Increasing milk in maiden mare?

[yethersgill]

Need some advice pretty urgently.

Maiden mare (welsh D) foaled at 9.30am this morning. Everything went well and she cleansed, but she then threatened to reject foal. Have sorted this and he has started suckling but she does not seem to have much milk.
This mare was badly treated before I was gifted her so catching her is difficult. With help have managed one check and found she only had milk in one side of her bag?

Am giving her coco powder in her feed and will get some fenugreek asap, but any other suggestions?

She is getting speedibeet, lucienuts and lucie stalks in her feed plus grass!

Thanks in advance!

 

[LadyRascasse]

you vet would be your best bet. especially if she isn't producing milk, as the foal may not have gotten the colostrum its need.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Maidens are often a bit slow to let down - it's a hormonal 'thing' and connects also with the early 'rejection' problem.

The fact she only has milk in one bag MIGHT indicate the foal has scoffed the rest! If she hasn't let down properly by now I would have a word with your vet - I find a shot of Oxytocin helps them let down (and gets rid of the placenta if they don't cleanse quickly). My other worry would be if foalie had enough colostrum - otherwise he needs an antibody test tomorrow am!

 

[rachi0]

Agree with the above posts re: amount of colostrum the foal has actually had.

Seek Vet advise re the milk production though..

I had a mare that had never been allowed to raise a foal due to the fact she didn't produce enough milk!! I thought this was a load of B****ks so I persuaded stud to let me try with her... - also had a great vet who was really helpful rather than the previous stud vet who just said foster!!

- we gave mare domperidone 2 weeks prior to foaling as we knew milk supply was crap... and then once she'd foaled carried this on for 5 days.

We also gave her shots of oxytocin every 2hrs, and 1ml of ACP I/m 3 times a day.... also bute twice a day! - idea was oxy helps let down, acp keeps the mare chilled (just takes the edge off without actually sedating) and the bute was in case she found the foal nursing painful and didn't want it to keep on.... as she had a small bag foal was bunting her lots!!! - which was just what she needed to let down!!! after about 10 days we stopped all drugs... (reduced the amount each day post 5 days foaled) and although she still only had the smallest bag.. she did that foal amazingly well!!! (too well almost!)

Let us know how you get on!