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  Discussion on Foal who's mom refuses to let her nurse
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Posted on Monday, Jun 11, 2001 - 6:48 pm:

This morning we were blessed (surprised, since we didn't buy a bred mare)with the birth of a beautiful filly. Mom will have nothing to do with letting her nurse! Every time she gets close, mom raises a leg to shoo her away. We called the vet out. He tranquilized mom and we spent three hours+ trying to get the filly to figure out how this works. She just doesn't get it. She gets close and then with the slightest move from the mare she backs off. So... we have been successfully (if not at some risk) milking the mare. So far we have gotten about 80oz. of colostrum. The filly seems to be getting the hang of the bottle and has so far taken in about 40oz. I read in the article on orphan foals that 64oz in the first 24 hours was critical. I feel certain we can accomplish this. We continue to leave mom with the foal and will be milking as much as possible. The vet offered very little in terms of words of wisdom. We have another mare who is currently nursing a three week old colt. Is there the possibility of having her adopt an added foal? Any other words of advice would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post. P.S. The mom is a young 4yrs. old maiden.

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 12, 2001 - 7:42 am:

Update-
Successful day of milking mom and feeding colostrum to foal yesterday. Fed her around 100oz. of colostrum. Went to bed just after midnight and when I went out to do the 5:00am feeding mom and baby were nursing like old pros. Is this a common problem in maiden mares? All looks good at this point and we will continue to monitor progress.

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 12, 2001 - 8:00 am:

Super Lester,
First let me say it would be very unlikely that the other mare would take on a second foal at this stage.

No this is not a common problem but it is one you see occassionally and it is more common in nervous mares, I believe. Because we have managed several successfully, I have meant to write an article on this and maybe this will spur me on. You should check the foals IgG levels today just to be sure everything is OK but it sounds like you have done an admirable job.
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Dec 29, 2001 - 7:28 pm:

I have to add my comments even if they are way to late. First as the husband of a woman that runs a Nursemare Service here in the northeast, I have talked to many breeders that have had mares that have rejected their foals.reasons...Mare has no milk and can't stand the foal badgering her.Yes nervous mare,high strung, Arab breed comes to mind. In fact most of the calls that come in related to rejecters are from Arab breeders.Yes some are from TBs too. Most rejecters are maidens. Some rejecters are rejecters forever. Runs in the family.[there is one family of Egyptian Arabs] that has 4 generations of rejecters. This is not a common thing to some but then they don't have access to a lot of different people that have this kind of problems. In the case above... Lester got very LUCKY. In any case of a mare being nasty to her foal. [This is a rejecter] Treat it as if she is a rejecter no matter how sweet she is other times. Don't leave the foal with her alone.Be carefull how you try to milk her. Be very carefull how you try to get the foal up under her. Be very carefull how you try to get the two together.This mare or any rejecter can kill you or the foal.At the least she can put you in the hospital.She can make you hurt.Don't take chances. Don't ever let children in the stall with a mare that looks like she might try to reject her foal.In lots of cases the mare that won't let her foal nurse, will later on.Some can be worked on to make this happen.Most maidens will come around if done slowly and softly.The mares eyes can tell you a lot.The true rejecter will surely let you know she is not going to except her foal no matter what. I am glad Lester came out of this without problems and he is safe. There are many that are not as lucky.

Posted on Sunday, Mar 24, 2002 - 9:07 am:

I have a maiden mare who had a foal on 3/22/02. She wasn't very interested in her but was not mean. The foal was having a hard time nursing she would lick the udder but not latch on and nurse. We left them alone two hours and went back out and the mare was biting and cow kicking the foal. I tied the mare and she let the foal nurse. The first day we kept her tied so the foal could get away from her and went out to make sure the mare let her nurse. That night we hobbled and tied the mare and checked on them every two hours. Now it's Sunday and sometimes she will let her nurse and is nice to her and other times the mare is biting and/or kicking her foal. The mare is worst when she is eating her own food or it's feeding time. What should I do? Should I give them a few hours alone untied unhobbled and see what happens? When you take her foal out of her sight she throws a fit just like other mares. Need advice fast please.

Posted on Monday, Mar 25, 2002 - 6:16 am:

Good Morning Lori,
It would appear your question was answered by the post preceeding yours but just in case you need a second opinion, no I would not allow the mare to nurse the foal unattended until the mare starts showing affection towards the foal all the time.

To increase the safety to the foal you could construct a nursing stock in a corner of the stall. Essentially this is a set of stocks with the side rail just high enough to allow the foal to nurse. You lead the mare into them, close the back, tie her head short in the front with some hay or grain to occupy her time.
DrO

PS: A way to get more responses quicker Lori is to create your own, it keeps discussions easy to read and you will get more responses. The button for starting a new discussion is at the bottom of the page with the link to the article on this topic and the list of already created discussion.

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 26, 2002 - 10:55 pm:

I'm a little late but this might help someone. In the stall on back wall oppeset the feeder in front wall nail 2--2x4s about 10-12 inches long one inch apart. Nail another one about 6 inches long under them to form a slot. Do the same at the front wall. The height of these should be the same as the mares shoulder. You will be making a straight stall for the mare. get a 2x 8,10 or 12 inch board the lenth of the stall to fit down in the slots. Use straw or hay bales in back of her hind legs so she can't kick out at the foal.Again tie her short at the feed bucket and put a hay bag up for her.We would have her water bucket at the same height as the feed trough. Do not keep her in tis indefenitly. You will know if she will make a good mother in a short time. This works well If she is not goingto make the grade as a mother ten you will need a Nursemare or make the desision to feed the foal by hand. I would use the bucket method, free choice. The most important thing about raising an orphan is that it has a companion. Try to find another foal.or lots of luck to ya

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 9, 2002 - 7:49 am:

Yes you can continue with stock feeding 4 to 6 times daily but I would consider supplemental feeding with free choice Foallac pellets and weaning as soon as he get the hang of them.
DrO
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