gestation period?

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PuddingandPie

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Hello I am new to this forum and would like to ask a question that I am sure everyone has an answer for but I keep getting conflicting advice.

My mare was covered once on 16th June 2009. She is a maiden and doesn't have much of an udder and I would like to know when I should start to panic!

Please could someone give me the "usual" gestation for this date. I appreciate that mares are foaling three weeks early and up to a month late but I would just like to know when I should stop sleeping at night!

Thank you:)
 
Hi and welcome to the mad house!!

To try and answer your question - there is no such thing as a due date for a mare, just an average gestation of 342 days. The normal range for foaling is 320 to 370 days BUT foals born after 300 days but before 320 days are classed as prem and do often survive, obviously the closer to the 320 days the better the chances. On the other end some mares will go over 400 days and this is normal for them...bet thats helps (NOT)

So I wouldn't start worrying yet and with a maiden they can suprise you and not bag up until just before (and sometimes not till after) the birth!

A good site that was recommended on this forum and I find it really helpful is... http://www.yellowhouseranch.com/foaling.htm

Ops forgot to add 342 days would make her date 23rd May 2010!

Good Luck and let us know how your mare is coming on x
 
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Holly831 is absolutely right. The 'average' gestation is 342-343 days from date of ovulation (or AI/last cover.)

I bring mares onto 'foal watch' (stabled at night with foaling alarm on, field close to the yard during the day) at 321 days, apart from one or two I KNOW will be early who come ina few days sooner. Looking at last year's 'due' dates:

All 9 mares foaled BEFORE 342 days - between 1 day and 24 days (the latter was back in foal BEFORE she was actually 'due' - good thing as she wasn't 'due' until 3rd September!)

There are a LOT of signs that a mare is nearing delivery but none are 100% reliable! I've had mares foal with NO milk (it 'let down' either AT foaling, or in one case, 12 hours after foaling!) I've had mares foal who had hardly slackened off behind at all. One at present has looked imminent for more than a week - but her 'milk' is still clear liquid. Some will run milk for days, some won'trun milk until they go into labour! (I've never (yet!) had a mare foal when her teats were pointing inward - rather than down, or slightly outward!)
 
Rule of thumb - 11 months 7 days from last covering. Agree with OP re signs - and even in the same mare they can differ year on year! We have a mare currently 350 days, she's always foaled 'early' before. Might this herald a sea change? Last three have been colts, a filly would be very nice;)
 
Thank you both for your advice. Frankly I think I had better panic anyway...just in case:)!!!

Someone had said she would foal on 16th May but clearly from your replies I might have a few days yet.....stable is all bedded down but I know she won't want to stand in all night at the moment.....she is slackening slightly, but then I see everything even if it's not there!
All I want is a safe delivery and healthy foal. On another note she was caslicked and my vet doesn't want to cut her until a couple of days before because of increased infection risk. Another mare of mine ended up foaling thru (ouch!!) her caslicks because of the same vet's view and she was a fortnight early. When would you both open it up?

Thank you again
 
Get the caslick taken out NOW - she could foal anytime and if you do not have the confidence/experience to re cut her yourself then I would insist the vet does it asap. You really don't want to risk your mare tearing and as she is close to her 'date' I would do it sooner rather than later.

Good Luck x
 
PuddingandPie said:
On another note she was caslicked and my vet doesn't want to cut her until a couple of days before because of increased infection risk.
Click to expand...

Your vet is wrong IMHO! 1) there is no WAY you can determine when she is a 'couple of days' before foaling! The mare I mentioned in my earlier post who was 'imminent' but no milk yet still had no milk at 6 pm last night but foaled at 11.30pm (by which time she had plenty. ) Needless to say she'd had no wax!

Ask your vet (or tell him if necessary)that you want the Caslick opened up now!
 
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