118 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



should never be cut but allowed to break of its own accord, with 

 a saturated solution of boracic acid and then dust it with boracic 

 acid powder. 



Feeding the young foal. — It often happens that the milk of 

 the mare is insufficient to promote healthy, vigorous growth in 

 the foal, and occasionally it becomes necessary to raise a foal 

 entirely independent of the dam. In such cases the best addi- 

 tion or substitute for the milk of the mare is that of the cow. 

 The milk of the mare has more sugar and less fat than the milk 

 of the cow. One should get milk from as fresh a cow as possible, 

 and the poorer in fat the better, as mare's milk will average only 

 about 1.2 per cent fat, while the milk of most cows runs above 

 3 per cent. Do not use Jersey milk for colts, as it is too rich in 

 fat. 



A little patient effort will soon teach the colt to drink milk 

 readily, but one must be careful not to give it too much at first. 

 A half pint is enough for a foal two or three days old, but the 

 ration should be repeated often. If it is necessary to feed the 

 foal cow's milk from the beginning, the milk should be modified. 

 To a dessert-spoonful of white granulated sugar add enough 

 warm water to dissolve it. Then add three tablespoonfuls of lime 

 water and enough milk to make a pint. Warm the mixture to 

 blood heat. Let the foal have a half teacupful every hour at 

 first. This takes time, but must be done. If the colt scours, 

 give a dose of two ounces of castor oil and discontinue the feed 

 for two hours. As the colt grows older, the amount of food 

 should be increased and the frequency of feeding decreased, 

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

 The purpose is to give the foal all it will drink, and to feed so 

 often that it will not require much at a time. 



Gruels, made by boiUng beans or peas and removing the skins 

 by pressing the pulp through a sieve, or oil meal and shorts 

 made into a jelly by boiling, are excellent for the motherless 

 colt. 



