Anyone used mares replacer milk??

[Foxford]

Hi everyone. This is my first venture into this forum!

For those that don't know, I have a 3 1/2 week old orphan foal to look after. We lost his mum on Thursday morning. Can anyone offer advice/opinions on what is the best milk replacer to use? We started off on Aintree, but were advised (by the vets!) it was a bit expensive. So we've now got some of the Dobson and Horrel "Equilac". But that's not cheap either at the rate Apollo get through it!

Obviously it's tough if thats' what were going to have to pay. But I wondered what others have used in the past, and which one is the best? We have started to give him a very small amount of creep pellets, and he does eat a bit of hay.

Thanks!

 

[luckilotti]

Hi -
Sorry i havent any experience of this but i just wanted to say how sorry i am for your loss.
keep up the good work with the foal.
charlotte x

 

[zigzag]

Used the equilac on an orphan foal where mum rejected him, found we had to feed more than what they said on the tub and it cost around £1500 by the end in milk, it was worth it all he was a TB who made 16.2 (his mum was 16.0 and dad was 15.2 )

 

[Navalgem]

The orphan foal on the yard I livery at is 2 1/2 weeks and still on aintree foal milk but baileys do a foal creep pellet that can be fed from 1 week, although YO is choosing to start at 3 weeks. You still feed the milk too but gradually reduce the amout per lb of creep it eats. Ring baileys, they were great and very helpful and sent loads of info in the post. The pellets are about £17 per 20kg bag, so is a lot cheeper! The foal has also just started chewing at hayledge (not sure if it's actually eating it properely) but she was beginning to eat her bed so they tried her with a tiny bit. HTH

 

[Foxford]

OMG I've just had heart attack!!!! Why is it so blooming expensive? Glad your orphan foal did well, and pleased to hear he grew up to be a big boy.

 

[henryhorn]

We hand reared one two years ago if you go to www.henryhorn.blogspot.com and look through the archives there are lots of pics..
We used the D and H one but it cost us such a lot of money. I really regretted not accepting the offer of free goat's milk form a friend, it would then have cost me the diesel to collect it not £32 a bag every week or so..
If it will eat creep pellets that's a much easier way of feeding too, less time consuming for you.
We were lucky, her sister adopted her and was her constant companion, they used to sleep with their heads on each other, (we had a camera set up) and she soon stopped missing her dam.
I would try and keep her in with another horse if possible such as a shetland or old gelding, otherwise they become far too humanised.
We have also used a foster mare on another orphan, but be warned the foaling bank service isn't free even if you are a member, at the end of it you get an invoice from them..
It isn't too late to find a foster dam, we skinned the dead foal (local poacher did it, our vet said he'd never seen a better job), tied it on the foal, darkened the stable and put the dead foals ears on the partition for an hour first with the foal inside that stable. Then backed the foal up to the mare who was held in a bridle.
The mare just loved the filly and that was that really, you are supposed to be more careful with the adoption process but it was obvious the mare felt well disposed towards the foal so we let them get on with it.
It is a long job rearing a foal and I would advise trying to find a mare if poss, we all took turns but Izzie needed to be fed every two hours to start with 24/7.. Or get a calf feeding set up, then it can feed itself..

I'm happy to answer any questions if you pm me..

 

[Foxford]

Thanks HH,
He is currently in a stable where he can see his foster mum over the partition. Our gelding is on the other side of him and they can also see eath other over the partition. We are trying not to treat him like a big pet! If he nibbles he gets a flick on the nose etc.

Perhaps I'll try and find a source of goats milk. I hadn't heard of that. His foster mum's milk dried up (moving stress we think) but my sister says it seems to be back today! Hopefully he will try to suckle from her. We haven't seen him try yet. I'm glad all worked out well with your foal. I'll go and look at the piccys now!

 

[milliepup]

I had a foal that was in hospital for 2.5 weeks and unfortunately was so ill she couldn't feed off mum so milk dried up. They are both home now and I have fed both Aintree milk replacer and also Horsepower. Last week I called to order another bag of Aintree and was told that it had been increased from £43.00 a 10Kg bag to £61.50. As you can imagine I nearly had a heart attack so opted for Horsepower which she was on whilst at the vets. HP costs £40 a 10Kg bag and she has this along with Baileys creep pellets and is coming along really well. My vets is also very nice and as they get it at an even better price will order in the HP for me and I just pay them. It's nearly half price!
Good luck with your foal.

 

[mollymurphy]

[ QUOTE ]
I had a foal that was in hospital for 2.5 weeks and unfortunately was so ill she couldn't feed off mum so milk dried up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just wondering, could the vets not induce lactation in your mare? I can imagine it would be cheaper than the milk replacer. I'm new to all of this though, so am not sure if it is only on trial at present.

http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/AAEP/2002/910102000068.PDF

Lou. x

 

[herondell]

i also have a poorly foal the mum has milk but we dont think she has enough one min she has hardly any coming out next its dripping out when the foal is sucking so the vet adviced us to give creep pellets so i got the dobson and horral one which are the same as baileys but a lot cheaper at first the foal would only eat a little so i soaked them in water so there a soft paste and now she loves it,i hope the foal will be ok i know how worrying it can be.