THE FOALING MARE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 10

THE FOALING MARE.

If a marc foals in spring she is able to help with most of the spring work, and the weather is usually fit for tho foal to bo out in tho paddocks, which is infinitely better for it than being boxed up. There is a bito on saved land for tho mare, and nothing is so good for a foal as grass-made milk, with corn in addition, and there is a long rest for the mare before she will be required for tho hay season. All this is very true; but wo cannot always get tho mares to foal just when wc like. My experience goes to show that a marc is much more likely to stand if served in her first season at about tho ninth day than if that is missed, and she is served three weeks later. Two of my mares stood to the first covering last season, and so are three weeks earlier than last year. This suits mo very well, as they were late last time, and will be about right this. But if they do tho same this year they will bo too early for my"purposes,~ and the next year, having proved them to bo almost certain breeders, I shall let them miss one season. With mares that are at all uncertain I should say it is best to gain all the time possible, for there may come a year in which they can easily lose throe months. A lato foal is better than none, and I have seen some very good horses from mid-summer foaling. Working the Mare.—

Breeding mares are better kept in fair condition, but certainly not loaded with fat. They have the easiest foalin.gs if they are steadily worked right up to the time. Nothing in the way of field team work will hurt them. 1 have often had brood mares that went last in a single team, and had to take the plough or the scufflcr out at the end all the spring, and it never hurt ono in any way. Moderately heavy drawing, if well within the strength, will not hurt a mare accustomed to it. Bring one to work that has been lying idle for some months, and damage may easily be done. There is a strong feeling against working brood mares in shafts, and there is a sound reason for it, because there the possibilities of danger are greater. It is not the shafts, however, that occasion the risk, and mares will take moderate loads on fairly level roads with safety right up to the day df foaling. What ono needs to guard against are swaying of the cart over rutty surfaces, or badly-paved yards; backing loads (backing an empty cart up to a manure heap is nothing); breeching down a steep hill; slipping on ice or greasy roads; sudden jerks at the belly-band when heaping down manure. Providing these are avoided, shaft work is no worse than any other. Still, she should bo in the hands of a good man. Fortunately, mares have a yery small percentage of irregular as the danger with such powerful animals is very great when a case occurs. I cannot understand a farmer leaving a mare to herself; yet some do. All men of experience have met with cases when a little help has saved a mare that otherwise would have died. They will bo all right 19 times out of 20, but it is just that twentieth tW we sit up at night for. If one is going to let the mare take her chance the b.si. place for her is out in a grass field. If she is to bo watched, the best place. is a very largo box or bay of a barn, with a soft but solid floor, such as is given by a bottom layer of treaded manure- from calves or alternate- layers of peat and straw. If 11 is straight there is practically no risk with a young mare having her first foal or an old, regular breeder. There is. however, an element of danger with r n old mare breeding for the first time. If there is a false presentation, the sooner a qualified man is there tho better. I do not believe in calling in a vet. for every trifle, but this is just one of the things where ho i 6 at his best. Even if he , had had no college _ training, his experience in such cases is invaluable, and he has all tho necessary tools, and knows at onco when a foal must bo sacrificed. If this has to be done, it is of no use waiting until the mare is half dead. The sooner ono knows if the nose and feet are there tho bettor, and if anything is wrong no time should bo lost in getting the qualified man on the spot. A bicycle or horse in readiness should bo waiting. It is not a bad plan, if one is on good terms with his vet., to send a message, " Expecting a mare to foal to-night. If you have to go away, get back as soon as you can." Dressing tho Navel.— The two things of paramount importance after tho foaling are tying and dressing the navel and seeing that tho" placenta comes away quickly. For tho navel dressing I use "Vet's" recipe:—Ono part carbolic acid, 1] part collodion (I am not sure to one of tho latter, but that is near enough: it. is 10 to 12). If tho afterbirth does not enmo away of itself in three hours, send for the vet. nt once. Neglect for a day. and with a cart mare foot-fever is almost a certainty. If all is right, tho mare is usually up in a minute, and tho foal is soon hopping about tho place. A young mare is apt to <rct too excited, and might hurt the foal or keep wheeling round so that ho could not suck. These little things must bo watched for. Never try to teach a foa to suck, except as a last resort. Give him time enouffh, and the chances are 50 to one he will find the teat himself. If ho cannot; and is becoming exhausted, he p may be given; hut unless it is. prop-rly dono tho foal will become stupid. First mSIV tho mare mto a hot basin, dip in Sffingor-SJ end let the foal taste tho strengthen him and make him eager to f Mow tho hand. Entice him to the mare's sido with cno hand, and pass the other

round tho back of tho mare's thigh. Then change fingers, and let him follow himself without pushing up to the udder, when one can generally get the teat into his mouth. After he has once found it ho will get there when ho wants it. w If it is nice weather, tho foal can go out into tho paddock with the mare the next day, only thero must be a good look round to seo if there is anywhere or anything where ho can possibly hurt himself. Thero is no better medicine than the new grass for both mare and foal. If tho mare had had a. few mangolds before foaling, thero is rarely any trouble with tho foal; but it should be always watched for, and if ho strains with no effect, a dose of castor oil and the use of an enema with warm, greasy water will bo of service.— A breeder in Farmer and Stockbreeder.