Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-11-24

Western Journal: The time Of the
year is at hand when the usual number
of colts that have been well-bred and
reasonably well cared for so far, will be
spoiled for lack of a little care in Wean-
ing The change from the milk of the
dam to a ration that will keep the
young things growing without a break
is quite sudden unless proper precau-
ton has been taken beforehand. If
colts have not been allowed to follow
the dam in the fields, nor yet have been
kept up in close confinement in the
stable, but turned, as they ought to
have been, into a small field or paddock
and allowed the exercise which this
course would give, and sound oats or
bran to eat when they felt hungry the
change at weaving time would be very
slight and the check to growth very In
significant. Where this precautiOn has
been taken, no pains should be spared
to get the colts to eating a small amount
of grain each day and when the time
comes to Wean them entirely. let it be
done gradually. allowing them to their
dams once a day for few days. then
every other day, and finally separating
them altogether. They should then
have gradually increasing ratioDs Of
oats until a permanent habit of growth
has become established. Horses are
cheap now rs compared with former
years and farmers are disposed to grow
fewer of them. Nevertheless, at pres
ent prices the still afford some profit,
provided they are properly handled.
Whatever the breed may be, size and
normal development are important The
moment feed is lessened nature begins
to dwarf the size and when the feed is
less than the custom demands, abnOr
NAL development is almost sure to fol-
low
In feeding growing colts Of any breed,
too much value cannot be attached to
ration of good sound oats. There Is no
grain that seems so well adapted as
oats to the development of the mus
cular system and of the energy and
spirit which are so essential in every
breed of horses. Unfortunately over
much of the west the quality of oats is
y
fore require more of them, and even
then, pound for pound, the value will
not be nearly equal to those Of last
year A substitute for oats to some
extent can be found by the use Of oil
meal and shelled corn in the ratio of
about one Of Oilmeai to six or seven of
corn. We do not, however, believe
that any combination of grains grown
in the west can be devised which will
take the place of oats for putting Il
foundation under a colt. 1t must be
remembered that the value of the colt
when it comes to the market two or
three years hence will depend very
much upon the attention that it receives
from now until grass grows. If the
food is deficient either in quality or in
quantity, nature will shrink the form to
the food and the result will be a horse
that will sell for from SIS to S35 less
than he would had he been properly
cared for during the first winter. Colts
require shelter the first year, but not so
much as is generally supposed. They
are made for action, and to tie them up
quarters, even in cold weather, is
mistake. They should have small
field where they cannot hurt themselves,
a shed to go into in time Of storm.
plenty of salt and water, and for the
rest. let them alone. They will take
exercise when they want it, eat when
they are hungry, drink when they are
thirsty and. in general, take better care
of themselves than any fsrmer will
give them in a stable.
The first year over, the greatest work
of growing the colt is done. Do not
neglect the colts either at weaving
time, or from this until grass comes,
and especially in view Of the fact that
it takes so little. care and attention to
develop them under the best conditions.
Twenty-Five dollars will buy a good
ma ~ oats, and we know of nothing
that will pay so high price for a good
article of oats as a first-class yearling
colt of any of the improved breeds.