214 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



suits. Even while suckling they will learn to eat 3 pounds or more 

 of the mixture per day. The grain should be changed twice a day 

 in order to prevent scouring. 



Any time between five and eight months of age will be a suita- 

 ble time for weaning. A very successful method is as follows : 



Take a foal away from the mare and, if possible, put two or 

 three of them together in a light, clean, and roomy box stall. 

 Place the accustomed grain and hay ration before them. Keep the 

 mare far enough away from the foal so that neither may see or 

 hear the other, and within three or four days they will have practi- 

 cally forgotten their former relation. In many cases, weaning may 

 be accomplished without any noticeable loss in weight on the part 

 of the foal. 



GROWING HORSES. 



After weaning, plenty of good grain and hay should be fed to 

 the foals. The food should be of such a character as to produce the 

 greatest growth of bone and muscle and to keep the weanlings in a 

 thrifty condition. Oats, bran and corn, one-third each by weight, 

 has been found to be a very successful ration for growing horses. 

 As a roughage to be fed with this grain, alfalfa or clover, with a 

 limited quantity of oat straw or corn stover, gives good results. 

 Timothy and clover, about one-half each, will also be found a very 

 successful adjunct to the above-mentioned grain ration. An error 

 commonly made is that of feeding corn fodder and timothy hay 

 with nothing else. This ration does not supply the proper amount 

 of protein for growing horses. It does not keep the digestive ap- 

 paratus in good working order, and is the cause of poor condition 

 and stunted growth in many cases. Exercise during the winter 

 is a necessity. 



To pasture through the summer is not only a cheap but highly 

 efficient method of developing young horses. During the early part 

 of the season, while the grass is good, no grain will be necessary, 

 but when the dry and sparse pastures of August and September 

 come on horses should have grain. Oats and corn, one-half each, 

 on bluegrass or clover and timothy pasture, keeps up their health 

 and thrift. At this season of the year a shed in which the horses 

 may seek protection from the sun and flies is a material advantage. 



In short, both through winter and summer growing horses 

 should have plenty of good food, water and exercise to produce the 

 maximum development. 



