The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-01-30
FEED THE COLTS.
Poor Horses the Result OF the Criminal
Carelessness OF Breeders.

The record made by our trotting
horses, is satisfactory to nearly every
breeder, and the great desire seems to
possess a colt out of some of the popu-
lar families. The getting of the animal
is but half the battle. We may laugh
as we will at the so-called vague
theories and fancies of horse and cattle
breeders, but the knowledge they have
gained, in the years ofexperience, must
be used by every breeder, il the best
possible growth and development be
secured. We may cry down the forcing
system and argue that nature should be
studied more closely, but the fact, o
stubborn one, awaits us, that is only by
bringing all conditions of food, shelter
and care into the best use that that
growth is secured, which gives the world
the great performers. The time has
passed when colts grown in the barn
yard and fed on straw or meadow hay
fill the bill, and give even moderate re-
turns to the breeder. There are still too
many who breed with the hope of win
ming a prize, neglecting the very steps
by which such could be secured.
Again and again have we urged the
Importance of giving the colts more at
tention, and better feed, during the long
winter days. But drive through the
country satisfies us that there is still
need for further discussion. Forget if
you will the trotting horse. Leave him
to the specialists, and there still remains
the opportunity to raise draft or driving
horses which will command the highest
price and render the undertaking profit
able to the grower. In one of these
classes it is intended every colt shall
enter, and yet a very large'proportion of
them mature into horses unfit for either,
and this, not wholly because of poor
breeding, but rather because of neglect
and want of proper care and food We
can not realize something from nothing.
We must feed liberaEy if liberal growth
is desired. We must keep warm if sleek
coats and good condition is expected,
and only by following these closely can
the animal be grown successfully.
There is much in the combination Of
blood, especially in trotting stock, but
the one lesson to be urged in winter is
food and shelter. We have the colts;
they represent so many dollars for
service, loss of labor of mare and pas
turing. Now they come to winter quar-
ters. We may have made mistake in
breeding. The blood of sire and dam
does not mingle to produce what we
desired, and yet the one fact stares us
in the face, or should, that the colt in
the yard can only be made to pay for
food and shelter by giving and provid.
ing the st. In no other way is profit
possible, and herein it is almost certain.
We doeet want scrubs, yet the farmer
of moderate means hesitates about pay
ing out SO much for grain and giving
up the warmest corner of the barn.
We trust too much to what is termed
luck. In the hope that the colts will
come out better than we, in our reason
can expect, we give them cheap fodder
and cold corner, and when, years af
ter, we find on our hands an inferior
sized animal stunted in every way, i
will be but natural t. charge it to luck
No matter how high may be the average
of our stock it is not what it should be
and surely not what it would be if every
man owning colt was determined t.
make the best that was possible of it
We find ourselves in grooves and ruts
what we have we use, hoping thai
something better will somehow come
and in this way by the use of inferior
mares, made so by neglect in early life
VIC are keeping down the average anC
sending out inferior stock at no profit t
any one.
We have not attempted to base ou
claim upon pride, but knowing tn,
struggle going on for profit in farming
we urge the pecuniary side Of the ques
ton. Knowing that many admit al
that is here claimed, so far as breeding
trotters is concerned, we would urg
the Importance of the same care ant
attention upon all stock. Speed is trans
mitted through carefully made mattings
but these do not ensure the trotter
They but give the foundation upol
which the structure is to be built. Tha
structure is bone, sinew, muscle flesh
and all of these come from the food, tn
hay, oats, carrots, potatoes, shorts, bone
meal and pure water, and from the warn
quarters and regular granting. The RICH
mingling of these will secure the best pos
sible growth, and providing the warn
quarters and proper care, will keep tn
animal in condition to utilize ever,
ounce offood. Surely, when rightly un
derstood, no farmer can for momen
claim that it is as well for the colts tina
they run in open sheds and eat with tn
sheep from the rack, for it is obviou
that large per cent. of the food mus
be consumed in sustaining the anims
heat, and so be entirely lost as a pre-
moter of growth.
All selfish considerations, rightly III
derstood, demand that the laws {
growth and development be closely az
hered to, and warm quarters and goo
food be given the colts.-Maine Farmer