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  Discussion on Colostrum on Hind Leg
Author Message
Member:
Fouch

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 30, 2004 - 11:02 am:

I have a twenty-year-old mare that has one back leg covered with colostrum (day 325). Two years ago she dripped for 6 days and the foal's Igg was less than 200. Last year she dripped for three days and foaled at day 325. The Igg was 700 on the second foal. My question is at what point do you milk the mare in an attempt to save the colostrum?
Member:
Eoeo

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 30, 2004 - 11:10 am:

The first time we had a mare drip over 2 days my husband and I nearly had a divorce over it. He told me (he is an Idaho cowboy/lineman) that it was no big deal. Well, at day 5 we had her induced and $800 later had the baby set right. Transfusion etc. Now, if they don't pop it out by the 3rd day we will induce again. The "cowboy" is a believer now. If it is just a little drip, I wouldn't be too concerned, if it is a steady drip get the vet. EO
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 30, 2004 - 9:35 pm:

I feel totally different about induction than LKR. When I first started practice induction was all the fad with the local vets and more foals died locally from this procedure than any complications I have seen do to delayed birth. LKR perhaps the reason for the 800 worth of problems WAS the induction. Unless clearly indicated you do not induce because of the well documented problems with the procedure in horses. It is a case where mother nature sually knows best.

Concerning dripping of milk before birth and the recommendation to collect it this is a hard one. In general, as LKR alludes to, a small amount of dripping is not a big deal and often when tested these drippings are low in IgG. If you can ascertain the mare is actually loosing high colostrum milk by all means collect what you can but it is a time consuming, messy process. I would just about rather test and transfuse but it is expensive but a procedure I find very rarely required in a mare that has received good prenatal care even when she has dripped for several days before giving birth.
DrO
Member:
Eoeo

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 - 12:43 am:

Dr. Oglesby, that particular mare I was talking about had lost so much colostrum that the IgG was less than half of what it should have been. Transfused to give it the immunities it needed. Turned out to be one of the healthiest horses we have ever raised. She has never done that since and none of our others have done that either so we have been fortunate in that respect. Absolutely, we would not induce a mare unless it was warranted. Good prenatal care is essential. Hope it was a once in a lifetime thing. EO
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004 - 7:22 am:

Thats good LKR and perhaps there are other circunstances of which I am unaware, but I still strongly disagree that 3 or even 5 days of dripping milk is an indication to induce a birth. We do have an article on this at, Equine Diseases » Reproductive Diseases » Birthing Problems » Induced Labor, Parturition, or Birth.
DrO
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