Need Advise **UPDATE**

[MissMolly]

A friend of ours bought a mare less than a year ago, did not know mare was bred....found a live foal with the mare, but foal can't quite get how to nurse. They are able to milk the mare and bottle feed the baby, and they did get some colostrum into the baby also. Any other suggestions on what they should do to keep the baby healthy?

 

[kaykay]

It is SO IMPORTANT that they get enough colostrum in the foal. You only have about 8-10 hrs to get as much as you can in them so that they dont have failure to transfer. Keep track of how many CC's they get in the foal at each feeding so they know if the foal got enough colostrum. After that I would let the foal get hungry so it will try to nurse on its own. After 24 hrs they should have a vet pull an IGG snap test to be sure that the foal got enough. IF the foal didnt it will have to have a plasma transfer or it will die. I just saw on another forum someone who would not get the IGG done because they were sure the foal was fine. It died a week later as it went septic. So please be sure they run that IGG!

Sending good thoughts!

Kay

 

[MissMolly]

Thank you so much for your reply Kay, I will make sure to tell them

 

[pepperhill]

I would really try to get that baby on the momma! I know it can be really difficult to do sometimes, but , frankly, bottle feeding a baby is also very difficult as they need to be fed very frequently! It can be done, but is a LOT of hard work.

Is the momma standing well for the baby to nurse? Sometimes it can take that little foal quite awhile to figure it out, and it is difficult to watch as you find yourself wanting to jump in and help. Be patient and let the little guy nuzzle around. They usually figure it out within 15 minutes to a couple of hours, normally. As long as the momma is standing well, and the little guy is up and trying, they should be able to work it out. The more time the foal spends feeding from a bottle, the more it is going to think the teat doesn't feel right. Only bottle feed often enough to keep the foals strength up, not enough to keep it full. Hopefully it will get hungry enough to figure it out! Best wishes!

 

[Reble]

Dummy foals can take up to 24 hours, but once they figure it out, less on you and the mare.

Try putting syrup or molasses on bottle than put the same on her udder, keep the bottle between the mom's back legs directing them to the udder, the smell and taste will get them on much quicker.

Good Luck and keep us update.

 

[MissMolly]

Mamma does stand for the baby, so hopefully she will catch on. I will keep you updated. Thanks for the advise

 

[Bess Kelly]

Also, if the foal is trying to nurse, scratch it's little butt/lower hip just at the curve down -- the mare normally does this to help then latch on and encourage them to be there. If she isn't doing this, sometimes this helps the foal. Seems odd but, mother nature had her reasons

Combined with syrup, or mares milk, on her teats, they usually catch on. I spent "THE" 24 hrs with a slow foal once and I was

sure glad to have it learn!! But, the joy of seeing it "wake up" and nurse, run, thrive naturally was worth the time it took to accomplish it. Of course, you might not think that at hr 22

 

[MissMolly]

Thanks every one for the advise---just got back from visiting the baby and mama and while I was there the foal nursed on her own!!! YEAH!! They said she looks so much better tonight than she did yesterday! She actually started to run after mom! Hopefully she will do okay now. Thanks again

 

[Reble]

Good News, thanks for the update

 

[Mona]

YAY! What wonderful news!!