The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-06-13
Growing Colts the First Year.

We have questions from numerous
persons upon this subject asking how
we should feed colt the first year.
Keep as near to nature as possible.
When the colt is weaned feed skim
milk. In short time the colt will take
three quarts at a feed three times a day
with delight. The only danger about
it is that the colt will become too fat.
Avoid that. Keep the colt growing.
With the milk give two quarts of wheat
bran at feed, changing occasionally
to quart of ground oats at feed in
stead of the bran. If it is not con-
venient to obtain skim-milk give two
quarts of bran and a quart of ground
oats three times day, with plenty of
sweet hay-rowen is the better. When
the colt is young he will not digest
whole oats easily, so we advise grind
ing them. The milk and shorts make
bone. We know number of breeders
who give their colts nine quarts of oats
a day. We have done the same thing,
but not with results altogether satisfac-
tory. Too many oats tend to make a
colt weakened. Half pint of ground
linseed daily is a capital food where
milk is not used. The two together
will loosen the bowels too much
Mr.. Stewart, the best writer on breed
ing animals in this country, recon-
mends linseed meal very highly for
feeding colts. Growth is what you
want, not fat, and you will have to vary
your feed oftentimes for different colts.
Be sure the colts have plenty of exer-
else. All the best feeding establish
pnpptS of tbiS oouptrv bovo
fields or pastures close by in which the
colts can take plenty of exercise daily
Never fail to turn them out for eXer-
else every day, except when there is
storm. A writer in the Turf, Field and
Farm gives the method of Charles
Backman of Stony Ford, a man whose
experience in raising colts is second to
that of no one in this country. We
copy from that paper portion of
very able article upon this subject
The brood mare, after foaling, is fed
literally on grain. When the flies act
bad she is sheltered during the heat of
the day and is given the range of sue
culent pastures at night. When the
air is chilly she is housed at night and
is turned out during the day. Each
mare is put in box at feeding time, so
that she may enjoy her oats in peace.
III the grain is put into trOughs out in
the pasture there will be serious scrim-
images for it. In every band there are
two or three mares which want TO rule,
and at feeding-time they rush from
trough to trough and keep everything
in ferment. The grain is hastily
swallowed and there is danger of
the colts being injured by kicks.
The foal will begin eating grain when
two weeks old and if the mother is fed
in quiet place the baby will have more
inclination, as well as time, to nose in
the trough itself. AT five months old
the foal is weaned and it goes for the
winter into sunny and sheltered yard
used exclusively for weanlings. At
night two colts occupy one box and
during the day the whole band enjoys
the bright and bracing weather. Each
is fed oats in separate box and is
given plenty of good hay, and gathering
in band for exercise promotes cheer
fulness and aids digestion. All this
requires thought and attention, but it
pays in the long run. Mr.. Hamlin,
who was one of the distinguished party
at Stony Ford, advised, while look
ing at Green Mountain Maids we'll
developed weanling, that the colt be
given night and morning cows milk,
and he stated that he kept at Village
farm milking herd simply for the
benefit of his weanlings. Milk, oats
and hay, with the system of exercise
and shelter in use at Stony Ford, make
the youngsters grow like vegetables in
rich soil and under glass. AS Mr..
Hamlin has produced big yearlings in
the cold climate of Buffalo Mr.. Back
man accepted his suggestion with re-
gard to cows milk, and the udder of a
grade Jersey will be set aside for the
use of the young brother of Prospero
and Elaine. Mr.. Bonner has made
some very gratifying experiments at
his Tarrytown farm. Majolica, the