Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Second part - VI. Agriculture and Cattle-Breeding - 2. Cattle-Rearing. By Captain V. Nauckhoff, Stockholm - Horses
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CATTLE-REARINÖ.
551
the author named, on an average for the years 1885/88, 10,000 horses, 38,000
oxen, 9,000 bulls, 109,000 cows, 9,000 steers and heifers, 997,000 calves, 95,000
goats, 1,232,000 sheep and lambs, and 582,000 pigs. For the feeding of the
cattle were used annually dnring 1885/88, 78,000 quintals (à l-97 cwts.) of
wheat, 546,000 quintals of rye, 1,386,000 quintals of barley, 6,002,000 quintals
of oats, 1,238,000 quintals of peas, and 347,000 quintals of beans and vetches,
or together, 9,697,000 quintals of cereals, which corresponded to 45 % of the
total annual cereal-harvest of the country. In addition, there were used 2,506,000
quintals of potatoes, and 1,999,000 quintals of other root-crops. Including hay
and other feeding-stuffs, the total value of the cattle-fodder used, was 248 million
kronor, or 59 % of the value of the total agricultural produce of the land.
After these short remarks, some attention must now be paid to
each of the most important kinds of cattle which are embraced by
Swedish cattle-rearing.
Horses.
In 1571, Sweden possessed not far from 200 horses for every
thousand of its population, a number which, in 1805, had fallen to about
160 and, by the year 1870, still further decreased to 103. But since
then, this decline has ceased, so that in 1900 there were still 103 horses
for each thousand of the population.
The last-named figure is a pretty high one, seen from a European
point of view, and in the whole of "Western Europe there were but
Denmark and Finland which could show higher figures. The average
for "Western Europe is but 55. (But for Eastern Europe about 175).
The total number of horses in Sweden at the close of 1900
amounted to 533,050. Relatively, the greatest number of horses are found
in Skåne and Uppland; a detailed view of the local differences is given
by the map on page 552. "We may now give the following brief account
of the history of the horse in Sweden.
We can conclude, from the form of the skull and from what traditions relate,
that Sweden’s first race of horses came from the East and descends from a Tartaric
race of horses still existing in South-Eastern Russia. But in consequence of the
incessant inter-breeding with other races, the original type has disappeared, and
the inhabitants of the North had, even during the viking-period, active intercourse
with foreign lands, when horses were brought home, amongst other booty. It was
only during the middle ages and with the development of chivalry that the horse
received more consideration and, at the same time, better care and attention.
Horse-breeding was embraced with interest on knightly and monasterial estates,
and it is probable that the returning knights brought home many a noble horse
from the Orient and from Western Europe, which was afterwards used for the
improvement of the Swedish horses.
The first steps we know of with certainty for the improvement of
horse-breeding, were taken during the time of King Gustavus Vasa (1623/60). He
established studs of mares and even riding-schools upon the newly formed royal
estates, where he placed Friesland horses he had purchased. During the following
centuries, Sweden had to go through many wars and, during these, a great
number of horses of different breeds were brought home. We know also that horses
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