78 
PURE BRED DRAFT HORSES 
it soon learns to drink the milk. At the Iowa Station Wilson and uurtiss 
successfully fed whole milk, and later separator skim milk to imported 
Percheron, Shire, and French-Coach weaning fillies shortly after their 
arrival from abroad and while out of condition . . . Grattan reports 
favorably on the use of skim milk for foals, even when the milk is sour 
or clabbered. MacNeilage objects to the use of cow’s milk for foals, claim¬ 
ing ‘no better means of manufacturing windsuckers was ever devised, 
and it is rare that yearlings so brought out count for much as 2-year-olds 
and 3-year-olds’—a timely warning against the too free use of this food.” 
For the care and management of the new born, Thomas and Shields 80 
write: “The first attention to the colt should be to the umbilical cord 
(navel string) . . . The older horsemen and some younger ones, pre¬ 
fer to tie up the cord about a half inch from the body, and then cut it 
off, just below where it has been tied. The younger horsemen and many 
veterinarians advise against the tying up of the umbilical cord, since it 
has been found in some cases to imprison the germs of navel disease 
which have gained entrance to the navel before being disinfected. 
“As soon as possible after the colt is born squeeze out the gelatinous 
contents of the umbilical cord, tie it up if you will but in any event paint 
it with an antiseptic solution, or, better still, dip it into such a solution. 
Dr. A. S. Alexander prefers an antiseptic solution containing 2 drahms 
of powdered corrosive sublimate to a pint of boiling water, to which 
when cold has been added, 3 drahms of tincture of solution of chloride 
of iron . . . Use this solution twice a day until the cord drops off. 
Dr. W. A. Barber of Springfield, Ohio, uses ‘a solution of 9 parts of car¬ 
bolic acid, dissolved in 1 part of alcohol, with 25 parts of camphor added, 
giving a clear oily solution that may be applied without fear of cauteriz¬ 
ing and many times more efficacious, I think, than corrosive sublimate.’ 
“Dr. R. R. Dykstra recommends: Tincture of iodine is first applied to 
the cord and the area immediately surrounding it. After this apply a 
drying powder every half hour for a period of three or four hours, or until 
the cord is thoroughly dried up. This drying powder is composed of 
equal parts of powdered gum camphor, starch and alum. 
“After the navel is attended to the next thing ... is to inject 
some warm water into the colt’s rectum so as to start the bowels working 
regularly. Some men use an injection of one ounce of sweet oil in a 
quart of warm water. Others use castile soap suds in warm water, but 
this is not widely recommended as the soap is thought to be too irritat¬ 
ing. Users of soap suds injection claim it is not irritating, especially if 
glycerine is added. Olive oil makes a satisfactory injection. In extreme 
cases give an ounce of castor oil. A horseman writes ‘For enemas would 
suggest the use of a few tablespoonfuls of liquid soap instead of castile 
soap-suds. It is non-irritating, and being of an oily nature serves a 
double purpose.’ 
“Dr. S. R. Howard says: ‘The best rectal injections, in my opinion, are 
emulsion of slippery elm bark or warm cow’s milk. No harm can be 
done by any amount used as they are natural in their action’.” 
Thomas and Shields 80 further point out that soon after the colt is 
strong enough, and weather permitting, both dam and foal should be 
turned in a paddock an hour or two, morning and afternoon. The time 
is gradually increased until eventually the colt is out the whole day. But 
at night they should be brought in. When warm weather is on both 
mare and colt should be turned out in pasture. 
It is claimed that the foal may be troubled with diarrhoea when the 
mare comes in heat in 30 days, and although the former may resist the 
effects of this ailment, nevertheless, under conditions in which diarrhoea 
persists, Thomas and Shields 80 recommend the removal of the mare 
from pasture, keeping her in a cool and quiet place and subsisting her on 
