What, how, & how much do you feed suckling foals?

[targetsmom]

Mostly curious about how many use creep feeders, especially among those that stall the mares & foals?? In the past (all of 3 foals over 2 years) we have just fed the foals whatever the mare gets (Nutrena Safe Choice, plus some well-soaked alfalfa cubes and beet pulp in our case) in separate dishes at feeding time. But with concern over Mira's foal "Bunny" possibly not getting enough milk after the hypocalcemia in late April, we are giving Bunny added Calf Manna and milk replacer. So we figured we might as well give all the foals the same thing. We have no complaints about how they are growing, but just wonder what other people do?? Everyone has access to mineral blocks too, and fresh water of course and are on pasture most of day.

 

[Matt73]

I fed my foals Buckeye Foal Starter as soon as they were nibbling (a few days old). It's a milk-based foal pellet. So they'd get that in their stall a.m. and p.m. when the dam would get her ration balancer (in between those feedings they're out, of course) That and some grass and pretty much all the grass hay they wanted. They were switched to Gro 'n Win after 4 months or upon weaning. My foals all did really well on this system; nice sleek, shiny, healthy foals. No big hay-bellies here

 

[Becky]

My foals eat with their dams. They share a feed pan. Currently, they (mares and foals) are getting Equilene (by Bluebonnet Feed, a local company) 14/6 pellets. It's a 14% protein, 6% fat alfalfa based exact ingredient feed. They get that plus afalfa pellets. 8 - 10 ozs of alfalfa pellets 2 X day and about a lb and a fourth of Equilene twice a day. Pasture during the day. The mares are F-A-T and the foals are in great shape. The foals will continue on with the Equilene and alfalfa pellets at weaning. Grass and/or alfalfa hay as needed.

 

[Miniv]

We've always managed things like Becky of Redrock.......The foals share with their dams. We feed a 14% Senior pellet grain by Equus, which is manufactured here in the NW. We've also started mixing some alfalfa pellets in, which has been working. .... Basicaly, the bucket it 1/4th alfalfa pellets and 3/4ths grain. The senior feed has the vitamins and minerals (including selenium) specifically for our region.

 

[Eagle]

My foals share what their dams eat in the same bowl until they are about 2 months and then I start giving them their own bowl but they continue to eat the same feed as the mare. I won't bother with the name as things are different here but it is a 14% protein.

 

[targetsmom]

Thank you all. This is very helpful. Our grain is also 14% protein so it looks like the key difference is the added Calf Manna and milk replacer that we are only adding because of the hypocalcemia issue. And the separate dishes. And ours get alfalfa cubes instead of pellets.

 

[Miniv]

We use the alfalfa pellets because they're easier for the foals to handle, so to speak.... The only time we've used the cubes, we've soaked them.

 

[targetsmom]

LOL - we only use the alfalfa cubes because we are soaking them anyway! And everyone loves them!! We started soaking alfalfa cubes for Max for his ulcers and then when Ruby was suspected to have ulcers we fed them to her. So we were still soaking them when Mira went in the hospital, and when she came out and needed more calcium, it was an easy choice to keep them up. I keep thinking it is a bit crazy to soak them THREE times a day because we also give them at bedtime! That was how it all started, because it was convenient to soak them after their dinner. And we lost both the minis we were soaking them for in the first place.

 

[Miniv]

You're being a good mom! )