FOALING MARES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 211, 22 September 1937, Page 13

FOALING MARES

■ ■ Q- 9 . - i How to Obtain the Best Results Experienced horse breeders commonly . aim at keeping in-foal mares in a state of hard museular fiitness throughout the gestation period. They knpw that this eondition is the oue most likejy to en* sure the safety of the maro, and the proper development of the foal. Fatness on the one hand, and low eondition on the other, have alilce to be avoided, Consequently, it is mistaken policy to ease off the animals too much from work in the last few months, or to feed over-generously. There is no reasoif whatever why infoal mares should not continue at light, steady work up to a week before the time they are due. Often, in fact, they are all the better by so doing, especially if they incline at all to fatness, E t after they have hecome big, they should not be put to shaft work, or asked to do heavy haulage. While the mare's period of gestation ■ is normally just eleven months, the actual foaling date can never be predicted. With oldish mares and those in rather low eondition, it usually takes place several days sooner than would he the case with young or betterconditioned animals.. The formation of a wax-like snbstanee at the teat ends may he regarded as a dependable indication of the near approach of foaling. In normal conditions, foaling is a fairly quick affair, for often ifc is all over in half an hour. In fact,- a foal born in the paddoclc is usually on its feet in less than 'half an hour from the time it was dropped. Also, in a very little time, the youngster will find its way to the teat — a most important matter, for the dam's milk. like the colostrum of a cow, has a valuable medicijial effect on the offspring. When foaling takes place in a shed or a loose box, it is hest for the attendant not to intrude too closely, uuless it is clear tthat aid really has to he given. Mares often rescnt attentions at these tiines. But when tbe event' has been cornpleted, the first duty of the attendant should he to treat the foaHs navel cord as a precaution against Joint-ill, the infection of which probably most often . enters at the unhealed navel. If the cord has not already brokea, it must be cut through, and any liquid pressed out from thq end. Then the stump should be tied round, at ahout 2 inches from the belly, with a pieee of tape or string previously soalced in tincture of iodine. To finisli off the treatment satisfactorily the stump of the cord must also be well painted with the iodine tincture. Occasionally, of eourse, trouble may arise at foaling, the birth being protraeted and difficult, In practically all such cases, the wisest man to call in is a yeterinary surgeon (if possible) without more delay. It seems that the internal organs of a foal are peculiarly liahle to injury by inexpert handliiSg or pulling, so that skilled aid beeomes almost a necessity, In the opinipn of some horse breeders of long experience, the disorder known as "shivers11 in aduit horses has its origin in unskilled and rough handling at birth. No good purpose is served by offering food to the mare very soon after she has foaled. All fuss in this way should be avoided. As the anlmql's first feed, nothing suits better than a pail of warm thin gruel, providing both food and drinlc. This should he fpllowed hy a bran mash, and later by a small foddering of hay. Then for the first three days feed the mare lightly in order to ciieck any tendeney to over-productiou of milk and congestion of the udder. As for the foal, it reqijires no special attention after it is up and about.