116 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



Caring for Weak Foals. A strong foal will be on its feet and nursing in 

 a very short time and requires no assistance. Weak foals should be assisted to 

 suck until they gain enough strength to do so alone. 



The bowels of a weak foal and even of a strong one, may need attention. 

 If there is not a prompt bowel movement, give an injection of either warm water, 

 sweet oil or equal parts of cream and molasses and warm water. A small rubber 

 hose, or a fountain syringe with a small rubber nozzle is best to use in giving an 

 injection. A dose of two or four tablespoonfuls of castor oil, in milk should be 

 given if bowels do not move in 24 hours. 



Scouring is an indication of bowel trouble, resulting in young foals from in- 

 digestion and constipation and there is no better remedy than castor oil and vary- 

 ing the ration to overcome or counteract the cause. 



Feeding and Weaning the Foal. Draft foals should make one-half their 

 mature weight the first year of their life. To accomplish this they must be fed 

 liberally. Foals should be accustomed to grain before five months of age, when 

 they are usually weaned. After weaning the following ration will prove success- 

 ful until they are turned out the second summer at 13 to 15 months of age : 



Crushed oats 65 Ibs. 



Corn meal 15 " 



Bran *. 10 " 



Finely cut alfalfa or clover 15 " 



Feed all of this mixture they will eat three times per day. No other hay 

 is necessary until they are one year old. A foal will eat 9 to 15 Ibs. (20 to 30 

 qts.) daily, according to the age. To dampen and thoroughly mix the feed is an 

 advantage. Where one is not in a position to feed such a mixture, a ration of 20 

 parts bran and cut alfalfa or cut clover with 80 percent crushed oats will prove 

 satisfactory. Combinations of coarse roughage and corn should be avoided. 

 Silage is not a good feed for foals. Allow free access to salt and provide plenty 

 of fresh water. Exercise is very essential to the best growth. Well bred foals 

 are most easily fed and properly developed to produce types that are most satis- 

 factory for work and market purposes. 



Raising the Orphan Foal. Occasionally there is necessity for raising a 

 foal by hand. This may be done successfully by exercising patience and giving 

 careful attention to every detail. 



Milk low in butter fat from a cow recently fresh, sweetened with molasses 

 or sugar, diluted with warm water and lime water, constitutes the feed that most 

 closely resembles the mare's milk. A tablespoonful of sugar with warm water 

 enough to dissolve it, 3 to 5 tablespoonfuls of lime water and milk enough to 

 make a pint, would be a proper mixture for this amount. The lime water tends 

 to correct digestive troubles and is very necessary. At first the foal should be 

 fed half a teacupful every hour. Lengthen the feeding periods and increase the 

 amount gradually as the colt gains strength. In a few days feeding six times a 

 day will answer and later four times. When the foal is 5 to 6 weeks old, some 

 skim milk may gradually be added to the feed and feeding periods be reduced to 



