The Stallion 315 



from license, or the unsoundness is posted in a conspicuous 

 manner upon the Hcense. The Hcenses are required to be 

 posted in pubHc places so that breeders who patronize the 

 pubHc service stallion can be truthfully informed in regard 

 to the breeding. So many states now have such laws that 

 they cover the larger proportion of the horse-producing 

 sections. Throughout these states there has been a 

 strong tendency toward increasing the number of the pure- 

 bred sires, and decreasing sires with unsoundness and poor 

 conformation. The stallion laws have also provided a 

 lien upon mares bred. This furnishes the stallion owner 

 with protection so that he can collect service fees and 

 therefore put his investment on a more substantial basis. 



FEEDING IN THE BREEDING SEASON 



The feeds needed by a stallion during the breeding season 

 correspond closely to those needed by a growing animal 

 or the brood mare that is suckling a foal or developing a 

 foetus. In view of the large amount of albumen that is 

 in the semen, together with the nervous strain of the breed- 

 ing season, foods are needed which contain a considerable 

 amount of protein, and in order that the stallion's system 

 keep in good physical bloom, these feeds should have a 

 cooling effect. Feeds which meet these requirements espe- 

 cially well are oats and bran. The bran will tend to keep 

 his bowels open, and therefore make him less likely to 

 have trouble with leg or skin diseases. Roots, when they 

 are available, form a very valuable addition to the ration 

 if fed in limited quantities. Fresh-cut grasses or pasture 

 are also valuable as either roots or grasses tend to keep the 

 bowels in good condition and the horse healthy. For 

 hay, a mixture of timothy and clover is very satisfactory. 



