mare nursing two foals, any helpful tips?

[CheyAut]

Earlier in the week my friend Susan sent out an email that her mare foaled and stopped eating, was very sick (from not eating). She was looking for a mare that recently foaled but lost a baby that might adopt hers. I had just seen Sage let both her Waffle and Murphy's Microburst nurse off of her, so I sent Susan a link to the igloo momma, as well as letting her know we could try Sage if she wanted.

Today while out of town trialing my dogs (agility) I got the call that her mare died. So she and another friend brought the filly over, and Sage accepted her no problem. Susan has been there all day with them. We are on our way home now.

Nursing a foal can be hard on a mare, so I imagine two is much harder. So, helpful tips on this? Supplimentinng the foals? Mine at least already eats soaked pellets and hay with momma, not sure about her filly yet. My boy was born a couple weeks ago, hers is about a week old I believe.

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

No tips here, haven't had that issue, but if I remember right, didn't the gals over at Mulligans Run have a mare that took on another mare's foal as well as her own last year? Maybe shoot those gals an email?

 

[Getitia]

A few years ago, we had a mare adopt another foal about 3 days after she had foaled and she raised both of the foals very successfully.

She was a heavy milker anyhow - and we increased the quantity of her grain by about 2/3s of what she normally was fed (16% protein mare/foal pelleted grain) and she was out on plush pasture during the day. We kept her in a separate pasture by herself and her two foals instead of keeping her pastured with the other wet mares as she would try to chase after both her two foals that would take off in different directions - this caused her to go in a panic at times and I did not want her to have any more distractions than necessary. As the foals matured, she relaxed and when the foals were about 2 months of age, we introduced the group to the wet mare pasture and they thrived in the group setting until they were weaned.

We also creep feed our foals which helped tremendously with both of these guys. Hope this is of help.

 

[CheyAut]

Thanks guys! When I got home, the foals were on opposite sides nursing

A happy little trio! The filly is thin, so I will be keeping them stalled until she gains some weight, and I will turn out alone for awhile, good idea. Filly doesn't have interest in the pellets or hay yet, but nurses well! My colt loves to eat hay and pellets with momma, so that's good I think, more milk for the filly. She is sweet and adorable

 

[CheyAut]

Here are pics (from my phone so not great) of Sage and her "twins", her real colt Waffle, and "her" filly Sky

 

[chandab]

Thanks guys! When I got home, the foals were on opposite sides nursing

A happy little trio! The filly is thin, so I will be keeping them stalled until she gains some weight, and I will turn out alone for awhile, good idea. Filly doesn't have interest in the pellets or hay yet, but nurses well! My colt loves to eat hay and pellets with momma, so that's good I think, more milk for the filly. She is sweet and adorable

If the filly isn't interested in pellets/feed, you might try milk replacer and give her supplemental feedings a couple times a day (at least), it'll be a little more labor intensive than just letting her eat with mom, but would get her a little extra feed. Perhaps you can find a smaller size bag of milk replacer, so if she doesn't go for it, you aren't wasting your money. [You can try a bottle, but hopefully, she'll be willing to drink from a bowl, as that's a bit easier for you.] They make milk replacer pellets, you might try those, and make a gruel out of them for her, if she'll eat it.

And, they are a very cute trio.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

What a good mare. You might talk to you vet, but I would do as Getitia mentioned increase feed for the next couple months, creep feed the foals or use the pelleted Foal Lac. The vets had us feed that to one of our mares that had hyperlipemia and a nursing foal. WE had a buffet for her - pasture, alfalfa, grass hay, grain, foal lac pellets - anything to keep her weight on and her eating.

Great photos.

 

[Cavallini Farms]

Aw now that is just darn sweet!

 

[CheyAut]

Thanks guys! When the filly's owner and another friend got back here, they told me the filly DID eat some watered pellets, and then she ate some more while they were here

We're going to look for some of the foal pellets tomorrow as well. For now, free choice hay and I finished off my Jr (will get more tomorrow) and extra bermuda blend (soaked so easy for the foals) pellets.

 

[AnnaC]

What a lovely story and what a sweet mare you have there.bless her. As others have said, I would just increase her food and encourage the new filly with her creep feed (she will probably follow your colt's example in a few days. I wouldn't try supplimenting her with 'milk' - it might stop her turning to the mare for her liquid feed. Also the sooner you can get them out on the best pasture you can provide the better - good green grass is both brilliant and natural for boosting Momma's mild supply and the foals will soon nibble at it too.

Good luck - do let us know how they progress.

Anna

 

[bannerminis]

Pretty little filly. How sweet is your mare taking on another baby - she is a treasure.

 

[Miniv]

Your mare IS a treasure...you have no idea.

Others have already given you great advice, IMO. Up her grain and try supplementing the foal(s) with milk pellets.

 

[wcr]

God Bless the good mothers.

Several years ago I had to put down a mare that had a 5 week old filly and another mare let her nurse but didn't "mother" her. I free fed with alfalfa and she got grain every time the foal nursed. That was the deal, she let her nurse and I gave her grain. I also had a creep feeder for the foals but the orphan wouldn't use it. Her legs started to go a little wonky and weak but came around within a month or 2 with trimming.

 

[HGFarm]

Wow Jess, what a good mare to let the filly nurse also!! Thank heavens!

Unfortunately, Jess and I live close to each other- we live in the desert and there is no pasture here - at all.

Jess I would just really increase Sage's alfalfa hay and the grain too as Getitia suggested- and if you have any way to set up a creep feeder in the corner of your pen where mama cant reach it but the foals can go in and out, that would be great.

So sorry for the loss of your friends mare- it almost sounds like hyperlipidemia?

 

[Davie]

Thank heavens above for those mares that will take on other foals. I used to own a mare that would let any foal nurse whether that foal's dam was in the pasture or not. She was a very heavy milk producer also. I sold her but know where she lives just in case I ever have a situation where I have to send a foal to her. Those mare are invaluable.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Give all the supplement food and milk pellets to your foal, not the orphan filly- let her get the mares milk and just offer her soaked feed every day til she starts on her own. Always supplement the stronger animal, as they can take the strain of supplements, leave the mama's milk for the weaker baby, in every case, dog, cat, horse, it is all the same.

Watch Mamas calcium levels, btw, you might want to keep liquid calcium in the fridge in case, and talk to your Vet about a good calcium supplement for the mare.

Feed her as you have never fed before- she is now, officially, eating for three!

She also gets my award as "Mare of the Year!"

 

[CheyAut]

Thanks everyone!

I'm giving her free choice alfalfa hay and lots of extra soaked pellets (pretty much free choice as well). The filly's owner is going to look into foal milk pellets or something, and I can do a fenced off area for the foals if we need to, no problem. All three are eating the hay and pellets now

Sky, the filly, was running and jumping a bit today

She feels better, too, I mean when you physically feel her. Her ribs don't seem to stick out so much and her belly is full. Waffle, my colt, tries so hard to play with her. It'll be nice in a few days or however long when she's as strong as him, and they can play together a lot! And then when she's strong I will turn them out with the other two foals as well for lots of fun

 

[HGFarm]

Gosh Jess, you had 'twins' and didnt even know it! LOL

 

[Helicopter]

What a woman.

:FirstPrize