New Mama really losing weight..help

[Dandy]

I have a mare with a 4 week old colt that is really losing weight. I have been feeding her (in a pan foal can share) 1 1/2 cups of Amanamax (similar to Milk Plus has tons of protein, fat etc) and 21/2 cups of a mixture of alpha oats (12% prot) and all grain (10%) and Vitality (12%+additives) twice a day plus hay. Her backbone is showing and ribs are starting to show. How much more than the 8 cups a day should I give her?

 

[Horsefeathers]

Calf Manna is what we used for our mares (big)... but it is great for weight gain and the foal can eat it too... It really helps. (We use Nutri Boost).

Hope that helps,

Chris B.

 

[Dandy]

I messed up on my post. The Amanamax is like Calfmanna not Milk Plus. It has I think 22% protein which is why I don't feed too much of it. When I had asked the feed store for Calf Manna, Amanamax is the brand they carried. How much calf manna do you give?

 

[Margaret]

Can you give her some pasture? Mine did that until I gave her pasture... She was getting ribby and narrow.. even though she had lots of hay, and I supplimented oats.. Those babies will pull them down fast. Even though she was my "dry lot girl", I had to resort to pasture durring the day, as the oats and hay was "not enough" to keep her from dropping weight. She is fine "now" on that routein, and holding her weight well.

 

[Robin_C]

Sounds like she is getting plenty of grain and supplements. Grazing is a great idea. If that is not possible, there are a few more options -- add soaked beet pulp to the diet. It's a safe form of calories and she can have lots of it. -- free choice hay, including some alfalfa (if you're not opposed to that). -- rice bran or rice bran oil as a source of fat with good omega's.

Robin C

 

[Dandy]

Can you give her some pasture? Mine did that until I gave her pasture... She was getting ribby and narrow.. even though she had lots of hay, and I supplimented oats..  Those babies will pull them down fast.  Even though she was my "dry lot girl", I had to resort to pasture durring the day, as the oats and hay was "not enough" to keep her from dropping weight. She is fine "now" on that routein, and holding her weight well.

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We have tons of pasture, problem is it's fescue and I had read where fescue could even affect the production of milk in nursing mares, so I have only let my mares on the grass twice a week for a couple of hours. I will up the hay and add a little more grain. Maybe the baby is eating more of the grain than I thought.

 

[Margaret]

I think your free choice hay option, would be a good addition at this time.. I am careful to not over do the grain in the summer time... Try that and maybe a "daily wormer" like "Strongid C" added to her grain once a day to keep the worms out of her, til she gets herself back up. ( It comes in a big green bucket that has a measuring scoop that measures for our lighter weight horses too)

 

[Sunraye Miniatures]

Are you giving her any hay? Sounds good in the grain department. I would give her free choice grass hay/or timothy hay. I would avoid giving her any alfalfa cause she is getting plenty of protein in her diet.

 

[wpsellwood]

I know alot of people frown on alfalfa but its an awesome weight builder. I read an article in the Blood Horse on broodmares (thoroughbred) and how they should receive alfalfa durning and after pregnancy to help maintain their weight. Try that.