Graham guardian., 1908-02-07
WINTER CARE nF BROOD MARES
Moderate Farm Work Better for the
Mother and tha Future Colt than
Idlaness

A.large number of farmers prac
tice breeding their mares during
the months of July and August, to
foal soon after the heavy springs
work is done and before the hot
summer weather sets in. have
followed this method of handling
my brood mares for several years
past and fnd l encounter less
difficulty at foaling time and in
rearing my young colts. II the
mares are bred to foa! during the
months Of June and July there is
very little danger of meeting ad-
verse conditions or interfering
with the heavy farm work, in case
the mares are part of the firm
team force. l have found, also,
that mares bred to foal during the
late spring months can be more
safely employed upon the farm, as
they can receive the best of care
during the winter months and are
maintained ia a much better flesh
condition throughout the entire
period of the growth and develop
ment of the unborn progeny.
To achieve the best results in
handling mares bred to foal Dur
ing the early summer months it is
of prime importance that they re-
ceive the greatest attention during
the intervening period, Many a
strong. vigorous foal has been re-
duced to worthless progeny long
before foaling time simply from
lack of proper attention in feeding
the mare during the CESSATION per-
iod. 1t not intrequontly happens
that weak foal is dropped and
astonishment arises on the part Of
the owner as to tho cause of the
trouble. Possibly the mare has
received careful handling and has
not been overworked, and yet the
mare foals a weak, puny offspring.
1t has been my experience and OBJ
servation that most farmers are
careful enough in regard to hand
ling their brood mares during tho
period of growth and development
of the unborn colt, but the founda-
tion of the whole trouble is in not
Supplying enough of the right and
proper kind Of nutritious focd
during the period of development
Of the footus. ! have seen many
strong, vigorous brood mares per-
forming heavy physical labor dur
ing the winter months, when it
did not seem us though from ex
ternal appearances they could be
receiving sufficient nutritious food
to more than maintain physical
existence. Brood mares ip order
TO do heavy labor and grow and
develop a colt, must receive II lib
eral allowance of. wholesome, nu.
triuous food not only to maintain
the parent body in strong, vigor'
Gus condition, but also to nourish
literally the foetus throughout the
entire CESSATION period.
Besides having the mares 10
good flesh condition at the time
they are bred, endeavor to main
tain them in good health during
the winter months. Some farmers
look on the brood mare as kind
of star boarder during the winter,
and tho cheaper she can be got
through the better for the haymow
and grain BIN. This impression
is the cause Of ID great many weak
foals at birth. The practice of al.
lowing the mares to shift for them.
selves, having nothing but straw,
stack as source of feed and pro
tection, Is indeed a very dear
method of handling and feeding
brood mares during the winter
months. Ii has always been my
experience that stronger and more
vigorous foals can be produced
from mares that'are in the harness
every day and are properly cared
for than from mares that are al
lowed 10 loaf around the barnyard,
with no regard to h9w they are
ted and cared for, ] have three
teams on my farm, and during the
winter | turn my geldings into
the yard and keep my mares in
harness. II the mares are kept
we'll shod there is very little
danger Of slipping and ipjuring
themselves. | consider it extreme
ly important in handling brood
mares during the late winter
months never to allow them to get
into soft places, as one is apt too
10 hauling wood out of the woods
or 10 hauling manure, Mares that
are heavy with foal should never
he fopced to hack heavy leads
especially whero the footing is
soft,
Brood mares should be caused
to take an abundance of exercise
during the late winter months
otherwise they are apt to become
sluggish, and while they do no,
apparently take on excessive flesh
they fail 10 produce strong, healthy
collie. when brood mares arc kop'
in the harness during tho winter
months they can take plenty o.
exercise and at the came time b,