Maiden Mares foaling with small bags

[PaintedMeadows]

Just curious really. I have 2 maidens this year. The first one is day 313 and I posted her pictures in another thread about Marestare 24/7. Her bag isn't huge and full but all other signs look like she is ready. I am wondering how many of you have had mares foal with little bags.

 

[Magic]

Last year I had a maiden mare foal unexpectedly at 313 days with a bag that was about half-developed, and her teats were still tucked up and pointing in toward each other. Her rear end was relaxed but I never thought she'd foal with her bag like that. All of my other maiden mares, so far, have at least had their nipples pointing down.

This year I have a maiden mare at 332 days with NO bag whatsoever. She may be going to go another month, but I won't count on it. She'll be going under camera immediately. I have a mare at the same gestation that has had a foal before, and she doesn't have a bag either. Weird.

No fescue here, and the mares that have foaled so far this year have had bags, and milk. Maybe they are waiting for better weather? It's still snowing every day.

 

[WLS]

Yes, I had a maiden mare that foaled full term with absolutely NO MILK. So we called the vet and he told us to hand milk her to manipulate her udder and feed the foal with a bottle. So at 1:00 am in the morning, in mid March with the temp freezing, sent my daughter in law into town to a 24 hour grocery store to buy a baby bottle. She must have been a site, complete in her barn coveralls and rubber boots. But we got a bottle and milked the mare and the colt survived. WE also gave the mare a shot of oxytocin and she had a full udder by the evening. Not something I wish to do again. Same mare has had three foals since that night, and now she foals with a full udder. Remember most maiden mares have not read the book on foaling and know NOTHING.!!! PS. Should always have a baby bottle on hand.

 

[barnbum]

My mares are not maidens--but neither are they developing bags at all. One is at 313 and she's always had a small but tight bag in the AM at this point, but there's been nothing. I can't figure it out.

 

[Jill]

We've had two mares foal so far. A maiden on 1/26 and a 2nd time mom on 3/22. Both had buckskin fillies -- yay!!!

The maiden had a small bag before she foaled, much smaller than I would have figured. She took my by surprise as a result but her timing was very fortunate. We found her in labor when we went out to feed on 1/26 @ 5am. VERY cold day, so it was really lucky timing. We were able to dry off our filly and get her and momma into a warm stall right away

Our second mare to foal, 2nd time mom, had a good size bag prior. One more to go, and she's big as a hippo right now! Not due I'd say for another 6wks though

 

[muffntuf]

I have had a maiden mare and mare that hasn't foaled in 3 years both foal with only half bags, but they had enough to start nursing and within 48 hours of foaling - they had decent bags.

I will say I put hay in front of them everytime I checked on them, that seemed to help them out.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Thanks everyone. My mare has milk in her bag it just isn't very big yet. Also she has free choice hay. I'm no overly concerned. Just was told a few times that she doesn't have enough bag to foal yet.

Just curious as others on here thought she could go at any time.

Her vulva is long, loose, swollen and red inside. She lost her mucous plug, loose tail, soft butt, grouchy, impatient and all that. Just a small bag and no real V but my old timer mare didn't get a V last year and she has had 5 foals so you would think she would have v'd real good!

Anyways, just wanted to hear others' experiences. Thank you!!