Mare Won't Let Foal Nurse

[MNSnowMini]

I have this mini mare that had her first foal last year. We tried everything we could but she just would -not- let the foal nurse. We ended up bottle feeding him. It was a hassle but it was worth it. Shes now having her 2nd foal in a week or so. Any ideas as to what I can do so she lets the foal nurse without kicking the heck out of everything?

 

[lil hoofbeats]

She may take it this year, they do not always do it a second time, I had to twitch a mare this year so she would let him nurse, then after a few times she allowed him to own her own, she was a new Mom, and she liked her foal, just did not want him to nurse. She got the hang of motherhood after a day or so. Good luck, i hope things go well.

 

[Bluebell]

If you can safely rub on the mares belly, then rub under her belly and touch her bag that can help them get used to a foal messing around under there. Using the twitch works too.

 

[Lizzie]

Bad mothering, if often genetic. If it were me and she still doesn't like this year's foal, I would not breed her again.

Lizzie

 

[lil hoofbeats]

I kinda agree with Lizzie on that one, if she does not accept this foal, she would be eating at another barn, unless you want to run a free lunch program.. .

 

[Sandee]

Were you there when she delivered or did she deliver alone? If she was in pain and alone then she may have associated it with the foal. If you can be with her within a short time after the birth you could give her a shot of Banamine for the pain; tie her if she still objects and help the foal find the milk bar. After the foal has eaten a time or two the pain in her uterus and her bag should go down and she will associate that with a good thing that the foal did.

 

[Katiean]

I have a mare that takes other mares foals. She is a super mom.

 

[ohmt]

I agree with Lizzie, but I've got lots of "free lunch" mares here. Love them all the same.

Hopefully this year she will get the hang of it. Already mentioned and maybe you're already doing it, but I would be rubbing her down and touching her udder multiple times a day until she foals. Pain meds after she foals and giving her bonding time (as long as she's not being aggressive right away). We are as hands off as possible for births and have never had a rejection in over 30 yrs. We are in and out.

 

[MNSnowMini]

She lets me do whatever to her, it's just when the foal went up there she started kicking at it. It probably hurt, ill have to buy some banamine

 

[Eagle]

As Sandee has said, I would suggest pain meds to help her. She will probably be fine this year. Please come over the the mare and foal thread, we would love to have you

 

[triiger5]

being a first time mum her udder might have been so tight and full it hurt, you can try putting lanoline on her teats before she foals to help soften them so they dont hurt so much. we had a cow that had triplets and would only let the first one feed until she accidently peed on the other two then they smelt like her and she let them feed so you can also try putting some wee on the foals back so it smells familiar to her

 

[MNSnowMini]

Alright, could you also put Carmex on the mares bag so it doesnt crack and bleed once it starts filling up?

 

[Joanne]

As has been mentioned, Banamine for the pain as well as a can of Bag Balm will go along way to helping the mare through her pain.

Some foals, especially colts, can be quite rough on the mares udders.

 

[lil hoofbeats]

A good friend of mine Scott Slice used to work at Sweetwater Miniature Horse Farm when they were in business, they foaled out several hundred a year. He said when they would have a mare that would not let a foal nurse they would give her a cc of ace, said it calmed the mare down and that was usually enough to get the mare to let the foal nurse. Just another idea to try, if all else fails. If you are there when she foals whiles she is still laying down, maybe you could pull the foal to her head, and put it right under her nose. She should still be too tired to do much protesting. Just another thought.

I have my fingers crossed for you that everything goes well.

 

[Mareish Mom]

I would use udder balm or pure lanoline rather than carmex. You don't want something that smells or tastes funny to put the foal off. And start rubbing and pulling those teets to prep her. Tie and hobble her if you have to at first. I bet if you prepare for the worst everything will go smoothly and she accepts the foal without an issue!

 

[Jean A]

Udder cream or bag balm..something to relax her until the little fella get a a good latch. humans are the same..it's why some human moms have a beer when they sit down to nurse (and the yeast is good for milk supply..too bad I don't drink!). Let down is not really a pleasant feeling, though getting rid of all that milk is great..

 

[Stacy Score]

A lot of time the mothering hormones just don't kick in, but . . . It is VERY important to make sure the mare is comfortable so Banamine is a good idea to give just after she foals - it takes about an hour to kick in, but it should help relax her and will last about 5-7 hours (use 1 cc per 100 lbs and give orally). A follow-up with another dose of Banamine may be necessary if she is really ouchy but not prior to 7 hours from the first one.

I believe that you can also administer oxytocin to help kick-start the hormones - you might try doing an internet search on abandonded foals and see what comes up - seems odd to use oxy, but I am pretty sure that was the hormone that was used

 

[Jill]

How are things going now?

We had a mare who had previously mothered perfectly fine reject a foal a couple-few years ago. She had a very difficult dilivery and required lengthy vet attention including an epidural which was a long process to place (mare was a bit fat, etc.). I think we had two factors working against us. We interupted the bonding time, and the mare was in pain. We tried for 5 days with restraining the mare so the foal could nurse, and yes, I mean every 1.5 hours around the clock, and finally gave up. We hand raised him and he grew up fine but it takes a lot of time and feedings very, very frequently at first.

As a routine from the start, we always dose our mares with liquid banamine (1cc per 100# of body weight) following delivery. I don't know that they all "need" it. I'm sure many would muscle through any pain or discomfort, but I wouldn't want to if I were them. I'd want something to help, so all our girls get dosed with bananine. I've read conflicting details whether or not to wait until the placenta passes, and since ours normally do this quickly, we usually do wait.

Just wanted to include this to help whoever it might help, and also was concered about your baby and wanting to be sure that nursing is happening frequently enough? They just have to eat so frequently the first couple-few weeks.

Good luck!

 

[Sandy B]

If as you said she lets you rub her udder and stimulate her nipples (mimic the nursing action by grasping and drawing down) then she might just be scared of the foal and when a foal nurses after delivery it cause pretty intense uterine contractions that cause pain. So a dose of Banamine for a a day or two afterwards will help with that and you might also need to lightly sedate her and tie her up until she gets used to the foal. I hope this will not even be an issue this year for you. We have also tied up a hind leg (after a mare was on Banamine) and brought the foal around to the side that was not tied up to nurse. As long as the opposite hind leg is hobbled up off the ground by a good 6" she should not be able to kick at the foal.

 

[MNSnowMini]

Her vulva is a scarlet color and her milk has gotten even more white since this morning, her bag isnt all that big. Im still going to stay up all night with her though.