Foal obsessed with eating clay

[brownswiss]

A healthy looking foal born June 9th is either eating his mother's tail or on his knees eating clay , stones or dirt from from any place he can find it. His mother is getting a trace element syrup since May 19th.

Any ideas on the cause or cure ?


Thanks

 

[Alec Swan]

When lambs are born in barns, and aren't turned out until they're a fortnight old, then generally the first thing which they do, is eat soil, generally from mole hills, if there are any. I suspect that they're looking for minerals, and I also suspect that that's what foals are doing, when they eat soil.

Out of our four foals this year, three have been on box rest, all for different reasons. They too have eaten soil, but seem to stop when they've had an ad-lib mineral tub, on offer. I also hang one of those round salt blocks, on the stable door, the ones with a hole in them. The mares and the foals all seem to enjoy them.

Others will say that it doesn't matter, but I think that if offering minerals gives them what they need, and stops them from eating soil, then that may well be the better way.

Alec.

 

[holiday]

I also agree with Alec, we give ours a red rockie mineral block the big one in the field and a smaller brick shaped in the stables, the foals are often on them from only a few hours old!!!!

 

[brownswiss]

Thanks for the replies. I will try the salt licks. The foal was born outside and we noticed him eating his mother's tail when he was a few days old