weaning

[cilla]

Hi time flys when your having fun and i have been having fun with my babies. The time is near to stat thinking of the next step. WEANING. Can i have some adivice and tips. I want to make this as stress free for both foals and mums. I have turned mares and foals out with my yearling who is realy sweet and good with them i plan on her being their buddy for weaning. Would love to hear how you have handled weaning. Also i am due to worm my guys soon should i worm before or after weaning. Thanks.

 

[Tab]

I do gradual weaning here. You only separate for very short increments and then you build on that time frame until you separate completely and the mare will be able to comfortably dry up without complications.

 

[Zipper]

When I wean I put the foals in a pen and the mares next to them and they can smell each other thru the boards or talk to each other close without screaming.

I just give the mares hay and half the amount of water for 3-4 days and I have never had a problem and no one seems stressed.

 

I separate mares from foals in a different pasture. The day of weaning starts the momma's on a normal ration of grain, with lots of alfalfa to fill in the gaps in their chewing time. Never had a problem, and never have withheld grain. Weaned my own children that way, and Lord knows, I didn't stop eating while I weaned them. It's the lack of actual "nursing" that dries up the udder, and babies with friends do just fine. I would recommend making sure the little ones have grain in front of them at all times, with alfalfa, to let them nibble when they feel the need. The alfalfa soothes their tummies and gives them the extra protein boost that they need as weanlings.

 

[amysue]

I seperate foals from the dam on opposite sides of the farm. I find my mares and foals stress more when they can see/hear eachother but cannot get to them. I always wean Iin groups so babies are not alone. I turn mine out in groups days after birth so the dams are comfortable with one another and the foals develop independence before weaning which makes it easier. I also introduce foals to hay/grain soon after birth to ease the transition. The times I have tried weaning slowly resulted in mares with sore teatsband mastitis and agitated foals with upset bellies. If the foal is used to wandering off and socializing then the cold turkey approach works well. If your foal has never been alone and cannot have a buddy then you may have to seperate mom and baby near by and deal with the hollering. I would worm after weaning as the dam would pass some dewormer in the milk but maybe not enough to erradicate parasites plus a bit of wormer can stop diarrhea in the foal.

 

[cilla]

Thanks for that guys great advice there.

 

[Miniv]

We've used the farmer's almanac with good results. We're due to wean too soon, so I need to find the dates.

In addition, we wean with the buddy system. Pull the mares totally away and with no grain and leave the foals in their familiar pasture area. The foals are used to grain and that of course continues...

For us, we leave the foals on moms longer than we used to, unless absolutely necessary. So, by the time weaning happens the mares and foals have half weaned themselves on their own. It's more psychological for them.

Right now we have two five month old foals and one four month old. We'll wait another month so that the younger one has buddies.

 

[AnnaC]

We always wean 'cold turkey'. By the time weaning comes around (approx 6 months of age here) the mares and foals are back in with the rest of the girl herd and have been for several months. They are all living out 24/7 with free range of several fields of good grass, foals are often found in their own group in a neighbouring field to their dams - more or less having weaned themselves.

We bring the mares and foals up to our 'weaning' field - it has a big run-in barn - and simply pop the foals in through the gate, wait for them to speed off to investigate their new surroundings, then lead the mares away and return them to the herd pastures. The mares never look back, and the foals seem unconcerned. Never had any problem doing things this way. Like Diane I certainly wouldn't restrict any mares food (or grass in our case) and never her water, we just keep an eye on any udder development, but mostly if they do fill, the lack of suckling soon stops the milk production without a problem. I do think that the earlier you wean the more problem you will have with possible udder development, plus I also think that the fun time with foals starts AFTER weaning - no interferring Mommas wanting to know what you are doing with their babies. LOL!!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I always make sure that the foals are eating a good amount of grain before I even think about weaning, apart form that it is your choice- I will never do cold turkey again, I cannot stand it, but some seem to get on with it. Never reduce the mare's water intake, that can be seriously dangerous and it has nothing to do with the amount of milk she produces. Whichever way you choose keep a constant check on the udder, it will swell beyond belief but do not milk it out unless the mare develops a temperature or the milk becomes clump (you need to milk a very small amount into your hand every day to check this.

Good luck!!