692 Reading-Course for Farmers. 



matters collected therein during the last few days of foetal life. If this 

 result is not accomplished, a small dose of castor oil should be given 

 the foal. With the bowels clean, the foal is in condition to begin his 

 active career, and his treatment the first year will largely determine 

 whether for good or for bad. If the foal is obtaining an over-supply 

 of milk, he will have an attack of diarrhoea. In such case, some of the 

 dam's milk should be drawn, remembering always that the last milk 

 carries the most fat, which is usually the cause of the trouble. If the 

 foal is constipative, relief may be had by the use of castor oil and by 

 injections of warm water to which glycerine has been added. 



Some farmers make a practice of permitting the foal to go into the 

 fields with the team, while others prefer to keep the foal in the stable. 

 During the first few weeks, the foal should be fed oftener than three 

 times a day. For this reason it is better in the field with the dam if 

 no inconvenience is caused. When older, however, the colt may be 

 kept in the barn and fed when the dam comes from work. If this method 

 is practiced, the driver should be careful not to let the colt to the dam 

 when the latter is very tired and warm. It is a good practice to encourage 

 colts to take food other than that furnished by the dam. This sup- 

 plementary feeding may begin when the colt is about one month old. 

 By placing the feed box from which the dam eats her grain a little 

 raised from the ground, the colt will early begin to nibble from the 

 mother's supply, and will soon acquire a taste for grain. In this way 

 the colt may be taught to eat, so that when taken away from the dam 

 at weaning time it will not miss its mother so much. If it is eating well 

 at the age of five or six months, the colt may be weaned without as much 

 shrinkage as when unaccustomed to eating grain. 



Growing colts should have more protein than is required for the 

 work horse. No definite rules can be given that will apply to all colts. 

 Oats, shorts, peas and perhaps some corn may constitute the grain. 

 Alfalfa, clover and mixed hays, which should be sweet and clean, may 

 constitute the roughage. Colts suffer at times from teething and to 

 subsist wholly upon hard, dry food may cause them to run down in 

 flesh. At this time, if one can steam crushed oats or bran they will 

 prove appetizing and nourishing. The first winter after weaning is 

 the most severe on the colt, and he should receive much attention. 

 The " big-belly," which is often noticed at this period, is nothing to 

 his harm, for it is important that the digestive tract be developed to a 

 moderate extent by distention with coarse feed that it may serve its 

 purpose when the animal is grown. At this period there is one thing 



