Stud farm

A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry, is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud" comes from the Old English stod meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding"^[1] Historically, documentation of the breedings that occur on a stud farm leads to the development of a stud book.

The word stud is often restricted to larger domesticated (especially farm) animals, such as cattle and horses. A specialized vocabulary exists for the studs of other animals, such as kennel (dog), cattery (cat) and aviary (birds).

Monastic stud farms

During the Middle Ages, stud farms were often managed as part of a monastery. At the time, few people apart from monks could read and write, and so they were charged with the responsibility of recording pedigrees. The Carthusian monks are famous for their role in breeding the Andalusian horse in Spain, while monasteries in Bavaria were responsible for the original Rottaler horse.

State stud farms

A state stud farm (German: Landgestüt) is one that is owned by the government. The first state studs were ordered by Louis XIV of France in 1665. The purpose of the state studs was to make high-quality horses available to local breeders and farmers to accelerate the evolution of local horses. Stud farms which kept a herd of mares in addition to stallions were dubbed "Principal" Studs. State-owned stallions were made accessible with low or no stud fees. Germany is most famous for its Principal and State Studs, which have been instrumental in the shaping of the German riding horses and several breeds of German cold bloods. The Hanoverian is associated with the State Stud of Celle, the Rhinelander and Westphalian with the State Stud of Warendorf, the Brandenburger with the Principal Stud of Neustadt an der Dosse, and so on.^[2]

Other European state studs include:

• Lipizza (1580) of Austria, known for the Lipizzaner horse
• Kladrub (1579), another state stud established by Austria in what is now the Czech Republic, which breeds the Kladruber
• Mezöhegyes (1784) of Hungary
• Babolna (1789) of Hungary, which breeds the Arabian horse, the Shagya Arabian and others
• Radautz (1792) of Austria
• Piber (1798) of Austria, began as a military depot, since 1920 known for breeding the Lipizzaner horse
• Janów Podlaski (1817) in Poland, best known for breeding purebred Arabians.
• Kisber (1853) of Hungary
• The Irish National Stud (1946), which breeds Thoroughbreds
• Michałów (1953) of Poland, which breeds Arabians.
• Marbach stud, (1477) also known as Weil-Marbach, Germany. Produces Arabians, Black Forest Horses, Haflingers, and warmbloods.
• Yeguada Militar, Spain

The German city of "Stuttgart" gets its name from stud farms.

See also

• Horse breeding

References

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