For some reason Sasha does not have much milk this year. The baby born yesterday is thin and we gave her Seramune yesterday. That perked her up but I don't think Sasha has much milk. We had her on orchard grass but I think the drought we have been in has lessened the nutrient value of our hay this year. We have started bottle feeding the baby now.
Question is this. Would you remove the baby from Sasha or just try and leave them together and continue to bottle feed? I would like to see if Sasha's milk comes in more (we switched her to alfalfa now) and I know if the baby does not nurse, she will dry up. But not sure leaving her with Sasha will be the right thing due to the fact that Sasha knows she has no milk and pushes the baby aside.
I think I am asking if anyone has ever had to bottle feed for a few days and then the jenny start feeding the baby? We have been lucky I guess and never had a mare or jenny that did not have plenty of milk. Bottle feeding a foal is a new thing for us. We have even toyed with seeing if one of our ready to wean mares might be an option for this baby if we can get them to take her. I know if I remove this baby from Sasha, she won't take her back and I will have to continue to strictly bottle feed, which I don't want to have to do unless absolutely necessary......
Question is this. Would you remove the baby from Sasha or just try and leave them together and continue to bottle feed? I would like to see if Sasha's milk comes in more (we switched her to alfalfa now) and I know if the baby does not nurse, she will dry up. But not sure leaving her with Sasha will be the right thing due to the fact that Sasha knows she has no milk and pushes the baby aside.
I think I am asking if anyone has ever had to bottle feed for a few days and then the jenny start feeding the baby? We have been lucky I guess and never had a mare or jenny that did not have plenty of milk. Bottle feeding a foal is a new thing for us. We have even toyed with seeing if one of our ready to wean mares might be an option for this baby if we can get them to take her. I know if I remove this baby from Sasha, she won't take her back and I will have to continue to strictly bottle feed, which I don't want to have to do unless absolutely necessary......