trouble nursing...advice

[TuffyLynn]

hi all... my mare foaled a bucksin colt by my Buckeroo grandson... textbook delivery...up within 10 min

pooped with in an hour but having trouble latching on and finding the "milk bar"

please advise... how long and how frequent and how much...

he is happy and healthy... trying to mouth the hay... but having trouble staying interested in nursing...

he was born 2 hours ago

thanks for any help

 

[Miniv]

We like to see our foals find the "milk bar" in 3 hours........

In the meantime, I'd recommend milking mom and giving your new guy some of her colostrum by hand.

We will hand milk into a cup and use a regular syringe to feed, if necessary.

Your foal's system is most open to receive his mother's antibodies in the colostrum during the first 6 hours of birth.....actually longer, but his ability to receive begins reducing slowly after that...... The first 24 hours of life is vital.

 

[MiLo Minis]

You need to be very careful if you decide to syringe milk into your foal. If he aspirates it into his lungs you will have one sick foal. Don't get too worried just yet, 2 hours is nothing. As long as mom is comfortable and not preventing him from nursing give him an opportunity to nurse on his own, there is still plenty of time. If you haven't been watching him constantly he may already have nursed without you knowing.

 

[Jill]

My vet had told me for syringing, be sure the foal is upright, vs. laying over and that's how we've done it when we've had to.

One thing Harvey came up with the first foal this season and it worked each time after -- put a little syrup (corn syrup, pancake syrup, whatever) on the mare's nippes and some on your finger and let the foal suck your finger. Then they will have the smell to guide them to the milk bar. The stall kind of smells like IHOP for the moment but it has worked very well!!!

 

[targetsmom]

Sending prayers that your colt has found the milk bar and is doing well this morning.... Update???

 

[TuffyLynn]

hey everyone... thanks for the thoughts! ... he really was interested in eating... just couldn't figure out and latch on...

man he was sucking her hocks her nose her elbow in front of her teats. It was very frustrating for us

.. we would help and he would fight it a bit BUT finally he got it

... i did take 3cc and squirt in mouth on tongue... and he wanted more ..

He came out a 9:25pm and WE went to bed at 3:55am!!

will have my son Tim help me get some pics up

thank you ! while i was surfing the forum....she had gone into labor fast..

thank goodness for my camera