Darkhorse
Well-Known Member
Following on from the topic on the haemalytic mare Im just wondering what is people's preference is on donor colostrum - frozen or buy powder and make it up ?
Colostrum - Frozen or Powdered ?
- Thread starter Darkhorse
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shazza283
Well-Known Member
If you have another foaling mare try to get some colostrum from her and freeze it - be careful with thawing it DON'T microwave it or boil it - it denatures the proteins (ie the antibodies in it) - failing a mare on your own place (or place where she's foaling) any mare colostrum is preferable to powdered - even the best contain very little useful antibody.
whitewood
Well-Known Member
As above comment really, having had an orphaned foal, the powder is okay as a stop gap, but if the foal doesn't get a mare's colostrum in her within the first few hours (I think about 18-24) they have to be drip fed it through a needle - not a nice procedure. The powder I think is not horse based so although provides immediate nourishment is no good for colostrum. So frozen every time, although it is very expensive. I have frozen in my freezer - just in case - but most equine vets hold it.
KarynK
Well-Known Member
Echo the above natural from same premises is always best. I freeze some every year and keep it nearby. The foals gut will not abosorb colostrum after 24 hrs so that is your crucial period.
Ideally a foal should receive 250 ml. of colostrum every hour for the first 6 hours after birth. I collect enough each year to get me by without compromising the foal at foot! But you can see from doing this that the foal very soon strips out the colostrum and it changes to milk quickly if they are feeding well. The mare cannot produce any more which is why you need to collect if she runs milk badly before foaling.
I always have powder as well as although it is not a substitute it can help support the foal while you carefully thaw out the real thing. I also freeze a certain amount of normal milk as well just in case it would get me by until I could get powdered in an emergency!!!
Ideally a foal should receive 250 ml. of colostrum every hour for the first 6 hours after birth. I collect enough each year to get me by without compromising the foal at foot! But you can see from doing this that the foal very soon strips out the colostrum and it changes to milk quickly if they are feeding well. The mare cannot produce any more which is why you need to collect if she runs milk badly before foaling.
I always have powder as well as although it is not a substitute it can help support the foal while you carefully thaw out the real thing. I also freeze a certain amount of normal milk as well just in case it would get me by until I could get powdered in an emergency!!!
Darkhorse
Well-Known Member
Thank you for your comments - yes we have my mare due about 4 weeks before her, but she is maiden so lets hope she has plenty of milk.
A silly question but how much do you know to take off without compromising the foal at foot ?
A silly question but how much do you know to take off without compromising the foal at foot ?
sybil
Well-Known Member
Yeah I would tend to agree... definitely frozen! And as for how much to take off- they have 2 teats so if you empty one side completely... which you wont because it gets boring after half an hour chasing them round... then the other side is still free and will replenish plenty quick enough- but after you have stripped it she will only produce milk. Just remember to keep her well fed and watered! But really any amount you can get out for another foal will make all the difference, so long as its before 24 hours =]