小型自動飼養機飼養系統外文文獻翻譯、中英文翻譯、外文翻譯

小型自動飼養機飼養系統外文文獻翻譯、中英文翻譯、外文翻譯,小型,自動,飼養,系統,外文,文獻,翻譯,中英文 文獻名稱（小型自動飼養機飼養系統）文獻名稱（A System of Rearing Foals on an Automatic Calf Feeding Machine）作者：SALLY ANN GLENDINNING 起止頁碼：293-300出版日期（期刊號）：1993. Vol. 13出版單位：Sensor Review外文翻譯譯文：小型自動飼養機飼養系統每年很多馬駒早產或身體狀況不佳，如果有一種可以像人類新生兒的設備則每年能存活下來的馬駒可以增長很多。因此他們經常死亡、被摧毀、或者至多成長為發育不良的個體，在建立一個馬駒的重癥監護系統方面的困難是：1.金融：與當前種畜業的通貨膨脹相比，簡單的孵化器和24小時護理的成本已經不在是過高的了。2.合乎道德的：所有早產和虛弱的新生兒都會長成弱小的成年人，這種假設在人類是不真實的，除了一些例外情況，在馬上不太可能是真實的。3.實際的：如果一個小馬駒被放置在一個孵化器中，有必要將其與母馬分開，可能要幾個星期才能自己哺乳，那時母馬已經不會有奶，也不會接受小馬哺乳。小馬駒養的太老，一只已經落后的小馬駒不可能產生一個有價值的個體。因此，在試圖使用更加復雜的技術來養護馬駒之前有必要開發一種人工飼養馬駒的系統。這些馬駒分為三類：在母體中或出生時死亡的馬駒，或不能自己哺乳的馬駒。年齡大到四個月的老駒，其母馬已經死亡或者無法喂養。任何年齡的需要醫療或外科關注的馬駒，禁止他們繼續哺乳母馬。 單位的要求是馬駒個體生長均勻，作為一個群體在精神上和身體上都比較好，所涉及的成本也應該是最小的。在這種情況下，兩個正常工作的女孩可以照料十二個馬駒。 目前有兩種備選方案飼養孤兒馬駒，培育和鏟斗飼養。主要通過國家信貸銀行的服務廣泛使用撫養，馬駒死亡的母馬被用來喂養孤兒馬駒，收養成功的比例很大程度取決于養馬人的專業知識和經驗，但可高達90%（瓦登，1973）羅斯比爾和里基茨(1974)詳細描述誘導母馬接受培育馬駒的方法。不幸的是這種方法只用來非常年輕的馬駒。它可能得很長一段時間，而且還伴隨被憤怒母馬踢傷的危險。吃牛奶或奶瓶飼養是一種可接受的方法，許多飲食都被提倡使用在各種類型的牛奶替代品。一些商業牛犢飼料生產商推薦他們的產品用于孤兒馬駒，并且至少有一種粉末?！癊quilac”被特別制造以喂養孤兒馬駒。這種方法有幾個缺點，特別是在瓶子上成功的飼養一只小馬駒，至少要有一個忠實的奴隸的服務，以保持器具的潔凈，并在白天和黑夜定期供應飼料。有一種趨勢對于桶式飼養的馬駒，地上的馬駒采用人工作為母親，無法與其他馬匹交流，而且由于失去了對人類的恐懼，往往難以訓練和訓練生活。本文提出了第三種飼養馬駒的替代體系，希望能避免飼養的不利情況。近三年來，采用自動喂入飼養機飼養了二十二只馬駒。機器 （圖.1）機器由以下組成：1. 一個含有奶粉的鼓，一個攪拌器將粉末通過一個可調節的孔口推入。2. 一個不銹鋼攪拌容器。A. 一個銅制的小管子，可被一個由恒溫器控制的電子元件加熱。B. 一臺由小型電動機驅動的攪拌器，將粉末和水混合起來。C. 連接到小型控制面板上的塑料管，混合容器中的液體的液位由該管中的壓力測量。牛奶通過混合底部的出口。當混合容器中的液體降到一定水平時，控制面板同時接通奶粉桶中的攪拌器，供水和電動攪拌器。每次混合12盎司的熱牛奶；當液體在容器達到預設水平時，機器會自動關閉。圖2 奶嘴組件的連接 圖3 結構示意圖牛奶通過乙烯管流出，通過對奶嘴組件的連接（圖.2）。這些奶嘴由一個穿過松套管壁的不銹鋼管組成，在其上放置一個奶嘴的一個簡單的閥門。一個金屬護罩可以放置在末端為了保護奶嘴，每個盒子里有一個組件。對于小馬駒來說，使用一種橡膠羊奶頭，然后他們長大到用更大的小腿奶嘴；這些必須用夾子夾著，否則會被拉掉。因為母馬的死亡或生病而不得不突然斷奶的馬駒似乎無法學會吸吮奶嘴。最近已經使用（圖.3）連接到機器供應線上的塑料漏斗在一個箱子和谷倉里，馬駒喝起來不是吮吸。牛奶的水平是通過將漏斗的頂部固定在混合容器頂部的確切高度來控制的，所有的空氣都不在線上，漏斗仍然被靜水壓力所充滿，這種喂食方法已經被證實是非常令人滿意的，令人擔心的牛奶中的細菌的堆積還沒有發生。機器的滅菌每天將機器拆下，所有可拆卸的零件和附件，包括不銹鋼攪拌器、塑料管、篩夾、奶嘴管。組件和塑料漏斗在熱水喝洗滌劑中清洗，并用半小時碘伏洗滌劑的溶液，正在研究使用循環清潔劑的可能性。奶粉三年來已經使用了三種不同的奶粉，但是沒有嘗試過主觀地比較使用這些奶粉的馬駒的發育情況。但注意到以下幾點：小馬駒在Equilai上表現的非常好，但最初往往便秘，這是最可口的，使得馬駒的皮毛特別有光澤。但它往往堵塞機器，并且非常昂貴。當它在1971年和1972年使用時是不穩定的。馬駒在Denkavit飼養牛奶方面做的很好，肌肉和骨骼生長的很快，但它們沒有像使用Equilai那樣有光澤的皮毛，食物能很好的流過機器，玉米商人也能很容易的買到這些東西。1974年，“Nakamel”被用在一些年紀較大的馬駒身上，他們似乎變得非常肥胖，并停止使用。每周獲得新鮮的奶粉供應，以防止其變得腐敗。所有粉末以3-4盎司的濃度加入1品脫的液體。機器介紹最初馬駒在頭24小時內每兩三小時強行喂入奶頭。一位飼養員站在小馬駒的后面，將其推向機器，另一位則強迫它的嘴張開，引導舌頭在奶嘴上，大多數馬駒馬上開始吮吸，最近我們已經意識到，用這種方式進行一次是完全足夠的，他們隨后會自己吸吮奶嘴。他們往往很害羞，頭幾天可能很難發現他們喝奶，仔細觀察小馬駒：1. 空蕩蕩的肚子。2. 諸如拉肚子之類營養不良的反應，或更經常的是幾天后的便秘。3. 小便。一旦小馬駒開始哺乳，由于喝的奶比較多，它們會往往更加頻繁的排尿。4. 一個健康的普遍狀態，比如在箱子里跳躍和踢，通常在自由飲食的二十四小時內甚至消瘦的馬駒變得活躍。如果可能的話，牛奶混合物在最初的二十四小時內保持一半的量。顯然在最后，同一臺機器上還有其他幾個小馬駒，這并不總是可能的。住房和管理馬駒的短奶壽命分為三個階段：1.0-10周、2.10-14周、3.14-18周 這些階段時間是靈活的，只能作為參考。階段1 （0-10周）馬駒在十二英尺寬十二英尺長的箱子里飼養，他們被保持在一到四只動物的小組中。理想的結合是兩個同齡的馬駒，在出生的同一周內放在一起并一直斷奶。如果一組中有三只馬駒，那么他們會一分為三，首先第一只馬駒會出現問題，在下一只馬駒到達之前可能還要過一個月，而那只稍大一點的馬駒放到一起時會變得害怕。完全靠自己飼養的馬駒，不要學會在一個小組里安靜的吃草。并且害怕其它馬匹。到三四周齡的時候，馬駒對寒冷非常敏感，如果它們保持在溫暖的環境中，它們會迅速生長，但是如果受到通風的影響，那么必須將加熱箱的優點與流行性肺病的危險性相互平衡。非常年幼的馬駒在加熱到至少65-70F的箱子中，無疑是最好的，即使在這個溫度下給馬駒鋪上地毯也是可取的；正常情況下，往往低估母馬發出的熱量。強壯的馬駒在簡陋的盒子里就能生長的很好，只要有一兩個絕緣的尼龍地毯，一個紅外燈和一個深草床。它們承受著外界溫度的嚴重下降，而不會對其生長產生任何影響。頭十天后，給小馬駒喂小麥、麩皮、煮大麥、煮熟的天麻籽、片狀小麥塊和甜菜漿，它們選擇進食這些，但是剛開始不會吃任何東西，直到它們八周大，干草始終可用。所有的馬駒箱子都有自動飲水碗，對于新生的馬駒來說它們固定的太高，但可以通過較大的馬駒夠到，如果一只小馬駒開始不斷的玩水，只關掉水。從十個星期起，水總是可用的。在第一階段馬駒只能從奶嘴喂奶，除非它們不能吸吮，最年幼的馬駒放在與機器相鄰的箱子里，介紹溫熱的牛奶，隨著更多年輕的馬駒的到達，年紀較大的馬駒會移到離機器更遠的箱子中，牛奶供應趨于冷卻，這可能引發消化紊亂。已經吸吮母馬超過兩周的馬駒看起來不能從奶嘴吸吮，如果一匹母馬死亡，馬駒突然成為孤兒，它被放在一個漏斗的盒子里，這些馬駒往往不習慣喝水，也不喜歡牛奶的味道，在這種情況下水被禁用12-24小時，此時小馬非?？诳?，教它們用小平底鍋喝水，一旦喝下幾口后，就用一盆淡奶代替水，它們就很快會從漏斗中獲取牛奶。馬駒中至少養一兩個小時的老馬，如果天氣不好，它們會和它一起進入馬廝。馬的存在是非常主要的，我們飼養的頭幾只小馬駒沒有成年馬，它們站在門外，舔著木頭吃著土，即使在四個月，它們沒有正常吃草，但非常不安，每當看到一個人。由于年紀較大的動物已經被模仿，它們很快就形成了正常的放松習慣。馬駒由首領引進并進出領域，但這些馬駒沒有留在馬廝里，一只腿被抓住了，最初幾次，一只小馬駒被關閉，一名飼養員站在田里，馬駒在她周圍奔馳，幾天后，馬駒失去了興趣，并與其它馬駒一起玩耍。在任何時候都是由飼養者喂養。任何頑皮的咬或踢打行為受到嚴厲的懲罰。第一次放在機器里的馬駒表現的很好，大約一星期后它們的進展滯后了10-14天，它們看起來不錯，但似乎沒有普通的馬駒那么快的成長。在三周左右它們突然開始增長，并迅速強壯，它們的腿和脖子上長著結實的肌肉。它們沒有像桶式飼養機所飼養的馬駒那樣的瘦骨嶙峋那樣的外觀，在十周內。它們生長良好，骨骼良好。它們比正常哺乳的小馬駒掉毛掉的更早，這使得它們看起來很光滑。這時它們每天喝多達6加侖的牛奶，包括一些浪費的。它們的糞便是一致的牙膏色和奶油色的白色，馬駒不斷的大量排尿。階段2（10-14周）大約十個星期后，馬駒變得更活潑，天性往往使它們難以在箱子里和平相處。一些馬駒欺負較小的馬駒，偶爾有一頭馬開始踢，而馬駒可能對彼此的飼養和打擊造成相當大的損害。因此它們被搬到一個36英尺寬36英尺長有著深秸稈床的谷倉里。這里有六個馬駒一個房子。水和干草總是可用的，牛奶是可利用的在漏斗而不是奶嘴，它們仍然每天要和小馬一起吃三四個小時，每天三餐。階段3（14-18周）斷奶大約十四個星期。如果整個小組在谷倉中都準備好同時斷奶，它們就會離開那里。最初一天，機器與漏斗斷開六個小時。在此期間，它們開始吃更多的固體食物。在接下來的兩個星期內，機器每天連接的時間越來越短，直到最終它們只能在夜間和早上獲得牛奶。它們終于被搬進單獨的箱子里，一個星期之前沒有接受任何牛奶。歸還給它們的主人。圖4這種方法飼養的典型駒。 在18周齡照片拍攝的時候，已經完全斷奶了大約十天。 注意脖子，肩膀，腰部和宿舍的良好肌肉發育。如果只有一只小馬駒可以戒斷，那么它將在十四周內移入到一個單獨的箱子中，并且每天四次在一個干凈的桶中喂食約四分之三加侖牛奶。飼料的數量逐漸減少，牛奶全部從飲食中分離出來，十八周后馬駒全部斷奶。（圖.4） 傳染病在密閉空間飼養年輕的動物的體系尤其容易受到呼吸道和腸道感染的影響。商業小牛飼養單位預計死亡率至少為3-5%。顯然在這飼養有價值的馬駒的單位是不可接受的。1. 飛馬（愛爾蘭）有限公司，柏林。2. 迷你牛犢小牛。加斯科因和本特。3. Alodine 阿法拉伐。4. 英國Denkavit有限公司，普爾 多塞特郡。5. 拉文漢小馬駒地毯。6. 法莫霉素防擦膏，克魯克斯。經過各種報警后，每天早上測量馬駒溫度就成了一個必不可少的常規。如果任何馬駒咳嗽，體溫為102.2F或者更高，則給予肌肉內土霉素500gm。如果看到任何一只馬駒正在拉肚子，立即給予100mgm的硫酸新霉素，并且每天給藥一次，一次兩個劑量，直到它不拉肚子。只要有可能，如果馬駒正在拉肚子，牛奶的濃度就會被稀釋，如果有必要的話，高嶺土粉與機器中的奶粉混合在一起，很難隔離任何馬駒，但是如果認為是可取的，則將其從機器中單獨分離到另外一個箱子，用瓶子，桶或胃管喂幾天。 結果與結論只有有限數量的馬駒和沒有控制，只能評估它們的條件和行為。從本質上講，所有用本文所描述的方法飼養的馬駒與正常飼養和斷奶的馬駒相比是非常有利的。據報道，有五頭馬駒它們其中兩個在四個月大之前就被送回家了，可能太年輕了，不能成功斷奶；三個被送到一個特定的種公馬，在那里有一個相對寬松的環境可以適應馬駒的生活。產生于其他馬匹和人類正常行為的馬駒證明是更加困難的，但單位飼養的最后15只馬駒是令人滿意的，要求似乎是：1. 另一個動物為箱子里的恒定公司，一個小馬駒是可取的，但其它物種也會這樣做（兩只小牦牛和一只無蹄的駱駝很好的利用了這個原理），這樣可以防止無聊，并在喂食時間提供競爭。2. 至少有一部分時間應該在其它馬駒中度過，它們一起玩，很快變成馬群，模仿每個馬駒并且靠的很近。一只孤立飼養的馬駒往往會遠離別的馬駒，獨自站在門外向人呼喊。3. 為了學習放牧，小馬必須帶著一匹成年小馬。采用這種人為飼養馬駒的合理方法，改變了對病駒的治療和護理的方法。飼養的馬駒是一種在三周齡時才開發出吸允反射的笨拙個體，另外一種是患有嚴重的關節病，是由于分娩三周內母馬乳汁不足導致的。另外有一只小馬駒只用后腿行走，直到四個月大時，突然開始正常行走。一個有趣的例子是一只小馬駒慢性腹瀉，變得脫水和消瘦，對任何治療都沒有反應。根據兒科醫生的建議。將其斷奶并用胃管飼喂大豆粉五天，然后將其放到將其上，隨后，如果沒有使用機器，這些馬駒中沒有一個可能存活下來?？傊?，這個系統似乎在實踐中有一定的地位，首先它提供了一個令人滿意的方法來飼養已經突然成為孤兒的馬駒。第二，也行更重要的是，考慮更為先進的護理和治療早產的方法，生病和畸形的馬駒。 概要詳細介紹了一種在小牛飼養機上人工飼養馬駒的方法。對馬駒的精神發育和身體發育給予了相當的關注。斷奶馬駒與自然飼養的馬駒相比非常有利。指導教師意見：指導教師簽字：年 月 日教研室意見：主任簽字：年 月 日注：此表單獨作為一頁。12 EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL Vol.6.No.I.January 1974 A System of Rearing Foals on an Automatic Calf Feeding Machine SALLY ANN GLENDINNING Thornborough,Buckingham EVERY year many foals are born prematurely or in poor physical condition.If facilities were available comparable to those used for human neonates in British hospitals,the majority of these foals would grow into healthy adults.As it is they frequently die,are destroyed,or at best grow into stunted individuals.The chief difficulties in establishing an intensive care system for foals are:I.Financial.With the current inflation in the bloodstock industry,the cost of a simple incubator and Fig.I.The Mini Cowmatic Calf Rearer.(a)Drum containing milk powder.(b)Mixing lessel.(c)Water pipe.(d)Whisk.(e)Copper water cylinder.(f)Plastic tube used in controlling the level of milk.(g)The outlet pipes to the teat assemblies.24 hour nursing are no longer prohibitive.2.Ethical.The assumption that all premature and weak neonates will grow into small weak adults is untrue in humans and with some exceptions is unlikely to be true in horses.3.Practical.If a foal is placed in an incubator it is necessary to separate it from the dam.It may be several weeks before it is strong enough to suckle her again,by which time she will have no milk and will not accept it.The foal will be too old for fostering,and bucket rearing of an already backward foal is not likely to produce a worthwhile individual.Therefore,before attempting to use more sophisticated techniques in nursing foals,it has been necessary to develop a system of rearing foals artificially.Working in a predominantly stud practice,has also shown the need for a foal rearing unit to which foals of any age could be referred when it became necessary or desirable to wean them suddenly.These foals fall into three categories:a)Foals whose dams have either died at birth,or could not or would not suckle their foals.b)Older foals up to four months of age,whose dams have either died or are not able to feed them adequately.c)Foals of any age who require medical or surgical attention,which prohibits them from continuing to suckle the mare.The requirements of the unit were that the foals were uniformly well grown,and as a group,compared favourably with suckled foals both mentally and physically.The labour involved should also be minimal;in this case two girls working normal stable hours could attend to twelve foals.Currently there are two alternative methods of rearing orphan foals,fostering and bucket rearing.Fostering is used extensively,largely through the services of the National Foaling Bank.Mares whose foals have died are used to suckle orphan foals.The percentage of the adoptions which are successful.probably depends largely on the expertise and experience of the handlers,but may be as high as 90 per cent(Vardon,1973).Rossdale and Ricketts(1974)give a detailed description of the method of inducing a mare to accept a foster foal.Unfortunately this method can only be used with very young foals,and it may involve travelling them great distances,with the danger of being kicked or savaged by an indignant mare at the other end of the journey.Bucket or bottle rearing is an accepted method and EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL many diets have been advocated using various types of milk substitute(Rossdale and Ricketts,1974),(Vardon,1973).Some manufacturers of commercial calf feed recommend their products for orphan foals,and at least one powder,Equilac1,is manufactured specifically to feed the orphan foal.There are several disadvantages to this method.Rearing a foal successfully,particularly on bottles,depends on the services of at least one devoted slave,to keep the utensils scrupulously clean,and supply feeds at regular intervals day and night.There is a tendency for bucket reared foals to be small,thin and pot bellied.The handreared foal adopts the human handler as its mother and becomes unable to communicate with other horses(Williams,1973).Furthermore,by losing its fear of humans it often becomes difficult to train and discipline later in life.This paper describes a third alternative system of rearing foals,by which it is hoped to avoid the disadvantages of both fostering and bucket rearing.Twenty-two foals have been reared in the last three years using an automatic calf feeding machine.THE MACHINE(fig.I)2 The machine consists of:I.A drum containing milk powder.An agitator pushes the powder through an adjustable orifice into:2.A stainless steel mixing vessel,into which also passes:a)A small pipe from a copper cylinder in which water is heated by an electric element controlled by a thermostat.b)A whisk powered by a small electric motor.This mixes the powder and water.c)A plastic tube connected to a small control panel.The level of the liquid in the mixing vessel is measured by the pressure in this tube.The milk passes through an outlet at the bottom of the mixing vessel.When the liquid in the mixing vessel drops below a certain level,the control panel simultaneously switches on the agitator in the milk powder drum,the water supply and the electric whisk.About twelve ounces of warm milk are mixed at a time;when the liquid in the vessel reaches a preset level,the machine automatically switches off again.Thus a constant supply of freshly mixed milk is available.The milk passes out through vinyl tubing,via Tjunctions to the teat assemblies(fig.2).These consist of a stainless steel tube passing through the Joosebox wall,with a simple valve on the end over which is placed a teat.A metal shield can be placed around the end of the tube to protect the teat.There is one assembly in each box.For small foals a soft rubber lamb teat is used,and later they graduate to larger calf teats;these have to be held on with jubilee clips or they get pulled off.Foals which have been suckled normally for a time,and have then had to be abruptly weaned due to the death or illness of the mare,seem unable to learn to suck a teat.Recently,a plastic funnel(fig.3)attached to the supply line from the machine has been used in one box and the barn.The foals drink from this rather than suck.The level of the milk is controlled by fixing the top of the funnels at the exact height of the top of the mixing vessel.Once all the air is out of the line,the funnels remain filled by hydrostatic pressure.This Fig.2.A foal sucking from the teat assembly on the wall of the loosebox.13 method of feeding has proved very satisfactory,and the build up of bacteria in the milk,which was feared,has not yet occurred.Sterilisation of the machine The machine is stripped down daily.All the removable parts and accessories including the stainless steel mixing vessel,the plastic tubing,the jubilee clips,teat assemblies and plastic funnels,are washed in hot water and detergent,and soaked for half an hour in a solution of iodophor detergent3 This is rinsed off before re-assembling the equipment.The possibility of using a circulation cleaner is being investigated.The milk powder Three different milk powders have been used during the three years,but no attempt has been made to compare the foals development on these powders subjectively.However the following points were noted.The foals did very well on Equilac,but tended to be constipated initially.It was the most palatable and made the foals coats particularly glossy.However,it tended to clog the machine and was very expensive.Supplies were erratic when it was used in 1971 and 1972.Foals did well on Denkavit rearing milk,building up bone and muscle quickly,but they did not have such glossy coats as on Equilac.It flowed through the machine well and supplies are readily available at corn merchants.N ukamel was used for a time on older foals in 1971.They seemed to get very fat and its use was discontinued.Fresh supplies of milk powder were obtained weekly to prevent it becoming rancid.All the powders were fed at a concentration of 3-4 oz.to I pint of liquid.Introduction to the machine Initially the foals were forcibly introduced to the teat every two to three hours for the first twenty-four hours.One handler stands behind the foal and pushes it up towards the machine,while the other forces its mouth open and guides the teat in over the tongue.Most foals start sucking immediately.Recently we have realised that one introduction to the machine is almost invariably sufficient and they will subsequently 14 return to the teat of their own accord.They are often very shy for the first few days and it can be difficult to observe them drinking.The foals are watched very closely for:I.Empty tucked up abdomens.2.Digestive upsets such as scouring or more often constipation which passes off after a few days.3.Urinating.As soon as the foals are sucking well they pass urine more often than suckled foals,owing to the larger quantity of milk they drink.4.A general attitude of well being,such as jumping and kicking in the box.Usually within twenty four hours of ad lib food even emaciated foals become active.If possible,the milk mixture is kept at half strength for the first twenty-four hours.Obviously late in the season with several other foals on the same machine this is not always possible.HOUSING AND MANAGEMENT The foals life up to weaning is in three phases:I.0-JO weeks.2.10-14 weeks.3.14-18 weeks.The timing of these phases is flexible and only given as a guide.Phase I.0-10 weeks The foals are reared in loose boxes 12 ft.x 12 ft.,they are kept in groups of one to four animals.The ideal combination is two foals of the same age,put together within a week of birth,and kept together until weaning.If there are three foals in one group,they are better together than split into two and one.The first foal to arrive each season poses problems.It may be a month old before the next foal arrives,and the older one becomes terrified when they are put together.Foals which are reared entirely on their own,dont learn to graze quietly in a group,and are frightened of other horses(Williams,1973).Up to three or four weeks of age the foals are very Fig.3.The plastic funnel used to supply milk constantly to foals which are unable to suck from a teat.EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL sensitive to cold They thrive if they are kept in a warm atmosphere,but the advantages of a heated box have to be balanced against the dangers of respiratory disease if the ventilation is impaired.Very young foals which are weak or premature undoubtedly do best in a box heated to at least 65-70F.Even at this temperature a rug on the foal is advisable;one tends to underestimate the amount of heat given out by the mare under normal circumstances.Strong foals will do very well in a draught free box;as long as they are provided with one or two insulated nylon rugs,an infra red lamp and a deep straw bed,they withstand a severe drop in outside temperature without any impairment to their progress.After the first ten days,the foals are given small feeds of oats,bran,boiled barley,boiled linseed,flaked maize.horse cubes and sugar beet pulp.They pick at this but do not usually start eating any quantity until they are four to eight weeks old.Hay is always available.All the foal boxes have automatic drinking bowls.These are fixed too high for newborn foals to drink from,but can be reached by the older ones.The water is only switched off if a foal starts playing with it incessantly.From ten weeks onwards,water is always available.During the first phase the foals are fed milk only from a teat,unless they are unable to suck.The youngest foals are put in the box adjacent to the machine and receive warm milk.As more young foals arrive,the older ones move into boxes further from the machine and the milk supply tends to be permanently cold.It has not been possible to attribute any digestive disturbances to cold milk.Foals which have suckled the mare for more than about two weeks seem unable to adapt to sucking from a teat.If a mare dies and the foal is suddenly orphaned it is put in a box with a funnel.These foals are often not accustomed to drinking even water,and dislike the taste of milk.In these circumstances,water is withheld for 12-24 hours by which time the foal is very thirsty.It is taught to drink water out of a small saucepan,and as soon as it has swallowed a few mouthfuls,a pan of dilute milk is substituted for the water.They quickly.icquire the taste for milk and drink from the funnel.The foals are turned out daily for at least one or two hours with an old pony.If the weather is bad they go into the barn with her.The presence of the pony is very important.The first few foals we reared were turned out without an adult,and they hung around the gate,licking the wood and eating dirt.Even at four months they did not graze normally,but were very restless,and whinnied every time they saw a human.Since an older animal has been turned out for them to imitate,they have quickly developed normal grazing habits(Williams,1973).The foals are all led in and out of the field on headcollars but these are not left on in the stable because of the danger of getting a leg caught in it.The first few times a foal is turned out,an attendant stands in the field and the foal gallops round and round her.After a few days the foal loses interest in the attendant and plays with the other foals instead.At no time are the foals fed tit bits by the handlers.Any playful biting or striking with the feet is punished with a sharp slap.The foals do very well when they are first put on the machine.After about a week their progress is arrested for 10-14 days.They look well but do not seem to fill EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL out as quickly as suckled foals.At about three weeks of age they suddenly start growing and filling out very rapidly.They develop thick necks and large muscles over the back and quarters.They dont develop the pot bellied and ribby appearance seen in bucket fed foals.At ten weeks they are well grown with good bone.They lose their coats earlier than suckled foals and this gives them a very sleek appearance.By this time they are drinking as much as six gallons of milk a day including some wastage.Much of the milk passes straight through them and their droppings are the consistency of toothpaste and creamy white in colour.The foals continually pass urine in large quantities.Phase 2.(10-14 weeks)At about ten weeks the foals become more boisterous and develop characteristics which often make it difficult to leave them together in boxes.Some foals bully smaller ones;occasionally one starts kicking,and colts can do considerable damage to each other rearing and striking in play.Therefore they are moved into a barn 36 ft.x 36 ft.with a deep straw bed.There is room here for six foals at a time.Water and hay are always available.The milk is available ad lib in a funnel not a teat.They are still turned out to graze daily for three or four hours with the pony,and receive three small feeds a day which they may or may not finish.Phase 3.(14-18 weeks)Weaning begins at about fourteen weeks.If the entire group in the barn is ready to wean simultaneously they are left there.The machine is disconnected from their funnel for six hours a day initially.During this period they start eating far more solid food.Gradually over the next two weeks the machine is connected for a shorter and shorter time each day,until eventually they are only getting a milk feed night and morning.They are finally moved into individual looseboxes and receive no milk at all for a week before being returned to their owners.If there is only one foal to wean,it is moved into a loosebox at fourteen weeks and fed about three quarters of a gallon of milk in a clean bucket four times a day.The number of feeds are gradually reduced and by seventeen weeks the milk is cut out of the diet altogether.The foals return home at eighteen weeks completely weaned(fig.4).INFECTIOUS DISEASE A system of rearing young animals in a confined space is particularly vulnerable to respiratory and enteric infection.Commercial calf rearing units expect a mortality rate of at least 3-5 per cent.Obviously this is not acceptable in a unit rearing valuable foals.After various alarms it has become an essential I.Pegasus(Ireland)Ltd.,Dublin.2.Mini Cowmatic Calf Rearer.Gascoigne,Gush and Dent.3.Alodine.Alfa Laval.4.British Denkavit Ltd.,Poole,Dorset.5.Nukamel Ltd.,Crowborough,Sussex.6.Lavenham Foal Rugs.7.Framomycin Anti-Scour Paste.Crookes.Fig.4.A typical foal reared by this method.At the time of the photograph it was eighteen weeks old and had been completely weaned for about ten days.Note the good muscular development over the neck,shoulders,loins and quarters.15 routine to take every foals temperature every morning.If any of the foals are scouring or coughing all the temperatures are taken twice daily.If any foal is scouring or coughing and has a temperature of I 02.0F.or more it is given intramuscular oxytetracycline 500 mgm.for three days.If any foal is seen scouring it is given JOO mgm.of framycetin sulphate;immediately and half this dose twice daily until the scouring stops.Whenever possible the concentration of milk is diluted if foals are scouring,and if necessary kaolin powder is mixed with the milk powder in the machine.It is difficult to isolate any foal,but if it is considered advisable,they are taken off the machine into another building,and fed by bottle,bucket or stomach tube for a few days.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION With such a limited number of foals and no controls it is only possible to assess their condition and behaviour.Physically,all the foals reared by the method described in this paper have compared very favourably with foals reared and weaned normally.Five are reported to have lost condition after returning home;two were sent home before they were four months old,and were probably too young to be successfully weaned;three were sent back to one particular stud,where a rather spartan regime may account for the foals condition.Producing foals which behave normally with other horses,and with humans,proved more difficult,but the last 15 foals reared in the unit have been satisfactory.The requirements seem to be:1.Another animal for constant company in the box.A foal is preferable but other species will do.(Two baby yaks and a baby llama have served this purpose 16 well!)This prevents boredom and provides competition at feeding time.2.At least part of the day should be spent in the company of other foals.They play together and very soon become a herd,imitating each other and staying close together.A foal which has been reared in isolation tends to stay away from the others and hang round the gate,whinnying to human beings.3.The foals must be turned out with an adult pony in order to learn to graze.Having this reasonably foolproof method of rearing foals artificially,changes ones approach to treatment and nursing of sick foals.Among the foals reared were a barker which failed to develop a suck reflex until it was three weeks old,a very small well bred twin filly,and one case of severe joint ill whose dams milk dried up three weeks after parturition.Another foal walked on its hind fetlock joints until four months of age,when it suddenly started walking on its feet quite normally.An interesting case was a foal suffering from chronic diarrhoea,becoming dehydrated and emaciated,and not responding to any treatment.On the advice of a paediatrician it was weaned and fed on a soya flour milk substitute for five days by stomach tube;it was then put onto the machine where it subsequently thrived.None of these foals would have been likely to have survived without the use of the machine.In conclusion this system seems to have a definite place in stud practice.Firstly it provides a satisfactory method of rearing a foal which has been suddenly orphaned.Secondly and probably more important,it makes it practical to consider much more advanced methods of nursing and treating premature,sick and deformed foals.EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL SUMMARY A