HORSE-REARING HINTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21186, 5 November 1938, Page 15

HORSE-REARING HINTS

FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT METHODS WHICH ENCOURAGE SPEEDY DEVELOPMENT The starting point in profitable horse-rearing must always be the dam, from the moment she is known or suspected to be pregnant, states an article in the “Farmers’ Weekly” (England) Written by Mr M. O’Callaghan. The policy must be to tend her carefully, feed her liberally but judiciously, and work or exercise her gently and without excitement. The point of the last observation is that the dam's milk secretions are more sympathetic to nervous excitement than are other animals. Over-heating of the blood, whether by too strenuous work, exercise, or improper food, will also affect the quality of the milk and react unfavourably on the unborn foal. If these simple rules are observed the dam will remain in health and condition, full of spirits, until foaling. From Four to Six Months With that event safely over, the period of greatest attention to dam and foal arrives. Mare’s milk must be kept at the highest level in quality if the foal is to make maximum progress in the first four to six months. This can only be achieved by liberal, balanced feeding designed to supply a milk protein content of 2.60 per cent., carbohydrate content of 3.52 per cent., fat content of 2.50 per cent, and a mineral content of 0.53 per cent, using minimum figures.

This nutritive ratio of a little more than one of protein to three of starch equivalent tells the feeder plainly that the foal requires food rich in muscleforming elements. To secure this rich milk there is nothing better for the dam than young pasture grasses, a small daily ration of good wheat bran or oats and 1 to 2 lbs linseed meal.

This feeding system, extensively practised in Ireland, is not, unfortunately, practicable at all seasons or in all parts of Britain, although the new methods of grass-drying make it nearly so.

If, then, it is necessary to feed the dam hay, care should be taken to give her a warm bran mash, with oil meal added, to increase her milk secretions depressed by dry fodder. When the foal is two weeks old the dam may be put to light work, the foal being allowed occasionally to go with her. Kindness and gentleness, avoiding all excitement, is the golden rule. The milk of the dam, and the grass the foal gets on the pasture, should provide sufficient nourishment for the foal, but care should be taken to ascertain if the milk is liberal enough to ensure strong growth: Under-nourishment in the first four months may be fatal to full development afterwards. It is from the fourth month onwards that the feeder's skill is most required, when he must see to it that the foal gets full rations of balanced food for rapid, strong growth.

Need for Balanced Foods The vigorous growth of a young colt is too important to be neglected on any pretext, for if not fed full balanced rations his digestive system and skeleton will suffer to an extent that no amount of later care can fully remedy. Where, then, there is reason to suspect the adequacy of the dam’s milk the foal should be fed new cow’s milk, a quart morning and evening from the 4th to the Bth week, sweetening it with a little sugar to make it palatable. After the second month skimmed milk may be substituted for raw. When separated milk is cheap and plentiful it should be fed after weaning and up to six or eight months, at the rate of 4 to 6 quarts a day, with I quart of oats and grass or hay. The great secret of milk feeding is that it develops all parts of the body evenly, promotes steady growth, and places no strain on the growing digestive organs. If milk is scarce or dear the foal may be fed a pint of oats twice a day, in addition to its dam's milk.

After Weaning, the enemy to guard against is constipation or, alternatively, relaxation of the bowels.

Probably the best preventative of either condition is to boil i pint of linseed In 4 parts of wateer, stirring in two quarts of bran or oats and feeding this daily in two meals. This is an excellent day’s ration for colts of 8 months or over, plus hay or grass. The preportions of proteins and oil are admirably balanced. American Experiment Result It is unfortunate, but true, that the rate of growth in foals and the amount of food required to make 1 lb live weight increase have not been sufficiently studied. American experiments made on foals got by the same sire (a good general purpose horse of 1120 lbs) from dams averaging 1000 lbs give some interesting figures. The foals, 8 in number, weighed at birth between 108 lbs and 116 lbs, the average being just under 112 lbs. Of those weaned at 90 days, the average daily gain was 2.09 lbs, while of those weaned at 87 days the gain was 2.11 lbs. After weaning, the colts put on weight much slower, the dally gain falling to 1.10 lbs, proving that the suckling period could profitably have been prolonged. Another group receiving nothing but the dam’s milk for the first 90 days, averaged 2.10 lbs per day, and for the next 60 days, when given one pint Of oats per day in addition to the dam’s milk averaged 2.06 lbs per day. Correct Exercise Essential A further trial with the last-men-tioned batch was made for 180 days (six months). After weaning them at 150 days (5 months) they were fed 11

lbs daily of a mixture of 22 lbs clover hay, 6 lbs of oats, 3 lbs wheat bran and 2 lbs linseed meal. In addition they were given 2 quarts of skim milk for the first 30 days. At the end of 180 days (Nov. to May) the average daily gain was 1.26 lbs, a satisfactory result over the winter and spring periods. In terms of hay, the daily gain on this mixed ration shows an increase of 1 lb live-weight per 10 1-3 lbs of hay. proving that the colt utilises his food as economically as the calf. Their average weight at the end of the experiment was 630 lbs. Exercise, under proper conditions, is necessary for young horses and should be encouraged. By exercise their muscles develop and they acquire strength and endurance. Liberal exercise must not, therefore be regarded as a waste of food, but rather as a necessary training for the years of muscular work Uaat lie ahead.