134 THE STOCKFEEDER'S COMPANION 



insufficient or not available, it will be necessary 

 to gradually substitute the bran mashes at foaling 

 time with other concentrated foods, which will in- 

 crease the flow of milk, such as ground oats, maize 

 meal, bran, bean meal and linseed cake. Mangels, 

 swedes, or forage crops (vetches, etc.) would be most 

 useful along with some nice sweet hay. If roots are 

 scarce, treacle may be used on the hay crop. 



The Foal. As soon as the foal is strong enough to 

 stand up, it may be necessary to assist it in getting its 

 first drink of milk. Shortly after this drink it is usual 

 for the bowels to work. 



If the foal is persistently costive, it would be 

 necessary to give the mare a more laxative diet, e.g., 

 bran mashes, roots, forage crops, etc., while in extreme 

 cases the foal may be given a tablespoonful of castor 

 oil. 



Mare's milk is poor in albuminoids (2 per cent.) 

 and fat (ij per cent.), but rich in sugar (5j per cent), 

 hence for orphan foals cow's milk may be used, pro- 

 vided it is made to approximate to the composition 

 of mare's milk. This can be done by taking two-thirds 

 cow's milk and one-third water, adding one or two 

 teaspoonfuls of sugar for every pint of the mixture of 

 milk and water. 



In Norfolk, after foals are two weeks old they 

 are sometimes fed in addition to their mother's milk 

 with skim milk, boiled linseed, and bean meal, 

 getting by weaning time (six months old) probably 

 as much as 2 galls, milk and 3 to 4 Ibs. mixed meals 

 per day. 



The Young Horse. The great thing to keep in mind 

 at this time is to encourage the production of hard flat 

 bone, sound legs and feet ; but if the foal is kept in 



