The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1906-06-21
LIVE
STOCK
Cause Of Weak FoaIs.


bad luck in raising foals from their
pure-bred or high-grade mares that We
are asked to give some reasons for the
weakness which characterizes the
young animals at birth and leads to
their immediate and speedy death
This is vexed question. It would
seem certain that the general use OF
pampered, fat, sluggish and even
drugged stations may have good
deal to do with the trouble. 1t is sen.
sible to believe that the progeny of a
worked, muscular, perfectly healthy
stallion should be stronger at birth
than those from the pampered beasts
we have described. But many hold
that the mare decides entirely the con.
ditton and constitution of the foal at
birth, claim that can scarcely be
proved from the facts. At the same
time we are Of the opinion that the
mare has more to do with the condi
ton of the foal than has the sire, says
A. S. Alexander in Farmers Review.
He has merely the influence i'm.
parted in his vital fluid. and the char
acter of that fluid or its vital element
depends to certain degree at least
upon his bodily condition. But the
mare nourishes her fetus from her
blood, and her blood is built from her
food and the air she is given chance
to bre?+he. If her food is deficient In
quantity and quality and she has not
the opportunity to perfectly exercise
her body each day during pregnancy,
1t should be clear that her blood will
suffer in quality and condition. It will
become impure through stagnation or
starvation, and the foal in her womb
must Of necessity suffer in proportion
to the degree Of imperfection Of nutri.
ment afforded by the dam.
While It Is important, highly so, to
have the sire in the best possible con-
dition to insure virile secretions, and
both factors to the breeding operation
should be as nearly equal in condi-
ton as possible, seeing that like pro.
duces like, it is Of even greater i'm.
portance that the brood mare should
be at Ill times, prior to conception,
at time of breeding and during the
entire period of CESSATION, in the best
possible condition Of bodily health. If
such be her condition the foal should
be born healthy, If there are no
hereditary influences to the contrary.
and such is indeed the case In ma
jority Of instances; for there IL al.
ways some fairly apparent cause for
weakness In foals as q prevailing
trouble In the breeding operations Of
the farm.
The weak foal may be the product
Of incomplete nutrition OF the dam.
That ia, she may have an abundance
of food of kind, but it lacks some
element Of nutrition necessary to her
complete nutrition or to that Of her
fetus, as an extra effort over and above
her own maintenance. Or the food
may be Of such character that 1t viii
scarcely maintain the mare, and for
that reason she lacks surplus nutri.
ment from which to form a iealthy.
full-sized, robust foal. AS complaints
Of weak foals are already coming in,
there is another apparent cause which
should be mentioned. That Is breed
ing mares in the winter season Of the
year. Nature evidently intended mares
to breed after they have shed their
winter coats and been got into proper
condition Of body by the action Of
green grass upon the system.
The natural breeding season COM
neueea ahont Anril lat and continues