mindofavet

Sometimes mother’s milk is not available.   The mare cannot provide for the foal and there is no readily obtainable source.   Perhaps a nurse mare is not accessible or not affordable. As replacers are more concentrated than mare milk, correct dilution with water is essential.   Dry matter percentage at final dilution should attempt to match that of mare’s milk at approximately 10-15%. 1   This may differ from the targeted concentration of the milk replacer.   Make sure you calculate well.   Increased osmolality (concentration) of milk replacer as compared to mare milk may lead to constipation, hypernatremia (elevated sodium concentrations in the blood), and dehydration in the compromised foal.   Additionally, the higher osmolality of the milk replacer may induce an osmotic diarrhea (concentrated ingesta draws water into the gut).   Bovine-based milk replacers contain sugars not normally found in mare’s milk or in different quantities.   Thi...

Compared to adult horses, foals are poorly adapted to cope with periods of nutritional deficit.  Energy stores in the neonatal foal are minimal when compared to the neonates of other species.  Glycogen stores in the neonate, contained in liver and muscle, are only sufficient to maintain normal body temperature for less than one hour. 1   Hypoglycemia is therefore common in even the healthy neonate.  The ingestion of adequate amounts of colostrum (see Colostrum it’s what’s for dinner), not only for immunological needs but also for caloric, is therefore essential to carry the neonate over the initial neonatal period until intake is sufficient to meet needs.  In situations where neurological or physical compromise to the ability of the foal to suckle the mare are present, energy levels can rapidly diminish. Considerable calories are needed not only to support basal metabolic needs, but to maintain a growth rate that approaches 2.5% of bodyweight daily in the heal...