The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-10-20
SOUTH CAROLINA
CAN RAISE MULES
Unnecessary for State to Send
Away Large Sums for This
(; Product Annually.
big DRAIN ON RESOURCES
money Now Spent For Mules Would
! Purchase Good Draft Mares From
/; Which to Obtain Muies-Points on
/: Care Of Mare and Colt-Home
Raised Mules as Good as Any.

The tremendous outlay for mule
power on the farm can be eliminated
to a large extent in South Carolina.
Already considerable number OF far.
mers in the state are raising their
mules at home and If this policy il
adopted by all the states farmers, the
large annual drain on the states re-
sources for this product will be
stopped
Invested in brood mares, the
amount usually spent for mules would
purchase large, well-bred draft mares
Of the right type for producing mules.
The cost OF raising mule colts On the
farm to an age at which they can be
put to work is about $50 each, when
even every item in the process IS
charged against him. This amount
sounds large, but the fact is that most
of it is charged against things that
are not missed on the average farm,
since the colt can be developed large
ly On pastures and products OF the
farm that would probably not be mar
keted in any other way.
Mares selected for mule raising
should be Of draft type, with quality,
and should weigh about 1,400 pounds,
though smaller mares are used with
good results for producing mules OF
light weight. If mares are bred to
foal In fall, when work on the farm IS
usually lighter and fall pastures are
good, they need lose very little time
during the year from thei- work in
the field. Light work is beneficial to
a brood nare even up to the time OF
toaling, and the resultant colt Is
stronger and more thrifty because Of
It, provided the mare has been proper
ly nourished with succulent feed for a
few weeks before foaling.
The average period Of gestation, OF
time between service and foaling, is
about $40 days or II months, although
this varies somewhat In both direc-
tons. With this information, farm
er can have his mare foal at about the
proper time.
The pregnant mares grain ration
should be proportioned to the amount
Of work she does. About three weeks
before foaling, wheat bran should be
added to her feed, the proportion OF
this being gradually increased and
other grain proportions decreased as
soaling time approaches. Her food
should be altogether free Of moldy
grain or woody fodder or straw.
An essential point is to give the
mare in foal large, roomy box stall.
After foaling, mares should rest for
about two weeks before being put back
1T work. -.
Give the mare and her colt as much
pasturage as possible, with the addi-
ton Of bran and grain while the colt
Is young. Care and attention are es-
sential to mature the colt to proper
size and grain should be given to 1t
regularly with It's pasturage or clean
hay.
Do not let a colt follow its mother on
the road or in the field. Do not let q
colt suck while the mare is overhead
ed. Always let the mare cool off first.
That mules can be raised profit
ably in South Carolina has been dem
onstrated by several farmers In the
state, who save the expenditure usual
ly made for mule power and claim for
the home-raised mule many advan-
tages over its imported competitor.
Write to Sidney s. Rhtenberg, Glenn
son College, for an itemized statement
oe comparison Of mare and mr.e.
JOHN o. WILLIAMS,
Livestock Demonstration Agent,
Clemson Agricultural College.