Show 16 i RAISING ANIMALS FOR ARMY government and farmers operating cooperating co in production of cavalry and artillery Re mounts prepared by the united states department of agriculture in order to encourage the production of horses suitable for cavalry and light artillery uses the united states department part ment of agriculture in co ing with the war department has placed in selected localities 9 good sound stallions of proper type and offered mare owners special inducements to make use of them this plan made possible by a provision of congress in 1913 grew out of the difficulty the government has had in securing a sufficient number of army re mounts light horse borse stock had deteriorated teri terl orated due to the curtailed demand as a result of the growing 9 popularity of motor vehicles and farmers had turned their attention to improving the heavier draft horse the plan consists primarily in placing stallions of merit registered in the proper stud books and belonging to the thoroughbred american saddle and morgan breeds in suitable localities in vermont new hampshire virginia west virginia kentucky ind tennessee mare owners may beed to these stallions onabe following terms the owner of the mare agrees in writing at the time of breeding to give the go government an option on the resulting colt as a three year old at a stated price which so far has been 15 no 0 o service fee ee Is s charged unless the owner of a colt wishes lies to be released from the option in n which case it is 25 this means that practically no money Is invested in service fees if the colt is purchased by the government no fee is charged nor Is there any charge if the colt is offered to the government and purchase refused because it does not qualify the breeder does not have to pay a service fee on a colt which dies which is deformed or which aich is seriously injured only sound mares marcs that approach either a cavalry or a li light glit artillery type are used records taken june 30 1917 show that colts have hadj been produced since this plan was put in 90 aeration at the beginning of the breeding season in 1913 1013 the plan has a number of advantages both to the government and to 4 morgan stallion owned by government this Is the type being used to breed army remounts mounts Re farmers the brood mares marcs are usually farm work animals which generally pay for their feed by doing farm work and the colts are brought up to birth without cost nigh jugh class stallions are available for the mare owners use community breeding which is of inestimable value is encouraged the object of the remount breeding work is to select for and breed sound horses possessing quality stamina and endurance which conform to the ardys needs and such animals will also be useful for general farm work especially in mountainous sections while it Is true that the heavy draft horse Is more valuable for most farm work there are arc many sections where here light horses are better suited because of their activity sure superior lung capacity and endurance the governments plan of aiding farmers in producing army horses is giving them material as i well ell as educational cat ional aid in developing an important phase of their fanning operations good horse power is indispensable to successful farming lind and good horses canut be produced without good sires from the agricultural standpoint alone the publication says the remount breeding work should be to other suitable localities to my nothing of the resultant effect I 1 in n adding to the defensive strength of the c country in a military way |