. Breeder and sportsman. Horses. Saturday, September 2, 1911.] THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN to twenty pounds of milk. The milk should always be fed warm and sweet. Xext to overfeeding, there is probably nothing which causes greater difficulty with hand-fed calves than feeding. o â ALFALFA AND THE BROODMARE Alfalfa hay has a very great field of usefulness in feeding all classes of live- stock under western conditions. It can not be safely fed to broodmares, how- ever, in unlimited quantities. From some sections of the irrigated belt have come reports of a large per- centage of colts born dead or w
. Breeder and sportsman. Horses. Saturday, September 2, 1911.] THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN to twenty pounds of milk. The milk should always be fed warm and sweet. Xext to overfeeding, there is probably nothing which causes greater difficulty with hand-fed calves than feeding. o â ALFALFA AND THE BROODMARE Alfalfa hay has a very great field of usefulness in feeding all classes of live- stock under western conditions. It can not be safely fed to broodmares, how- ever, in unlimited quantities. From some sections of the irrigated belt have come reports of a large per- centage of colts born dead or weak and deformed. In some cases an over used and defective stallion is undoubtedly re- sponsible. In many cases, however, when colts are lost in the manner before mentioned, the farmers are feeding al- falfa hay and altalfa alone to their mares. It should not be so fed. For best results with the broodmare some grain should be fed in addition to the hay. In case it is desired to feed a large amount of hay as compared with the grain, the hay ration will be improved and made safer by combining wild hay, timothy, or even oat or wheat straw with the alfalfa. In no event should a brood- mare weighing 1200 to 1500 pounds be fed more than fifteen or sixteen pounds of alfalfa daily. A sole ration of alfalfa hay contains a much larger p-oportion of nitrogen than the in-foal mare needs or can use. The surplus must be eliminated as a waste and this condition lays an extra burden on the digestive organs of elimination. Especially heavy is the labor placed on the kidneys. There are probably many cases where large quantities of alfalfa have been fed to broodmares without apparent injuri- ous effects. There is unquestionable danger of abortion and weak and defec- tive colts from such practice. The farm- er and horse breeder will be wise to play safe and substitute grain or other hays in place of a portion of the alfalfa. E. J. IDDINGS, Animal Husbandry, U. of I. Ex. Station. PREPOTENT SIRE. T
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjecthorses, bookyear1882
