'Humane' weaning??? From Fuglyhorseoftheday

PapaFrita

PapaFrita

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What on earth is this??

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Actually, that was a rhetorical question. I know exactly what it is.. it's an Ezee Wean Halter from This website

Read some of the Harmful Effects Of Weaning Foals By Separation
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What a load of you know what!
 
I suppose that something going from one day okay to another suddenly causing discomfort is perfectly normal and not at all stressful?
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Planning to get one for your little cigar PF? Sorry, couldn't resist asking.
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Well if they're inventing more humane weaning equipment, I presume we'll be seeing this re-designed for foals in a few years
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?

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Yeah, I watched the video too. The 'advertising' video which proves it doesn't work as the foal suckles anyway. Barmy... totally barmy!!

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Apparently, it takes upto 6 weeks to wean your foal, and if your mare should get really stroppy and BITE your foal (for poking and prodding her in the boobs) then she's evil and shouldn't be bred from again... *rolls eyes*
 
I thought the "humane" and "Natural" bunch don't agree with causing pain? And poking a mare in a full bag with those will hurt!

Horrendous.

I'll stick to the stress of seperating them personally. If you see my foal galloping around the paddock playing with his pony pals, and the mare enjoying being back in work - well - can't say its damaged them!

What a crock they are trying to sell!
 
Yes I watched the video with the mother-saint, still letting the foal feed though it's poking her with those things... And personally I would have said that foal didn't look exactly calm and accepting the new situation without stress, but I only entertain my horse-interest from a distance nowadays, so what do I know.
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I have a feeling things like these are more for the human owners sake, than for the horses.

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What I dont' understand is what are the foal and mare getting out of it....

Foal...being rejected and kicked by the mare not knowing why (bless him/her)
Mare...being prodded in her full bag which will obviously hurt.

I've never bred before and have my first foal due in May but with all the research I've read and by talking to people, gradual separation seems to be the best way.

People like this shouldn't advertise it as 'humane' at the end of the video the mare still lets the foal feed, presumably in pain with those 'blunt ends' sticking into her
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Foal...being rejected and kicked by the mare not knowing why (bless him/her)
Mare...being prodded in her full bag which will obviously hurt.


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Exactly! What is humane about that? And what happens if the mare should have another foal? Truly, this has been well thought through...
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Exactly! What is humane about that? And what happens if the mare should have another foal? Truly, this has been well thought through...
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I've been thinking of that too, what will the mare expect next time IF she gets a new foal? When a new foal wants to start and suckle, will she not remember how it felt those last about 4 to 6 weeks with the last foal? What about some years from now, if she's had several foals being weaned by this device, will she still not make any connection between foal suckling feeling okay one day and suddenly one day foal suckling causes discomfort?


How humane is this device for the mare?
Though I usually try to be careful with comparing to how humans would react in the same situation, I can't help but wondering how a (human) mother breast feeding her baby would react, if someone put such an device on her baby?
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As long as the mare owners feelings aren't hurt I suppose...
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We have our first foal and were advised to wait until 9 months - which is possible as we won't breed every year. We are doing gradual separation, night at first with pony for company, then day as well with an hour with mum and we are now almost there. He can still talk to her over the fence but is much more independent.
 
As an advocate of humane weaning I am appalled that they can use this device in the same context.

I have read many research reports on the effects of sudden separation and as a result many years ago adapted the method I researched from Australia, I now have a very successful method by which mares and foals are only separated by an electric fence, over which they can touch each other but not feed, they are still allowed to feed from their mother supervised until the milk dries up slowly and more naturally. When the mare has been dry for a while they can then return to the same field.

In fact my foals from 08 are still on their mothers, who are not carrying, they live out 24/7 but the youngsters are taken off to the school for lessons on their own with no fuss at all. Mothers and foals look fantastic so I will probably think about weaning when the grass comes in. I look at it why should I separate the foals and feed them an unnatural diet at a crucial development stage when nature and their mothers can do it for me. That’s why I am angry that this device is associated in any way with the practice of humane weaning!!!

I am really suprised that UC Davis are allowing their name to be used in this way!
 
That looks very similar to what they use on cows to stop them drinking other cows milk! Though it's a plastic ring with spikes rather than a halter.

I have to say I think weaning can be stressful for both mare and foal but nature generally does most of the work and if the foal has a few mates that it gets weaned with and the mare has a few mates to stay with it is generally a non-affair.
 
Having witnessed many methods of weaning over the years I’m afraid you will not persuade me that sudden separation is a method of choice for me. There has been a miniscule amount of research into horses mainly comparing group weaning to isolated weaning in a stall and to me they have not been very comprehensive in their testing but in a research project involving the lucrative beef market entitled:

Fenceline contact of beef calves with their dams at weaning reduces the negative effects of separation on behavior and growth rate. (Price et al)

They concluded that calves weaned under the method of allowing fenceline separation from their mothers “…gained 95% more weight than the average calf in the three totally separated treatments in the first 2 wk and were still heavier at 10 wk (21.4 vs 11.0 kg, respectively, at 2 wk and 50.0 vs 38.2 kg, respectively, at 10 wk; P < 0.05). It was concluded that providing fenceline contact between beef calves and cows for 7 d following weaning reduces behavioral indices of distress seen in the totally separated calves. In addition, fenceline contact with dams at weaning minimizes losses in weight gain in the days following separation. Totally separated calves did not compensate for these early losses in weight gain even after 10 wk.

Convert weight gain to healthy level growth in this period and you will see that unseen damage is potentialy being done.

This is exactly what (in a less scientific way) I am seeing in my foals weaned by gentle separation. I appreciate horses are not human but if you look at feral or wild horse groups you will clearly see that although weaned by their mothers, they stay in the family group for several years and what’s the point in moving either mother or offspring elsewhere when with much less discomfort for the mare and no stress for both you can do it all at home?
 
I don't think anyone is suggesting sudden separation, and when I said I'd 'rip' PF's foal away I was using the expression used on the site, not my own. In fact, as far as I can see... everyone who has responded to this thread has advocated gradual separation. These are a bit more labour intensive though than the Ezee Wean headcollar though. Perhaps those who advocate the use of this headcollar like the idea of being 'kind' but also want it to be easy (for them)
 
'The mare will wean the foal naturally...' Yeah real natural
'A few kicks and it will all be over...' Great cause that doesnt cause an injury if you're lucky
'It works on discomfort...and tolerance...do not feel alarmed this is natural...'
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I think they had good business intentions in mind when desinging this but its gone too far and this is a load of poopoo as PF rightly said.
 
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