HORSES 



JSnJMBER or MORSES 



■000,000 



rSOO.OOO 



■400,000 



^00,000^ 



-200.000 



% 



% 



Horse numbers continued to decline in 

 1927 in Montana, a total of 536,000 horses 

 being reported on Montana farms and 

 ranges on January 1. 1928, compared with 

 the 547,000 reported the previous year. 

 Horse numbers in the state are now at 

 the lowest ebb since 1916. At that time 

 the horse population was on the increase 

 and the total of 520,000 reported at the 

 beginning of 1916 established a record to 

 that time. 



During the war there was a marked 

 demand for Montana horses, but since 

 then the demand has practically ceased. 

 Growth of automobile and truck power 

 and of motor power in farm machinery 

 have tended to decrease the demand for 

 horses further. 



There are great numbers of wild horses 

 on Montana ranges that have been de- 

 clared nuisances to the state and are 



gradually being eliminated by both natural decrease in the winter seasons and 



slaughter for canning. 



NUMBER OF HORSES IN MONTANA 

 JANUARY 1, 1870-1928 



Number 



YEAR (head) 



1897 175,000 



1898 172,000 



1899 165,000 



1900* 347,000 



1901 . 302,000 



1902 275,000 



1903 247,000 



1904 244,000 



1905 237,000 



1906 239,000 



1907 292,000 



1908 292,000 



1909 304.000 



1910 319,000 



1911** „... 344,000 



1912** 350.000 



Number 



YEAR (head) 



1913** 385.000 



1914** 440,000 



1915** 485,000 



1916** 520,000 



1917** 580.000 



1918** 640.000 



1919** 720,000 



1920 669,000 



1921 669.000 



1922 650,000 



1923 643,000 



1924 611.000 



1925 ..._ 690,000 



1926 576,000 



1927 547,000 



1928 536.000 



are U. S. Department of Agriculture estimates. 



MULES 



An estimated total number of 11,000 mules in Montana on January 1, 1928, 

 is the same estimate as for the past four years. This total would allow for less 

 than one mule for every four farms in the state. The trend in mule numbers in 

 the state has been slowly upward. 



NUMBER OF MULES IN MONTANA 



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