Foaling alarms!

[jelibean]

What type and brand alarms does everyone use? Up until this year we have always had a CCTV camera linked up to the farm house from the foaling box, But this stable is now out of use and not sure the old system will survive the move. Does anyone prefer CCTV to foaling alarms if not how reliable are the alarms and what is a reasonable price to pay for one theres so many on the market.
Sorry for the millions of questions!

 

[snurse]

Certainly haven't found a reliable alarm - the theory that mares only lie down when they're foaling or that's the only time their breathing rate goes up etc. is rubbish. I believe there's some sort of alarm that involves the mare's.... er... back end, which ought to be foolproof! But we always watch. CCTV or a rota in the stable. None of the broodmares mind being watched, just as none mind being helped when it happens. The theory of 'leave well alone' is very risky IMO. Most of ours seem to have a very tough caul - don't know why - and foals would certainly have suffocated.

 

[no_no_nanette]

We used a combination of CCTV and a really good quality Boots baby alarm last year, and I set up a sleeping arrangement in the tack room, across the yard from the foaling box - very good in theory, except that the mare snored for England, so was constantly waking me up during the night thinking that everything was kicking off! But at least all I needed to do was a quick check on the CCTV and then go back to sleep (or try to!)

Of course the best laid plans can go wrong .... I left stable for 45 minutes one evening to go home and get fresh sleeping bag, etc, and when I returned there was our little colt foal, already up on his feet - typical mare's trick!

 

[kerilli]

a baby alarm is as good as anything, i think. you'd have to be deaf not to hear when the mare's waters break, it's like niagara falls, and you can scoot straight to the stable to be in on the action.

 

[Bsavin]

We had a mare foal last year with one of the foaling alarms that detects when they start sweating as they go into foal. Unfortunatly this mare decided not to sweat! Luckily someone went and checked every hour and found her just as she was starting to foal anyway.

 

[DAHH]

I use CCTV but as I missed 2 births this year I am thinking of buying an alarm.
I recently saw one that comes from Holland. The idea is as follows:-
A small transmitter is attached to one lip of the vulva with a fine piece of cord attached to the other lip. When the vulva starts to expand the cord snaps sending a signal to the reciever which then sends a text message to your phone. Seems to work very well and was really tempted until I saw the price....... 2500 euros!
So have decided to stick to the CCTV and buy a bloody loud alarm clock!