176 
PUKE BRED DRAFT HORSES 
FARMS 
PERCENTAGE OF ABORTION AND CAUSES 
Michigan Agricultural College 
Truman’s Pioneer Stud Farm 
Not over 2%; usually caused by care¬ 
less driving when mare is working. 
“Seldom one occurs.” 
University of Minnesota About 20%; cause unknown. 
Central Kentucky Farms 10%; contagious. 
The care and handling of the foaling mare as set forth by some of the 
leading Percheron breeders are reproduced in the following paragraphs 
from quoted statements by Sander and Dinsmore in their “A History of 
the Percheron Horse.” 
Prichard’s views on this subject follows: “We prefer to keep our mares 
in harness almost up to foaling time, working them carefully, slowly, and 
in moderation. The feed before foaling is on the laxative order—oats and 
bran, not too much hay. We have fed our mares some silage for some 
time before foaling and like it very much; about twelve pounds twice a 
day make a reasonable feed. The silage must be absolutely free from mold. 
“When the mare foals, if we are present and the afterbirth is separated 
from the navel, we disinfect the navel at once with a good disinfecting 
powder and repeat the treatment until the cord is dried up. We give the 
mare tepid water to drink, a little at a time for three or four hours until 
her thirst is quenched. One should be sure that the foal sucks within a 
reasonable time. Give it a chance to nurse without assistance if possible. 
Do not be deceived by its nosing around the mare’s udder; be sure that 
it is nursing. We always give a foal about an ounce of castor oil before it 
sucks, if we see it in time. This assists in regulating the bowels. The foal 
should be watched for the first three days quite closely to see that the 
bowels are working properly. Make sure that the mare cleans in a couple 
of hours after foaling. One can usually remove the after-birth by taking a 
round stick and wrapping the point of the afterbirth around it and wind¬ 
ing it up and out of the mare slowly. Examine the after-birth carefully 
to see that it is whole and complete. If fragments are left, infection will 
follow and the mare may be lost. Feed her moderately for a couple of 
weeks, until the foal is old enough to take the milk freely.” 
According to White, “About one week before foaling the mare’s feed 
should be oats and bran, largely bran, so that her bowels may be in good 
condition. If one is sure that the foal will receive proper attention, espe¬ 
cially the navel, the mare may be put to work within two weeks after 
foaling; otherwise, I prefer to have her remain idle until the navel has 
healed. On my farm the mares carrying foals are not worked, but this is 
because of my inability to secure reliable labor. When they are suckling I 
feed my mares oats and bran and mixed hay, half timothy and half clover 
or alfalfa. When flies are bad the mare and foal have a boxstall during 
the day and are turned out at night.” 
Singmaster makes recommendations on the feeding and handling of 
the mare, both before and after foaling, thus: “Thirty days before the 
foaling date the mare should be fed on bran mash and clean, sweet hay, 
with a light ration of oats. Two days before foaling she should be placed 
in a thoroughly cleansed and disinfected boxstall, not less than 12 by 12 
feet. A thick bedding of clean, bright straw is to be placed for her. If 
this is looked after one need use only a drying powder on the navel. It is 
the filthy condition that is usually responsible for the deaths that an¬ 
nually occur from navel diseases.” 
McLaughlin points out that “cleanliness and antiseptic conditions are 
essential at foaling time. If the mare’s bowels are not sufficiently loose 
from the feed and grass, Epsom salts should be given to make them so. 
The mare should have a thoroughly clean box in which to foal. If the 
season and conditions are right, the pasture is just as good or better. 
The navel cord should be immediately treated with iodine or something 
