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402 EXPERUlf^NTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v.. A. 1915 



evening feed consists of one-quartei- of the grain and about one-half of the hay for 

 the dny. 



Water is supplied after tlie morning feed and before the noon and evening feeds. 

 During the winter, water is also supplied in the evenings, some three hours after the 

 food. 



With the above trentment, the horses are maintained in good working condition, 

 and with an almost entire absence of common stomach and intestinal ailments, such 

 as indigestion and colic. ISTo condiments are nsed, but to horses somewhat low in 

 llesh and requiring more feed, molasses mixed with the grain is used in small quanti- 

 ties, as it stimulates the appetite by increasing the palatability of the food. 



Exj^erimental work as to the feed value of molasses, and similar lines of work are 

 anticipated. ^ 



FEEDING BROOD Mx\RES. 



All brood mares are worked up until the day of foaling, care, however, being taken, 

 during the month previous to parturition, that the mares are not overworked, over- 

 heated, or worked in shafts or C[uarters so narrow that it might in any way induce 

 abortion. During the period in which they are carrying their colts they are fed 

 exactly the same as the working geldings and the non-breeding mares. After foaling, 

 the rati.on of tlie mare is immediately changed. During the first twenty-four hours 

 after foaling, nothing is given to the brood mare excepting heated drinks and a bran 

 mash, after which she is gradually put on to a good milking ration. A large number 

 of horse breeders lose sight of the fact that the mare suckling the foal must be fed on 

 a milk-producing ration in just the same way as a cow or other classes of stock. A 

 ration whicli has given us very good success during the past year, for the brood mare 

 suckling the foal, is composed of: oats, four parts; bran, two parts; and cracked corn, 

 two parts. If the mare is slightly down in condition, the ration would be improved 

 by adding one part of oil cake meal, which v/ould not only improve her general con- 

 dition, but would also increase the milk fiov,-. The quantity of the above ration fed 

 to the mare suckling the colt depends largely uiion the condition of the mare, amount 

 of milk which she is giving, and the availability of good pasture. However, even on 

 the best of pasture, a limited amount of meal is very profitable. 



FEEDING THE YOUNG COLT. 



Since the records in colt feeding on the Central Experimental Farm included only 

 that of one colt for one year, publication of the same v.'ould be useless. The principle 

 used, however, v/as that of teaching the colt to eat grain, composed of crushed oats 

 and bran, as soon as possible. Although a limited amount of pasture was available, 

 yet the colt was taught to eat as soon as he would take it, with the result that within 

 two months he was feeding to advantage from the same ration as the mare, both as 

 to grain and roughage. 



As a number of mares on the Central Experimental Farm are in foal, experimental 

 work and data along the lines of cost of feeding will be taken up on a much larger 

 scale during the coming fiscal year, and it is hoped that within a few years a great 

 deal of valuable data will be acquired. 



Ottawa. 



