MANAGEMENT OF THE FOAL 
79 
hay or grass, without any grain at all, for 5 to 8 days, until the colt’s 
system returns to normal. 
When the middle of summer comes the colts are said to need ad¬ 
ditional feed. Thomas and Shields 89 advocate the setting aside of feed¬ 
ing paddocks in pastures in which only the colts will have access to 
troughs placed 2M> feet from the ground. The colts may receive one 
feeding or two daily, according to the condition of the animals, but it is 
pointed out that enough be supplied as the colts will clean up. Some 
horsemen, it is said feed a concentrate mixture consisting of two bushels 
of oats, one of wheat, one-half of cracked corn, fifty pounds of bran and 
twenty pounds of oil meal (not oil cake but ground flaxseed meal). 
They should be salted once or twice a week, or in lieu of this have access 
to rock salt. In districts where the soil is deficient in lime a piece of 
fresh-burned lime of about a hen’s egg in size should be placed in water 
troughs once or twice a week. 
According to Alexander, 09 certain preparations are necessary if navel 
and joint disease of foals is to be evaded. This “consists in removing 
every particle of bedding, litter and dirt (from the maternity box stall). 
Saturating the floor with a strong solution of disinfectant, such as four 
ounces of sulphate of copper to one gallon of water, should be the next 
step and the walls, ceiling and partitions are to be treated in the same 
way. Then whitewash everything. In the fresh made lime wash mix a 
quarter of a pound of chloride of lime to each pailful and if possible ap¬ 
ply by means of a spray pump which forces the wash into every nook 
and cranny of the wood or stone work. Put in fresh bedding when the 
above measures have been carried out. This is to be done each time the box 
stall is to be used by a mare about to foal.” Alexander goes on to say 
that two box stalls should be provided. These should be built apart 
from each other and prepared in the same manner as indicated above. 
As soon as the foal is born and the mare has “cleaned” and washed 
both mare and foal should be moved to the second box stall and im¬ 
mediately the used one may be prepared for the next mare. 
In regard to handling the new-born Alexander 9 ? writes: “When the foal 
comes, immediately wet its navel with a solution of half an ounce of cor¬ 
rosive sublimate in one pint of boiling water aciduated with one dram 
of hydrochloric acid. When cool, color this solution with a couple of 
drams of tincture of iron and label “poison.” After applying the medicine 
to the navel, wash the foal’s belly with a 2 per cent solution of coal tar 
disinfectant and use the same strength wash for the udder and genitals 
of the mare before the foal is allowed to suck. Repeat the applications 
of strong solution at least twice a day until the navel cord dries up, 
drops off and there is no raw spot left. The applications to the udder 
and genitals of the mare should be repeated twice daily until all dis¬ 
charge from the vagina subsides. The strong disinfectant solution ap¬ 
plied to the navel at birth destroys any germs present and the after 
applications keep the part absolutely free from germs besides having 
cauterizing and astringent effects which are highly beneficial. As it is 
often necessary to tie the foal’s navel at birth always be careful to use 
a cord that has been kept soaked in 5 per cent solution of coal tar dis¬ 
infectant, carbolic acid, or 1-2000 solution of corrosive sublimate solution 
as above prescribed.” This treatment does not only prevent the occur¬ 
rence of navel disease but besides it prevents scours. Alexander" says 
that “Where personal attention cannot be given several times a day the 
work may be lessened by covering the navel with antiseptic cotton on 
which has been freely sprinkled a mixture of one dram of iodoform and 
seven drams of boracic acid. This should be used after wetting the 
navel .with the strong corrosive sublimate solution and is to be held in 
place by a wide bandage around the body. The dressing should be re¬ 
moved once daily until the navel has healed.” 
