SUMMER CARE OF FOALS. .

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 43, 5 June 1917, Page 7

SUMMER CARE OF FOALS. .

By H. B. McCartney. I

The first summer is the time wheif growth can he put on the colt cheapest and most profitably. Plenty ot feed is necessary for best growth and development. Of all feeds the mother’s milk is of greatest importance. It la cssoufinl that the dam be cared for

in such n way as to cause Imr to yield (.)'.£• biggest supply of milk P-ns-sih;!-. Mar*B suckling foal# should he fed Fb■•rally of dean, hsallMul and app.-ti/Iny foods, It is pernhsihls and usually a liable dost the mare he worked. Sue should, however, be in the hands of the most thoughtful careful driver, and should be handled with good judgment. After the age of about one nenth the foal needs food in addition to what it can secure from its mother. Glean, bright oats make probably the best feed that is available on the farm. A mixture of oats, bran e.n.l oil meal in the proportion of G-3-1 is splendid if one will go to the trouble of preparing or mixing a feed. Or-, dinarily a colt will learn to eat the first mouthful from the. mother’s teed box, but he cannot get enough there. He' must have a small box out of reach of tlm mare, or some place where larger and older stock cannot roach it.

Good pasture is highly important ir securing gain and growth in foals. In fact there is no one thing so necessary aside from the. mother’s milk. If the mare is worked in the, field-sh( and the colt should have the best grass pasture possible at night. Oan must be given that pastures are nof over-stocked, and that variety- d grasses or succession of pastures it provided 1 to avoid the dry grass li summer. The mare relishes grass, and her milk flow is stimulated and increased by 'good -pasture. The colt re lishes grass, getti needed exercise ami will thrive best where pasture it abundant. If the mare and- colt art running on pasture, supplemented fee' may be needed just the same, especially when the grass begins to dry up A feeding place should he constructed in such a way that young colts cm enter and older stock cannot. Gian should be fed liberally in thi! separate pen.

Colts should not follow mare* work in fields during summer and fall. They should he left in clen: stalls, paddocks or pastures wher< they cannot huit themselves, Coltt love company, and where there are a number of' colts on the same farm they should be in the same stall, paddock or pasture while the marcs ar« in the field. Good sense and judgment must be used in allowing the youngsters to suckle at noon and evening. It is very necessary to keep the coli free from accident. tMr» cuts, nail pricks and bruised produce severe losses on many farms where colt® ai e, grown. To just the extent that a m..n keeps his colts free from accident i»c increases, his profits. Old , savgi' ff fences must be straightened up, corner posts must b,e set, broken boards with nails in them must be gathered up. Every precaution possible must be taken to gwj»,*d against injury, because it means the »aving of money.

Flics, too, must be guarded against by having the barn clean, and by having manure piles and all breeding ground for flies cleaned up. Shelter from the Lot sun in. summer Is another factor that increases the growth and thrift of the colt, and increases the profit to the owner. It pays well to handle the colts rhe ■first summer. They should be broken to halter. Their feet should be pick’d up and whenever they need It trimmed. If they are handled the first summer, much of the work of breaking later will not be necessary. Good care and management the first summer will cause the colt to become a bigger and better horse, and a more profitable farm product.