PROMOTING HORSE BREEDING.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13964, 10 February 1911, Page 3

PROMOTING HORSE BREEDING.

Continental people are ahead of the British in promoting horse breeding. By gradual processes the farming communities of European countries have gone straight for pure-bred sires. They have learned by experience that the greatest profits are to he gained by tho production of pure-bred and high-grade stock. The French Government for over 100 years has maintained stables of carefully selected, sound, pure-bred stallions for breeding purposes. The best stallions in Franco aro annually chosen for use in the studs, and since 1885, when a Government decree to that effect was promulgated, all stallions not coming within 6pccial classes havo been. excluded .from public service. The classes referred to are selected by Government veterinarians, who inspect all horses and grade them. In Belgium the Government has, since 1800, maintained a great horsebreeding establishment, and promotes tbe breeding of pure-bred Belgian draught horses by an annual appropriation of 70,000 dollars to encourage the horse breeding of the country. Liberal prizes are awarded to mares and foal, at shows throughout the country ; stallions aro officially examined by Government experts, and both approved stallions and mares are granted "maintenance" bounties to retail them in Belgium. Under such auspices horso breeding is making wonderful progress, and only pure-bred stallions are in use lor service. In Germany Government supervision of horse breeding has obtained for centuries. At the present time bothjthe Government and agricultural societies promote intelligent horse breeding. Prizes are awarded for animals of special merit, and such animals must remain in the country for a specified term. First prizes are awarded only to mature horses and mares that have shown merit as breeders. Stallion shows have long been held at Aurich, in East Frieskind, where the horses are brought annually for inspection and approval. Prizes for brood mares aye also awarded by the Government. Somewhat similar supervision of horsebreeding matters is undertaken by the Government of Austria, and large sums of money are annually devoted to tiie encouragement of the" breeding industry. In Austria there ore two fc>tate studs and several stullion depots maintained by the Government, and about 1,000,000 dollars is annually expended by the Government in the*encouragement of the horse-breeding industry. New Zealand is all behind the times ia patters relating to the inspection of breeding horses,. The Australian .States have nearly all gone in for inspection and certification of slaIlio!:<-, and here there is only occasional inspection of stallions exhibited at rhovvs. It is time this matter was taken in hand.