Advice on winter foaling please

[ticki]

I posted previously regarding rug for newborn foal in readiness for mare foaling any time. The mare still hasn't foaled, however she is kept in the end bay of a very sheltered barn - right at the far end. It is warmer in there than in any of the stables we have, however poos are still frozen when skipping out and so still very cold and not at all an ideal time for baby to be born. I'm uncertain as to when she is due to foal. Vet examined about 6 weeks ago and said probably a Christmas foal or maybe January. Mare has very small udder but nothing to speak of really and it hasn't changed at all in the time I've had her. Ex owner could only tell me that she foaled in winter last two years and both times the foal died. He thought she maybe didn't have enough milk or else from the cold. Each time she was running with others in a herd environment.

I have now bought a fleece dog rug for the foal (24") but am worried that this will not be enough. On the other hand however I know that many Thoroughbreds are bred for foaling as early as possible and wonder how these survive. Do they have heating installed in stables or are they okay with just good indoor shelter even though cold? I am at a loss as to how best manage this situation and give the foal a good chance of surviving without overreacting. Any advice or cimilar experiences appreciated please.

Mare is supposedly NF as is stallion, however both are around 11 hands mark.

 

[chickeninabun]

Sorry, no words of advice, but wish you every luck with the foaling. I know foals cope out in the wild etc, but it's not exactly cold this winter... it's f-f-f-freezing!!

Have you tried putting this post in the Breeding section, as they might be clued up in there.

 

[robysfarm]

Could you possibly find some heat lamps to buy/hire/borrow from a local stud or friend etc. I would be checking on her every hour every night as I would think its important to be there when the foal comes incase the mare goes into difficulty and also to get the foal dried off as soon as possible. I would also get in the milk substitute incase the mare doesnt run enough milk initially and then if need be you can bottle feed the foal if the foal is too weak to stand straight away, milk some of the fist lot of the mares milk off her and bottle feed it to get the colosturum into the foal.

I would have plenty of towels and blankets and straw at the ready to create as warm an environment as possible ready for the foal.

Good Luck as foaling during the summer/spring is hard enough this must be causing you awful worry. I hope everything goes well and you end up with a happy healthy mum and foal.

 

[SVMel]

What a good idea re the heat lamps, I didn't even think of that. I know that many TBs are bred to foal early, but lets face it, these are usually kept in pretty luxurious surroundings. If she has lost foals two winters running I can't believe someone thought it was a good idea to breed from her again in the same circumstances for a third time.

Good luck, keep us updated as to how she does.

 

[JanetGeorge]

What a good idea re the heat lamps, I didn't even think of that..

Be VERY careful!! Some years ago, a hunt local to me had a bitch with litter in one of 3 timber loose boxes (horses in the other 2). Something went wrong - don't think they ever found out what - but the heat lamp caused a fire that took hold so quickly the two horses and the bitch with her litter were all lost!

The most important thing is that you are THERE - so foal can be dried off quickly and have a rug on (smear a bit of the birth fluids on the rug or it may cause rejection!) Have some colostrum - preferably frozen 'real' colostrum - oir at least the packeted stuff. A couple of syringes of this - http://www.vetuk.co.uk/digestive-su..._270/foalstim-foal-probiotic-colostrum-p-1368 - would be worth having and administering! The first as soon as foal is dried off - and the 2nd 24 hours later (even if mare has plenty!)

Cold doesn't kill foals - lack of attention at foaling and lack of care after foaling does.