The birth of a foal is an important event for a personal backyard. But in order for a touching baby to turn into a stately horse or an affectionate mare, he must be properly raised. Take care of the foal, treat it in time and, of course, feed it correctly. All the stats of a horse and its future working qualities are laid down in the first year of its life, therefore, special attention should be paid to the nutrition of foals.
It is necessary
- - early harvest hay;
- - oats or rolled barley;
- - bran;
- - oat flour;
- - fodder beets;
- - carrot;
- - concentrates;
- - a piece of chalk;
- - salt;
- - fresh grass.
Instructions
Step 1
The newborn foal should be fed exclusively on breast milk. But after 15 days he will need complementary foods. It is best to give your baby crimped barley or oats. Make a separate feeder for the foal and fill it with food in small portions. Start with 100 grams of grain per day and gradually work up to 2 kilograms daily.
Step 2
Place the foal feeder out of reach of the mare, or tie it in the opposite corner of the stable while feeding. This will make it easier for you to regulate the amount of food eaten by the baby.
Step 3
In the warm season, release a two to three week old foal with its mother into the meadow. He will start tasting fresh grass, which will have a positive effect on his health and weight gain.
Step 4
Provide your baby with enough fresh water. Clean drinkers regularly. The less succulent feed a horse has in his diet, the more he should drink.
Step 5
At 6-7 months, the foal must be weaned from the mother. At this age, young animals should receive a sufficient amount of roughage, contributing to the correct development of the digestive organs. The best food for foals is early harvest hay, which retains sufficient nutrients. Make sure that rotten hay does not get into the feed of the young - this is fraught with upset of the intestinal tract.
Step 6
In addition to hay, the foal should receive bran (up to a kilogram per day), oat straw (up to four kilograms), fodder beets or carrots (one or two kilograms). Include nutritious concentrates, chalk and salt in your diet. Mineral supplements should always be freely available. Place them in the trough and add as you eat.
Step 7
The growing young should spend as much time as possible in the fresh air. Movement strengthens the horse's skeletal system and ligaments and promotes good appetite. Move the foal to a well-covered meadow as often as possible. The more fresh feed the animal receives, the healthier and stronger it will grow.
