182 THE SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



experience. In the experiments of Brueckler with foreign milk (cow's 

 milk for kids), raw milk with a low bacterial content was superior to 

 pasteurized or boiled milk for sucklings. 



In any event, boiled milk should not be administered to sucklings until 

 the second or third day after birth. The newborn (calves) as a rule do 

 not thrive on boiled milk. It is liable to produce attacks of indigestion 

 and diarrhea (calf scours), frequently of a fatal nature. 



1. Rations for Colts 



Whenever possible, sucklings should have milk from the same species 

 of animal. When this is not procurable, we usually resort to cow's milk. 

 In the latter case newborn colts should have cow's milk with 20 to 30 

 per cent of water added, blood warm, administered with a bottle, at in- 

 tervals of two hours. As a rule a teaspoon ful of sugar is added per 

 quart of milk, and occasionally from one to three eggs may also be 

 added. In the course of two or three weeks the whole milk is gradually 

 displaced by skim milk (6 liters), to which should be added 1^ liters 

 of pea soup, or broth, and ^ liter of linseed tea. At the age of four 

 weeks colts should have some fine soft hay and even a little crushed 

 oats. The milk ration may be withdrawn entirely at the age of 4 to 5 

 months. 



The act of weaning is not without a decided influence upon the men- 

 tal as well as physical well-being of the colt. It should therefore be so 

 conducted that the nutrition and development of the young animal is in- 

 terrupted as Httle as possible. To this end the colt should be isolated 

 in such a manner that it will not be disturbed or made restless by either 

 sound or sight of the dam. The sexes should be separated at the time 

 of weaning or at the latest a few weeks thereafter. Weakly or back- 

 ward colts that are molested by their companions should at least be kept 

 in separate stalls. 



The best place to raise a colt is the pasture. Von Oettingen recom- 

 mends that yearlings on good pasture be given from 4 to 6 pounds of 

 oats daily, and colts intended for development into draft horses should 

 have from 6 to 8 pounds, in addition to green clover, alfalfa or esparcet. 

 Purebred yearlings should receive from 10 to 12 pounds of oats besides 

 green alfalfa. The extra alfalfa or esparcet is necessary only in case of 

 shortage of grass in the pasture. With regard to the modern tendency 

 to lay great stress upon the value of "contentedness," see chapter on 

 "Pasture" in Klimmer's Veterinary Hygiene. 



After the pasture season, according to Von Oettingen, half-bloods 

 should receive 6 pounds of oats and 12 pounds of hay as daily rations, 

 or 8 pounds of oats and 15 to 20 pounds of hay, alfalfa or esparcet, for 

 animals intended for draft purposes. 



Two-year-olds and three-year-olds, according to Von Oettingen, should 

 have, in addition to pasture, to 2 pounds of oats, draft horses 4 to 6 

 pounds, in addition to green alfalfa or clover, and at the end of the 



