CARE OF BROOD MARE. 243 



stuffs of a succulent nature must be provided. For rough- 

 ness either alfalfa or clover hay will answer a good purpose, 

 as they are both conducive to milk production. For con- 

 centrates, crushed oats and bran are good. A mash of some 

 kind should be fed every evening. This can be made by 

 using bran and crushed oats, equal parts by weight, and 

 steaming for about half an hour or one hour. In some in- 

 stances skim milk has been added to the mash with good 

 results. The main object should be to supply an abundance 

 of food adapted to milk production. Great care must also 

 be exercised to feed the mother very regularly and on the 

 same kind of feed stuffs, so as to avoid any bowel trouble 

 in the foal. 



When the grass season arrives nothing is better than 

 plenty of good, fresh grass. It is one of the very best aids 

 to healthy and abundant nutrition for both mare and foal. 



When mares are worked while suckling it is better that 

 the foal should be left in the stable and that the mare be 

 taken to the foal for its nourishment at least three times 

 during the day. Ample time should be given for her to 

 cool off thoroughly before the foal has access to her, as 

 otherwise a gorge of the overheated milk may produce serious 

 disturbance in the digestive organs of the foal. Some farm- 

 ers, however, find little inconvenience from permitting the 

 foals, especially when quite young, to accompany the dams 

 to the field and follow them while at their work. This gives 

 them an opportunity to empty the udder of the mare as often 

 as it may be deemed advisable, and eliminates all danger 

 from over-gorging that occurs when the mare and foal are 

 separated. Generally a mare which is liberally fed will sup- 

 ply a sufficient amount of nourishment for the foal during 

 the first few months of its existence. It sometimes happens 

 that the milk of the mother is not sufficient to promote the 

 proper growth and development of the foal. In some in- 

 stances, too, the mother may die, thus the colt will have to 

 be reared by other means than nature's way. When the colt 

 requires additional food or has to be reared by hand, cows' 

 milk will be found to be the best possible adjunct or substi- 

 tute for the milk of the dam. The cow's milk should be 

 sweetened a little at first, as the milk of the mare is sweeter 

 than that of the cow. The colt can soon be taught to drink 

 milk. Care must be taken, however, to prevent overfeeding, 

 as this is the greatest danger in the hand rearing of colts. 



