262 THE HANDBOOK FOR PEACTICAL FARMERS 



The breeder sliould keep close watcli of the mare's udder and 

 the condition of the colt's bowels. If the bowels of the colt are 

 loose and he is scouring, he may be having too much milk. In 

 that case the mare should be partly milked by hand. If the colt 

 is not taking all the milk, it is necessary for the breeder to milk 

 the mare. Otherwise the udder will be greatly distended, will 

 become sore, and may possibly cake, w^hich will result in trouble 

 for both mare and foal. 



The young foal. — The young foal that makes its appearance 

 normally and is bright and active needs only to be let alone. If 

 proper attention is given to the food and the exercise of the mare 

 the foal should thrive without special care. 



The foal's first meal. — It is essential that the new-born foal 

 receive the first milk from the dam. This foremilk appears thick 

 and yellow, and is a natural purgative for the removal of mate- 

 rial that has accumulated in the foal 's digestive tract during the 

 last few days of its develojiment. The prompt removal of such 

 material is essential to the life of the colt. 



If the foal receives its first meal of colostrum Avithin an hour 

 after birth, it will ordinarily do well. Usually the bowels move 

 within four to six hours. 



Feeding the young foal hy hand. — It often happens that the 

 milk of the mare is insufficient to i^romote healthy, vigorous 

 growth in the foal, and occasionally it becomes necessary to raise 

 a foal independently of the dam. In such cases the best addi- 

 tion to, or the best substitute for, the milk of the mare is that of 

 the cow. The milk of the mare contains more sugar and less 

 fat than does the milk of the cow. The breeder should there- 

 fore obtain milk from as fresh a cow as possible ; the poorer in 

 fat the milk is, the better it will be for the foal, since mare's 

 milk will average only one and one-half per cent fat while the 

 milk of most cows contaiins more than three per cent. 



Patient effort will soon teach the colt to drink milk readily, 

 but care must be taken that it does not receive too much at first. 

 AVhen necessary to feed the new-born foal cow's milk, the milk 

 should be modified. Four tablespoonfuls of limewater should 

 be put into a pint jar, which should then be filled with fresh 

 cow's milk. A dessertspoonful of white granulated sugar 

 should be added for sweetening. The mixture must be warmed 

 to blood heat and the foal should receive half a teacupful every 

 hour at first. As the colt grows older, the amount of food should 

 be increased, and the frequency of feeding should be decreased 

 first to twelve, then to nine, six, and lastly four, times each day. 



