The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-06-27
Raising Young Mules or Colts.

When the farmer must make every
part of the farm and all connected
with the farm be as profitable as pos
sible, the question Of raising colts or
young mules, in addition to the other
kind of stock raised on the farm, IS an
important one. Especially in this time
where mixed farming Is carried on
more or less teams must be kept, and
often several of them, SO that the feed
ing of them furnishes a considerable
part OF the expenses of the farm. 1t
will in many cases not merely reduce
this item of expense, but often and
rather to the profit of the farm, If
considerable per cent. of the teams are
made up of good brood mares that
will bring a colt or young mule every
spring.
With one or two teams, or more, as
the work of the farm necessitates, to
do the principal part of the work, so
that the brood mares can be used
more or less, good colts can be raised
at very low eXpense-and especially
when the extra animals must be kept
in order to properly cultivate the
farm. Especially is this the case when
the principal work OF the farm is in
raising stock and grain to feed it. A
considerable portion of the year there
is little or nothingf for the surplus team
to do. In fact four months of work
in the spring and early summer is all
that is necessary. Yet it does not
really pay to buy and sell. 1t pays
better to keep them and better still to
have portion OF them mares and
raise colts.
Do not make the mistake at the
start of thinking that it makes but lit
tie difference what kind of colts you
raise, so they are colts. 1t does make
a difference, and a very considerable
difference, as you will find by expert
ence either with colts or mules, and
that difference Will show itself at the
start. You want good brood mares,
healthy, of good, permanent DISPOSE
ton, and they should also be OF good
size Then breed to a good sire. The
difference between the prices of service
in a good sire and poor one is very
small in comparison with the differ
ences that will be recovered in the ami
mails when they are two or three years
old.
Care must be taken with brood
mares not to strain or OVerwOrk.
This is the principal Cause of their los
ing their colts. 1t is not necessary
that brood mares should have very
much extra feed or care. What they
need is good plain feed, plenty OF eXer-
else and good shelter. Moderate work
is rather beneficial than otherwise,
provided reasonable care is given.
Too much grain, especially corn,
should not be given. They viii fare
better with less heating feed and more
roughness, such as hay, clover, good
corn fodder or sheaf oats during the
winter, or grass, cut clover or rye dur
ing the summer.
Here good mule will bring $50, and
a poor colt will sell as low as S35,
while an extra good one will often bring
$50. A mule at weaving time will gen
orally average at least so over the
price OF the same grade ofcolts. Serv-
ices cost all the way from IS to $50,
depending, OF cOure, upon the desired
abilities of the sire.
The cost of keeping until weaving
time is little if anything. OF course if
kept for breeding purposes the cost of
keeping the mare should be added to
the cost of services, as we'll as the time
required to properly attend to the
stock. But when the mares are worked
on the farm SO that they are able to
pay for what it costs to feed them,
then keep should not be added to the
cost OF the colt. So that here in buy
ing a team good brood mares always
command a better price proportion
ately than horses, other things being
equal. And especially is this true
when more than one team is kept on
the farm.-Na tOnaI StOckman.