Foaling Time
It’s official!We have our first foal on the ground this season and she is a beauty!!
This weeks post is for anyone that is waiting patiently for their foals arrival this season.
Being prepared is the most effective way of giving your foal a good start in its life!
Here are just a few tips from me:
6 weeks prior to foaling: At this time the mare is making all the antibodies the foal will need to fight all of the bacteria and viruses it will come across in the first 6-12 weeks of its life. The antibodies are passed to the foal in colostrum which is absorbed for a short time period (24 hours) only. It is important that the mare produces the correct antibodies for the foals environment, so getting the mare to its foaling destination in advance is a great help.
Dietary requirements: The mare must be maintaining a good body condition score at this stage. She will have less room in her abdomen for fermenting fibre (grass and hay), so ensure good quality roughage is fed that is fermented more rapidly. She may also need a concentrate feed to top up calories depending on her appetite and grass available. Please also ensure she is on a fully balanced diet of minerals. This is important for the foals development.
2 weeks prior to foaling: Ensure the mare is wormed to reduce the risk of milk transfer of larvae. You can also wash the udder to remove any eggs that can stick here.
Physical changes in the mare pending parturition/foaling: In the weeks prior, the abdomen will get larger, the pelvic muscles will relax, and the vulval area will relax. The udder will start to develop. Approximately 48 hours prior to foaling you may see her ‘waxing up’: This is where the colostrum accumulates at the teat ends and looks golden in colour.
Colostrum/Milk leakage: If the mare is not foaling and milk is seen dripping from the udder, please seek advice from your vet as it can indicate placental abnormalities or it can mean vital colostrum is lost.
Vulval Discharge: This is not normal, it can be white, clear, or bloody and is often found in the tail. Call for advice!
A few comments about foals: Foals can get cold easily with the wind and rain as they have a larger surface area to body ration. Ensure that they have adequate shelter available. The can also suffer getting too hot if they have no shelter! Always was your hands before handling them and wear gloves if you have been around other horses, especially sick ones. A healthy foal will eat, poop and lie down to sleep, so monitor for these behaviours. It must be up and drinking soon after birth, and should be drinking writhing 4 hours ideally. If not you must seek help from your vet!
I offer ‘Foal Health Checks’ in the first day of the foals life to ensure the foal is healthy. Early intervention is always the key with foals. NEVER use the ‘WAIT AND SEE APPROACH’.
What to have on hand: Tetanus anti-toxin, naval disinfectant