COST OF KEEPING FARM HOESES. 



11 



Table 8. — Percentage of 316 horses that appreciated in value, percentage that did not 

 appreciate, and the factors influencing the aggregate depreciation or appreciation, by 

 States (27 farms, 316 horses). 



State and number of horses. 



Illinois (154 horses) 



Ohio (72 horses) 



New York (90 horses) 



The three States (316 horses) 



Percentage of 

 horses that 

 showed — 



Appre- 

 cia- 

 tion. 



18.75 



21.95 



4.95 



15.60 



No ap- 

 precia- 

 tion. 



Number 



of 

 deaths. 



81.25 

 78.05 

 95.05 



S4.40 



Number 

 bought. 



Number 

 sold. 



Number 

 of colts 

 bought. 



Number 



of colts 



sold. 



Number 

 colts 

 fed. 



On the Illinois and New York farms colts became work horses 

 when from 2\ to 4 years of age. The age of work horses that depre- 

 ciated in value varied considerably, depending on their usage and 

 care. The average age of work horses that appreciated in value was 

 about 4 years. The average age of those that neither appreciated 

 nor depreciated in value was about 8 years, and the average age of 

 those that depreciated in value was about 11 years. In Ohio data 

 showing the age of all the horses studied were not obtained; however, 

 the data that were obtained along this line showed about the same 

 results as those in Illinois and New York. 



In Illinois about 19 per cent of the horses appreciated in value at 

 the rate of $36.05 per head per year, while the average depreciation 

 for the other 81 per cent was $12.55 per head. At this rate it will 

 be seen that a $36 appreciation of one horse practically would offset 

 the depreciation of three others. Thus the appreciation of one 

 horse out of every 5.34 kept resulted in an average net depreciation 

 for all horses of but $3.46 per head. Of the 154 horses included in 

 the records from this State 3 died, causing a loss of $350. In other 

 words, the death loss was about 1 out of every 51. In considering 

 the reason for the number of young horses on these farms and the 

 low depreciation of work horses it was found that there was an 

 average of one colt for every four workhorses kept. Further, no colts 

 were sold, all being developed into work horses, 11 becoming work 

 horses during the time in which data were collected. It also will 

 be seen that the same number of horses was bought as was sold. 

 Three died and had to be replaced, and a part of the farmers enlarged 

 their business, thus requiring more horses. With the continued 

 raising and developing of colts into work horses, however, it is safe 

 to say that ordinarily a greater number of young horses will be 

 developed than will be needed in the farm business. 



On the Ohio farms about 22 per cent of the horses appreciated in 

 value at the rate of $56.90 per head. The average depreciation of 



