16 
BULLETIN 757, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
fore, is asumed to be 8.3 per cent of the prime value, which is usually 
considered to be the value at six years of age. As a matter of fact, 
very little depreciation occurs until after the animals are eight years 
of age. It has been shown x that a horse is worth 81 per cent of its 
prime value at 10 years of age. 70 per cent at 12 years, and 10 per cent 
at 16 years. The value of the average work animal changes very 
little between the ages of 5 and 9 years. 
The shoeing of work animals is generally limited to those that are 
being used in hauling on hard roads or other hard surfaces. Some 
farmers shoe the front but not the hind feet. In ordinary field work, 
shoes are not necessary. Of 103 farmers, 69 had some of their horses 
shod, but only a small percentage had all of them shod. Of the total 
of 718 head on these farms the average prorated cost per horse was 
$0.89 per head per year. 
Veterinary charges are a very small item and no data are available 
on this subject. 
The assessed valuation of work stock in the State in 1911 was ap- 
proximately $30 per head and the tax rate about 30 mills per dollar. 
Thus the average taxes per head amount to $0.90. 
Information was secured from 18 farmers concerning the amount 
of barn room used for stabling. The buildings ranged in size from 16 
by 22 feet for 9 animals to 38 by 80 feet for 32 animals. The average 
floor space utilized was 70 square feet per animal. 
The time required to care for work stock varies considerably, de- 
pending upon the convenience of arrangements for feeding and for 
removing manure. Also, the number of animals per farm is a factor, 
the larger the number of animals the more total time required, but 
the less the time required per animal. The results of 129 records are 
given in Table III. the approximate time per horse being given. 
Table III. — Time required pe? 
day to 
care for 
work stock. 
Item. 
Number of horses. 
4 
5 
6 8 10 
Total time per day 
Jits. min. 
1 53 
hrs. min. 
2 1 
25 
1 
hrs. min. hrs. min. hrs. min. 
2 20 2 43 2 45 
Minutes per horse 
28 
23 ! 20 ! 16 
The average work horse in Xorth Dakota is utilized for 79 days of 
productive labor on the farm. TVhile 14A days are available for 
field work during the crop season, practically all of the work done 
is in planting and harvesting time, as there is very little field work to 
be done for a period of from six weeks to two months in June and July- 
Some productive work is done during the winter in hauling grain to 
1 United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin 413. page 11. 
