THE UROGENITAL SYSTEM 159 



slow. Shortly after the young is born its surrounding mem- 

 branes, known as the "after birth" or placenta are usually 

 expelled. Generally retention of the placenta should always 

 be regarded as a sign of trouble and steps taken to facilitate its 

 removal. 



The hygiene of the pregnant mare is an important factor in 

 insuring a healthy foal. Care should be taken to so feed, exer- 

 cise, shelter, and manage the mare that her foal at birth will be 

 strong, fully developed, and enabled to resist disease. 



With these objects in view, work the mare lightly or give her 

 ample exercise every day. Provide for her a clean, dry, well- 

 bedded, and roomy box stall when in the stable so that she may 

 have opportunity to exercise, to escape being "cast" or getting 

 "stocked legs," and to prevent the occurrence of dropsical swell- 

 ings of the udder and abdomen. 



In Circular 61 of the Wisconsin Argricultural Experiment 

 Station Dr. A. S. Alexander says to feed the mare generously 

 on sound, whole oats, corn, wheat bran, and clover, mixed clover, 

 or timothy hay. Add roots to regulate the bowels. Avoid 

 moldy, hay or silage, damaged grain, woody, weathered corn 

 fodder, dusty or rusty straw and hay containing poisonous plants. 

 Keep her out of corn stalk fields. Provide plenty of pure, clean 

 drinking water. Prevent drinking of surface or pond water. Do 

 not jerk or strain the mare by hard pulling or wading through 

 deep mud, snow drifts, or manure piles. Treat her kindly and 

 gently and let her work be light, easy, and steady. 



When foaling time approaches reduce the grain ration and 

 increase the laxative food. Stop working the mare and place her 

 in a specially prepared box stall at the beginning of the last, or 

 forty-eighth week of pregnancy. The dimensions of the box 

 stall should be 12X12 or 14X14 feet. The larger size stall is 

 preferable. It should be well lighted, properly ventilated, and 

 made ready for occupancy by the mare in the following manner: 

 Remove all litter and manure. Cleanse and scrape the floor; 

 then saturate it with a mixture of one part of coal tar disinfectant 

 and fifty parts of water. Scrub and cleanse the walls with a 

 similar solution, or a solution of one part of corrosive sublimate 

 (mercuric chloride) in one thousand parts of water; then apply 

 freshly made limewash to the walls and ceiling. Cover the floor 

 with fresh, dry, clean straw that is free from chaff and dust, or 

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