them a fair chance. 



The writer once visited a farm where he was shown a sixteen-year- 

 old grade draft mare of good type and individuality. On the same 

 farm were five good mares, all out of the aged mare mentioned. Other 

 of her numerous offspring had been sold at good prices. The mare had 

 made the farmer money and was still making it, for at the time of this 



