288 Western Live-stock Management 



drying powder. A suitable powder is made of two parts 

 each of tannic acid, boracic acid, and zinc oxide, with 

 one part of iodoform. Formerly it was thought well 

 to tie the cord, but it has been found that this has a ten- 

 dency to keep a jelly-like substance within the cord, 

 forming a good medium for the action of bacteria. The 

 proper treatment is to use some material that will tend 

 to dry up the cord as quickly as possible, and at the same 

 time keep out bacteria. The whole process is to prevent 

 putrefactive germs from entering the raw navel, although 

 it may happen that the germs entering through the 

 mouth may cause the same effect. Scours is another 

 disease that often comes from getting disease germs into 

 the system. 



Another trouble that often affects foals during the &st 

 twenty-four to forty-eight hours is constipation. If the 

 colt does not receive the first milk, known as colostrum, 

 which is nature's laxative provided to start the passage 

 of the bowels, he may have serious difficulty. Many 

 breeders do not notice that there is anything wrong with 

 the colt until he begins to weaken and fails to take nourish- 

 ment. When the trouble has progressed thus far it is 

 often hard to treat successfully. The simplest treat- 

 ment, if the colt fails to make the proper passage of the 

 first excreta, which is dark brown in color, is a solution of 

 soapsuds injected into the rectum. This treatment should 

 not be given unless necessary, which will seldom be the 

 case when the mare's milk is normal and the colt healthy. 



The mare should now be allowed to rest. The working 

 of the mare after foaling should be delayed as long as 

 possible, preferably until after weaning. If kept up, the 

 mare should have plenty of nourishing, rather laxative 

 food, except for the first day or two, when she must be 



