Foaling predictor kits... Any good?

PapaFrita

PapaFrita

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I DO plan on sleeping over at yard when PF approaches her due date, but I was wondering how good these are and/or if there are varying rates of reliability, depending on the brand. Are they worth having at all?
Thanks
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The branded kits are, in my opinion, too expensive, and often far too complicated!

Water hardness testing kits/strips are cheaper and extremely effective. As changes in milk composition are currently the most reliable indicators of imminent foaling, they are worth using!

A few people on the forums used water hardness strips this year, and I think they had good experiences - perhaps they will share their stories, and also what brand/types of test strips/kits they used.
 
How interesting! I would very much like to know more about water hardness strips. I don't suppose these are in any way like the testing kits for swimming pools? (I think that's alkalinity (sp) though)
I'd like to be as prepared as possible for the arrival of PFjr
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Well - taken from one of the milk test kit manufacturers sites:

[ QUOTE ]
Testing Schedule.
Sampling and testing should begin 10-14 days before the mare's expected foaling date (335-340 days from her last breeding date). If the breeding date is unknown, begin when udders become enlarged. Run FOALWATCH once a day until the calcium level consistently exceeds 100 ppm.

Begin testing twice daily (morning and late afternoon or evening) when the calcium concentration first exceeds 125 ppm. When the calcium level first reaches 200 ppm, about 50% of mares will foal within 24 hours. (Birth within 24 hours is very rare when calcium levels are below 200 ppm.)

Birth usually is very near when the mare's calcium concentration reaches 300-500 ppm.

[/ QUOTE ]

The strips are available from a number of places, but examples are:
http://www.thermorussell.com/product/WATER.php
http://www.precisionlabs.co.uk/WaterHard.htm
http://www.diywatertesting.com/sofchekx3.html

These all give you calcium measurements in ppm (parts per million).

It looks like some pool testing kits give you measures of hardness... so they may work too
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We used the chemetrics milk testing kits and I have to say we will definitely be using them again...the only night we stayed over at all with the coloured mare was the night the results said she'd foal...guess what...she did! I believe you can buy them over here from Future Sport Horses - or PM JuliaFSH on here
 
Yep have used Softchek and the fiddly kits and the testing strips are by far the best and very cheap and easy to use found this lurking that I posted on this forum back in the spring.

Prior History The mare is a TB and has had 2 prior foals one conceived around 23 July 02, natural cover born 18th June 03 (330 days). The other AI 5/5/04 born 5/4/05 (335 days). All to foundation Appaloosa stallions of around 15hh. 1st foal = showed obvious signs waxing pacing etc. 2nd showed little warning signs. She foals outside with the choice of a field shelter or a sheltered small paddock.

This foal was conceived on 18th April 07, natural cover following scanning.

Obvious serious udder development had begun 22nd February 2008.

The test strips arrived Saturday 15th March (330 days). First test registered green at 0ppm tested every other day until 18th March when the status rose to 50 ppm then once daily. At this point the sample 1ml, took some time to be drawn from the teats and initially I only got ½ mil and halved the distilled water requirement accordingly.

On Thursday 20th the test result rose to 125ppm, testing 2x daily commenced. The weather turned quite nasty at this time and AM and PM tests remained constant at this level until PM Sunday 23rd when the level rose to 250ppm along with this the sample drawn off became much easier to draw and changed consistency from light straw coloured opaque liquid to obvious colostrum, cloudy and yellowish.

That night was very cold with a hard ground frost and temperatures of around -3. On the AM test the following morning (Monday 24th) the levels returned to 125 ppm but the consistency of the sample remained obvious colostrum.

On the evening of 24th the test result had again risen to 250ppm with the milk being draw very easily. The foal arrived at 03:30 am, she having shown no signs, apart from walking along the paddock fence a bit between feeding her face this lead up to the point at which she began foaling and she chose the field shelter. (342 days). Weather today = perfect.

So huge success would recommend, much better than waiting up for this one for weeks, just in case! Only 1ml of milk required per test, no real fuss and easy to use, just a couple of syringes a test tube or similar and distilled water – the test takes 16 secs from dip to reading!

Also used them on 2 other mares V Accurate. Also on the last one to foal I used them with a refractometer which gave me a very good additional indicator as the levels climbed in the milk towards foaling but cant find that bit!
 
I used the foalwatch from FSH for my mare a couple of years ago.

Saved me an awful lot of sleepless nights as the baggage went two weeks over. She obviously read the leaflet though and did everything by the book. Rang my vet early evening on the Monday to say she looked good to go on the tests and Belle arrived 3.30am
 
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