It sometimes happens that the udder of the dam is functionally destroyed, or so far damaged as to be incapable of producing a supply of wholesome milk, or the clam may die and leave the offspring to be reared by foster-mothers or by hand.

To procure a foster-mother is always a difficult task, and sometimes a most costly one. It does, however, now and again occur that a mare will lose her foal, and a foal will lose its mother, about the same time in the ;same district, and in these cases it is a mutual, if unequal, advantage to the persons concerned to bring the survivors together. When this can be done, the trouble is in a large measure removed, although it must be admitted that the transference of a newly-born foal to a strange mare is not unlikely to be attended with digestive disorder and diarrhoea at first, and especially if the former has not received the first laxative milk of its dam, and the latter should have foaled several days prior to entering upon her fostering duties.

As to whether hand-rearing is a desirable course to pursue, this will very much depend on the age, character, and breeding of the offspring. The more youthful it is when deprived of its parent the greater amount of trouble it will give, whether its other properties be good, bad, or indifferent; and those who undertake the task of ministering to the wants of these unfortunate youngsters must be prepared for no inconsiderable sacrifice of time, to say nothing of comfort, as well as for inconvenience and expense.

Failing a foster-mother, the next best source of food-supply is the cow. Here again some consideration must be given to selection of a suitable subject whence to obtain the milk, for if the task of hand-rearing is to be undertaken, it must be entered upon and pursued in such a way as to safeguard success at all points.

The most suitable milk for this purpose will be obtained from a heifer a week after calving, or if the foal has not sucked its dam it would be an advantage to procure a supply for the first thirty-six hours from a cow just calved, in order to awaken the action of the bowels and provoke discharge of their contents.

Once having commenced with the milk of a particular animal, it is most desirable that no change be made, if possible to guard against it, and, as we have previously observed, the milk of a young cow freshly calved is much to be preferred to that of a stale old one.

Although, as will be seen from the figures given below, the same constituents are found in the milk of the cow as enter into that of the mare, the actual and relative proportions of these constituents differ to a considerable extent in the two cases. To approximate the composition of the one to that of the other, and to render it more suitable to the requirements of the foal, water must be added to reduce the proportions of casein and fat, and at the same time the deficiency of sugar must be made up by the addition of a suitable quantity of the domestic article. At first the proportion of water to cow's milk should be one part of the former to two of the latter, but as time goes on one part to three will be found more to the purpose, and later water may be excluded altogether. The following-figures are percentages: -

Thus it will be seen that while the fat and casein of the cow's milk is largely in excess of that of the mare's, the sugar of the mare's milk far exceeds that of the cow's.

Next in importance to a judicious selection of milk is the desirability of its being transferred immediately from the cow to the foal while still warm. To maintain the natural temperature (100° F.) it should be drawn from the cow into a vessel previously warmed, and afterwards diluted with water raised to 100° F. Cold stale milk at this tender age is sure to provoke diarrhoea, and not unlikely to bring about a fatal result. Cleanliness in the vessels used and the handling of the milk should be strictly observed, and, above all, its administration must be frequent and regular, both as regards quantity and time. At first half a pint should be given every half-hour, and gradually increased as time goes on, while the intervals between meals may be extended accordingly. It must be remembered that to be successful the indications of nature must be closely observed and acted upon. Neglect in this matter can have but one result, viz. failure.

In commencing this system of rearing from birth, attention should be directed to the state of the bowels at the outset. Should the foal not have received the first milk of its dam, constipation is more than likely to exist, and should be corrected by the administration of a small dose of castor-oil and an enema of glycerine and water. Where the milk of a newly-calved cow can be procured, its purgative properties may be sufficient to unload the bowels, in which case further interference becomes unnecessary.