Give some
good quality hay or chaff
in small quantities more frequently, rather than one huge feed as soon as she has foaled. As her appetite returns you can then increase the amount of feed.
What should I feed my nursing mare?
A lactating mare usually requires between 2 and 3 percent of her body weight in
total feed (hay + grain)
daily. Requirements can be met using the rations described in Tables 4 and 5. Including fat in the diet can increase the fat content of the milk, which may help nursing foals grow.
What do you feed a mare with a foal?
For mares foaling naturally in the spring and summer, fresh pasture and exposure to sunlight should provide the necessary levels of these vitamins. For early foaling mares (such as those seen in racing and some competition yards), supplementing the diet with
cod liver oil
will provide additional vitamins A and D.
What do you feed a newly weaned foal?
- Provide high-quality roughage (hay and pasture) free choice.
- Supplement with a high-quality, properly-balanced grain concentrate at weaning, or earlier if more rapid rates of gain are desired.
How do you increase mare’s milk?
Mares need energy and high-quality protein for milk production (14% crude protein grain mix). Generally an increase in grain volume will supply more energy. 2. Low lactating mares consuming fescue pasture or hay may benefit from a
veterinary-prescribed paste marketed as Equi-tox
to increase milk production.
How do I stop my mare from nursing?
If the well-meaning horse owner continues to manually express the udder, more milk will be secreted and the udder will NOT decrease in size. Removing the
foal from view and contact
will decrease milk production, as well as decreasing the mares feed intake back to levels equal to that of a non-lactating mare.
How can I help my mare dry up?
If mares are uncomfortable, owners can use
camphorated oil or udder balm
, commonly applied to cowsʼ udders, to relieve their hot, swollen udders. It is advisable not to feed grain to mares during the drying-up process. Eliminating grain feeding of mares a week before weaning may also be helpful.
How much grain should I feed my nursing mare?
Many mares in the first three months of lactation will require
between 10 to 15 pounds of a commercial grain mix per day
to meet their increased nutrient requirements. Dividing this into two or three meals per day can help reduce the risk of digestive upset and increase nutrient digestion and absorption.
What other extra feeding management is needed for pregnant mares?
Good quality pasture or hay
along with a supplement such as Purina
®
Free Balance 12:12 vitamin/mineral supplement or Enrich Plus
®
Ration Balancing horse feed may be all that is necessary to meet these mares’ nutritional requirements.
Can lactating mares eat fescue?
Endophyte-infected Fescue and Lactating Mares
Owners may want to consider giving mares that graze endophyte-infected fescue pastures a higher level of
vitamin E
the last 30 days of pregnancy and in early lactation.
At what age do foals start eating hay?
Foals Enjoy Grass in a Week After Birth
A foal will start to taste grass after they are about a week old. By the time they are
about 10 days old
, they’ll start to eat a bit of grass and hay. By two months, the foal will need more nutrition than mare’s milk alone can provide.
Can you wean a foal at 2 months?
When the foal is about 2 months old, the immunity he gained from his dam’s colostrum is wearing off, but he won’t develop his own strong immune system until at least
4 months
old. … If you wean a foal before his immune system kicks in, he’s more susceptible to disease than an older weanling.
What is the best feed for a yearling colt?
The University of Kentucky recommends feeding yearlings a
grain that has between 12 and 14 percent protein
. It also is recommended that your yearling have unlimited access to hay and pasture grasses as well as clean water.
How do I know if my foal is getting enough milk?
A bright, active and alert foal
is the best indication they’re receiving adequate milk to meet their daily energy and nutrition requirements. However, if you observe unusual suckling behaviour, or your foal seems lethargic or unwell, consult your veterinarian.
How much protein does a lactating mare need?
The milking mare needs
about three pounds of protein
, so it is necessary to feed approximately 26 pounds of high quality feedstuffs every day to meet those needs (Figure 4). For example, a lactating mare must be fed ap- proximately 13 pounds of hay or good pasture to meet the protein requirement.
How long can foals go without nursing?
If the newborn foal does not stand and nurse by
two hours after birth
, you should consider it abnormal, and you should consult your veterinarian as soon as possible. It is important to remember that a high-risk newborn foal may look relatively normal for several hours after birth.
