Help please - with Mother Nature's strips?

[ShaunaL]

I bought Mother Nature's test strips for the first time and decided to try them out this morning. I tried to call the company but my cell phone is acting up. Can someone who has used them before help me? How close are the square colors to the colors on the bottle? I'm having trouble matching up the squares? Maybe I just need glasses LOL

I am watching her like a hawk due to her history (thankfully the kids are out of school for 2 weeks so I can watch her more easily) but I have to leave for a midwife appt 1/2 hour away soon so I'll be gone for a couple hours this afternoon.

A little background on this mare - her last 3 foals were all born before 315 days. All born with little warning, she has had a very small udder and no real signs for the last 3 foals. Since I had been told of this by her previous owner I watched her closely under cameras last year when she developed a tiny little bag and unfortunately she foaled a stillborn colt around 291 days soon after.

This year she is around 312 days today. She actually has a decent sized bag for her (!) and yellow sticky milk. She's been under cameras and wearing an Equifone since 280 days, just in case.

So here is the strip from today but I'm having trouble reading it. How accurate do you guys think the strips would be on a mare like her, who foals suddenly without a lot of signs?

And udder pics from last night, I don't know what her udder looked like for her 06/07 babies, just that it was very "small" and she foaled without warning in pasture both times. For her 08 baby her udder just had a little puffiness to it, just enough to make me think I'd better watch her, given her history. The owner before the last one also warned me that she is a very "sneaky" mare and her foalings were often missed.

Thanks everyone! I know this is impossible to predict for sure but she does seem to be showing more signs than usual this year so maybe she'll take it easy on us this time. Watch her go to 350 days now

 

[~Lisa~]

Not much help here but I have found those strips that measure the calcium are not as accurate as even cheap plain pool strips that measure pH you can usually find the pool strips for about 6-8 bucks they will also measure calcium at the same time

 

[shelly]

I am using the mother nature strips and all of my tests so far look just like that...if you look in the non-foaling range yours will match in the first squares. I don't know if I am believing the results but my mares milk is not sticky or yellow...it is cloudy and runny. I would say that your mare is more likely to foal before mine if her milk is yellow and sticky!!! My mare is at 314 days today.

 

[ShaunaL]

Thanks you guys - I just couldn't make my squares really match up with any of them, the closest was that 2nd green from the left but that was funky too LOL I tested this afternoon with a pool strip and got hardness 1000 and pH was a very light orange down in the 6.8 range so I guess this mare is not made for strip testing

Don't the hardness and the pH usually go down together? Guess I'll just continue to watch her and assume she'll foal between today and mid-May

ETA - Shelly, she had thin clearish milk until last night when it changed to this yellow sticky milk so I guess that's progress. I'm just thrilled she's showin me ANY signs at all this year!

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Shauna,

I use the MN strips and I find them VERY reliable! Your mare is ready not ready based on the colors displayed in the picture you posted. I would continue to test her once every 24 hours. If it were MY mare, I would feel comfortable sleeping through the night with that reading.

Good luck!!

 

[ShaunaL]

Thank you Parmela! That's what I was hoping for, some freedom to run out for errands and stuff

 

[kaykay]

Like Lisa I used the pool strips when I used to use them. The PH will be the biggest indicator of foaling.

I am kinda curious though why you are all testing so early?? 312 and 314 is fairly early. I rarely have a mare foal before 330. Now I do watch them but until they get closer to 330 or have a huge udder I didnt test them

Now I just go by the look and feel of the udder and milk. One thing I know is reliable is that if you have a rock hard hot udder you will see a foal soon LOL

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Shauna,
I use the MN strips and I find them VERY reliable! Your mare is ready not ready based on the colors displayed in the picture you posted. I would continue to test her once every 24 hours. If it were MY mare, I would feel comfortable sleeping through the night with that reading.

Good luck!!

That was supposed to say REALLY NOT READY. Sorry!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Check out Kim's website www.crayonboxminiatures.com for foaling signs and discussion on milk appearance testing pH and using pool strips etc... very detailed with photos and everything. Her first foal of 2009 was at 312 days gestation and her testing of the milk predicted the mare accurately. Best wishes.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

Just to comment as well, my mare that foaled Saturday night at 312 days had yellow sticky milk, she tested the same as yours and foaled 4 hours later. You have to know your mare, on the pool test strips my mare tested 400 calcium & 6.8 ph. I find the colors on the Mother Nature test strips hard to read/compare.

 

[ShaunaL]

Like Lisa I used the pool strips when I used to use them. The PH will be the biggest indicator of foaling.
I am kinda curious though why you are all testing so early?? 312 and 314 is fairly early. I rarely have a mare foal before 330. Now I do watch them but until they get closer to 330 or have a huge udder I didnt test them

Now I just go by the look and feel of the udder and milk. One thing I know is reliable is that if you have a rock hard hot udder you will see a foal soon LOL

I know, it seems really early but this is a mare who has foaled her last 3 foals before 315 days. Of course, I don't want to use them all up if she ends up foaling around her due date or later either! I wish she was one of those who was reliable with her udder development but her last 3 foals have been born with very minimal udder, much smaller than she has now.

So, maybe I'll use both kinds of strips, since I have them.

Thanks for the link shorthorsemom! I forgot all about her testing page. I would LOVE for this mare to foal soon, since we have a light schedule the next two weeks but I'm feeling patient (for now!) so she'll foal when she foals

With my luck, the year I am available around her usual 310-315 day window she will decide to wait and foal around her due date like most do

 

[ShaunaL]

Just to comment as well, my mare that foaled Saturday night at 312 days had yellow sticky milk, she tested the same as yours and foaled 4 hours later. You have to know your mare, on the pool test strips my mare tested 400 calcium & 6.8 ph. I find the colors on the Mother Nature test strips hard to read/compare.

Oh Kim, thank you!! That is precisely the trouble I was having - I CANNOT line the MN squares up, none of them seem to match well!! I tested her an hour ago with the pool test and the calcium was some weird color that looked closest to 1000 BUT the pH was lighter orange than the 6.8 square so now I'm totally confused about her

Her milk is now very thick and sticky, different from this morning so she is moving right along.

BUT, like I said I am ready for her to foal anytime between now and mid-may

I just really want to make sure I am there, she has lost at least one foal that I know of at a previous owners (her 07 filly) due to her foaling without signs and unattended and the foal never got out of the sack - I can't let that happen!

 

[Cegocindy]

Not much help here but I have found those strips that measure the calcium are not as accurate as even cheap plain pool strips that measure pH you can usually find the pool strips for about 6-8 bucks they will also measure calcium at the same time

Dear Lisa,

Hello! I am the owner/inventor of the Mother Natures Mare Foaling Predictor Strips, and just wanted to clarify that these are the first ever equine specific test strips for milk; they are NOT pool strips. They are specific to the ranges of chemicals in a mare's milk at the time of foaling. They measure many things in the milk, not just calcium levels and PH levels. Also they are specific to horses, and the pool strips ranges are not specific to horses. They are backed by years of testing and research on horses and foaling times.

Just wanted to make sure that was clear to all that reads the board. We spent years inventing this kit, and comments like this can keep people from trying them. Again, they are Equine specific and not pool strips. All the information is on our website at www.mothernatureskit.com if you would like more information.

Thank you!

Cindy Coffman

Owner/Inventor

Mother Natures, LLC

www.mothernatureskit.com

 

[Cegocindy]

I bought Mother Nature's test strips for the first time and decided to try them out this morning. I tried to call the company but my cell phone is acting up. Can someone who has used them before help me? How close are the square colors to the colors on the bottle? I'm having trouble matching up the squares? Maybe I just need glasses LOL
I am watching her like a hawk due to her history (thankfully the kids are out of school for 2 weeks so I can watch her more easily) but I have to leave for a midwife appt 1/2 hour away soon so I'll be gone for a couple hours this afternoon.

A little background on this mare - her last 3 foals were all born before 315 days. All born with little warning, she has had a very small udder and no real signs for the last 3 foals. Since I had been told of this by her previous owner I watched her closely under cameras last year when she developed a tiny little bag and unfortunately she foaled a stillborn colt around 291 days soon after.

This year she is around 312 days today. She actually has a decent sized bag for her (!) and yellow sticky milk. She's been under cameras and wearing an Equifone since 280 days, just in case.

So here is the strip from today but I'm having trouble reading it. How accurate do you guys think the strips would be on a mare like her, who foals suddenly without a lot of signs?

And udder pics from last night, I don't know what her udder looked like for her 06/07 babies, just that it was very "small" and she foaled without warning in pasture both times. For her 08 baby her udder just had a little puffiness to it, just enough to make me think I'd better watch her, given her history. The owner before the last one also warned me that she is a very "sneaky" mare and her foalings were often missed.

Thanks everyone! I know this is impossible to predict for sure but she does seem to be showing more signs than usual this year so maybe she'll take it easy on us this time. Watch her go to 350 days now

Hello!

Please call or email us if you need help in interpreting your results. We are happy to help!! Email, [email protected]. By the looks of your results, you are moving quickly towards foaling. Somtimes the bottom and top colors won't quite match while this is happening because of the rapid changes. Keep an eye on this mare, and test again before bedtime. Your PH Levels are moving faster than the the other levels, and that can be totally normal while a mare is approaching foaling. These strips are a tool to alert you to the changes.

Thank you!

Cindy Coffman

Mother Natures, LLC

www.mothernatureskit.com

 

[eagles ring farm]

I would say with the pool strips

hardness goes up and ph goes down

it sounds as though your mare is close to foaling

I'd keep a close eye

Cindy can you help her read the Mother Natures test she showed ?

edited to say: thanks cindy I see you were typing the same time as me

 

[Cegocindy]

Just to comment as well, my mare that foaled Saturday night at 312 days had yellow sticky milk, she tested the same as yours and foaled 4 hours later. You have to know your mare, on the pool test strips my mare tested 400 calcium & 6.8 ph. I find the colors on the Mother Nature test strips hard to read/compare.

Dear Kim,

I am so glad that you received your free sample that we sent to you of the kit to try. Please call if you need assistance in reading them. We have had lots and lots of happy customers, and would like to make sure you have success. I am available and happy to answer all your questions. I have used these for years before releasing them to the market, and when a mare is moving quickly through the milk stages, sometimes the colors will be in between but if you will test, again, you will see that when that mare is ready to foal, it will match up exactly.

Thank you and please let me know if we can be of assistance. We were happy to send out the free sample to you, but would like the opportunity to address your concerns before they are posted to the public. We really believe in this product and even with the best of intentions, this kit is a tool to determine foaling time.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Cindy Coffman

Owner

Mother Natures, LLC

www.mothernatureskit.com

 

[kaykay]

Thanks for explaining! I didnt know these mares had a previous history of foaling early.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I'm glad that Cindy commented on the color matching. After she said she thought your mare should be watched close I went to my hubby's computer to see if the pics looked a different color to me and THEY DO!!! On my computer, the colors don't seem to match very closely, but when I looked on his screen I changed my mind! I DO think she's closer than I said earlier and I would test her at least every 6 hours if she were my horse. But I'm paranoid!!

Good luck Shauna! Here's to a healthy, happy baby!

 

[ShaunaL]

Thank you so much Cindy! I tried to call this morning but my phone doesn't want to call out for some reason. I could kinda make myself believe that the green square matched the 2nd from left in the foaling range but I couldn't get the top one to match any of them. But like you said,, her milk is changing rapidly in consistancy and may just be in between. stages. I've never tested her before (this was supposed to be the baseline test

) so I don't know where she normally would be.

I'm excited to see what she tests tonight! It would be wonderful if she would foal this week - this is the ONLY week I will be home a lot since I'm mostly off work due to the kids being on vacation

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Sorry, meant to add one more thought...

I've used pool strips and the MN strips. Both can work, especially if you know your mare. And I too found the MN strip colors to be a bit confusing at first. But once I had followed just one mare all the way through her milk development with the MN strips I totally got it! There are a thousand shades of color so you have to use the amount of change from one testing to another and not just the match of the color. The color is a reference and you put that together with the pace of the change in color and you base your watch on that. Just my 2 cents.

Happy foaling everybody!