BREEDING UTILITY HOUSES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 445, 6 March 1912, Page 6

BREEDING UTILITY HOUSES.

In the okl-timc it was considered correct in crossing heavy and light breeds of horses to use the thoroughbred stallion with the drought more; but experience of recent years has proved this method to ho only second best, In Queensland where the breeding of gun horses has necessitated an admixture of draught blood, it has been proved conclusively that the use of an active Clydesdale stailion on light mares is productive of the most desirable results and generally calculated to secure a uniform character in the progeny and neater heads and feet. When the thoroughbred ia used on top it is difficult to sell the misfits that must occur, but anything by a draught stallion from a light or even pony mare is easy to market. The strangest thing about a draught stallion is hia low stud fee compared with that of the thoroughbred; and it is difficult to find a reason for it. The racing game of course inflates thoroughbred values; but the utility thoroughbred horse is rarely given mares good enough to produce racehorses. Yet five guineas is a low fee for a thoroughbred and an exceptionally high one for a draught. Again, when crossing has to be resorted to it is very much cheaper to buy light mares than to purchase draughts; and from the light mare and the draught stallion a superior colt is produced at much lower initial cost. Of late years we have gone ahead well with draught stock in New Zealand and no doubt closer settlement will give the heavy breed a great push along.