INSPECTION OF STALLIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1401, 29 March 1912, Page 8

INSPECTION OF STALLIONS.

THE QUESTION OF REJECTS. A draught stuck brooder contributes (lio following interesting urliclu to the Melbourne "Leader": — "Being interested in the breeding and iinporUition of stallions and mares, 1 have been watching to see it' thn present methods of inspection of stallions adopted by the difl'oi<Mit Governments of (he States were in any way likely to do good. 1 have watched the inspection of many colts that havo been rcjectcd for unsoundness and conformation, and it would appear that after the. Government has pone to considerable expense in doing that, they appear .satisfied they have done their part; but what becomes of the rejects? These rejected horses fro into the country and travel far and wide at reduced fees that tempt breeders, with the result that there is about doublo the number of foals cot by the rejected horses than there would .be if they were not rejected, as owners would riot lower their fees to tempt breeders to use them. "Every colt thrown out for unsoundness or for conformation should be gelded. "This may appear at first sight to be harsh treatment, but under a system it would be fair. Any colt, put before the inspectors at two and a half years old that is rejected should at once bo operated on and made a gelding. The breeder would not be at any loss, as he has a gelding, and that is evidently all ho should have been. Say-one goes to New Zealand or parts of Victoria in November. December. January, and February to buy colts, and under the present system have no protection whatever. You cannot get a New Zealand Government veterinary's certificate accepted in -Victoria till after April 1, and that is altogether too late to buy and bring horses over here and got. th-oiii into condition by our parade time. Allowing that one has the good luck to get three-year-old certificates, there is no guarantee jha'l they will get a four or five-year-old one. Thus it is only natural that buyers, no matter how competent judges they may be,'hold off from giving anything like a decent price for a three-year-old colt, as they are not sure of getting a certificate later, and in be rejected the following year would bo a serious loss. ... A Suggestion. "How about the following suggestion? Assuming that one gels the Now Zealand Government vct.'s recommendation to buy a colt as to soundness, for every owner of a certificated stallion to pay-a"fee or tax of cither ,£5 or .5:10, whatever the Government decide upon, and let that go into a compensation fund, and a buyer to get a Government vet.'s recommendation to April 1 as to the probabilities of getting a certificate after that date. Should th : e colt be refused after that date, make a gelding of liiqi, and compensate the ow;ner.' Under the system there would be very few rejects for unsoundness, and if a man's judgment was not good enough to buy horses that would pass for conformation, let him suffer the loss; also any man keeping a colt till time of inspection that got thrown out for conformation or unsoundness, let him bear the loss. If this method came into practice there would be very few inferior colts kept, as they would know they must be most sure to be thrown out; but be sure that.the colts, aro rejected for conformation and sne by a competent and reliable Starting right in this way, and' the first lot of rejeeis for unsoundness nut of the way. the quantity of horses to be compensated would bo very few, and so the fee or tax could be made lighter .

"If the tax the first year v;as not sufficient to compensate those thrown out for unsoundness, let the Government make up the difference. Let. there be no compensation for horses put out for want of size and conformation, as every man trading in them should be a good judge to guard against that, or be the loser. Eul; when there is such a diversity of opinion as to a horse being or not being sound by the veterinarians tlvemselves, no one ca.n blame even, the best judges for buying a horse that may be thrown out .next year, even if lie misses this. Jn the first place, there would be no unsound or bndty conformed horses allowed to serve marcs, and if there is anything in the veterinary inspection, we should get a very-much better and sounder class of horse. Those having sound sires would be protected to such an extent that rhev conld afford Io pay a decent price for the horse, al«o the fee or tax; and, secondly. Ihe party who was unfortunate enough to have his horsfi thrown out after having once passed would not be a sprious loser."

Chick-rearing is not only profitable, but a pleasure, when you feed "A and I'" Chick 'Raiseri It is a coimiletc and profood for Young Chicks. Obtainable from all storekeeDers—Advt.

A successful factory business can not be built up unless the working plant is of the best description. Inferior or oldfashioned utensils eat up profits in repairs, lost time, and inferior products. When planning for next season make it a point that "Victor" Vats and Cheese Hoops be installed. They are easily ahead of all ether makes, and have proved wonderfully successful wherever used. 1 Pull information obtainable from Albert J. Parton, Carterton.—Adrt.