Maiden mare pH confusion

lucy_108

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Just through sheer luck and chance I have been involved with quite a few pregnant mares/foalings in the last couple years but this one is confusing me!

Maiden mare at 321 days today. Has been waxed up for at least three days now with a fair bag. Still pale/almost clear liquid. pH tested on vet advice and has been consistently 6.2 for three days. Muscles around back end relaxing but nowhere near there, same with vulva.
mare quite happy, maybe showing slight discomfort at times, but nothing to write home about. Scratching back end and tail a lot (very clean, I think she’s just finding the feeling weird).
Not down in that classic “V” shape with her belly yet, I feel foaly is still very much chilling at the moment.

ive always used pH as my guide for foaling and all of those I’ve done have foaled within 72 hours of the pH dropping to 6.4 or lower so I’m a bit confused with this girl!

If the pH was higher I’d not think twice, but she’s consistently low? Has anyone experienced this and ended up waiting a while for foaly to appear?
 

TheMule

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Just through sheer luck and chance I have been involved with quite a few pregnant mares/foalings in the last couple years but this one is confusing me!

Maiden mare at 321 days today. Has been waxed up for at least three days now with a fair bag. Still pale/almost clear liquid. pH tested on vet advice and has been consistently 6.2 for three days. Muscles around back end relaxing but nowhere near there, same with vulva.
mare quite happy, maybe showing slight discomfort at times, but nothing to write home about. Scratching back end and tail a lot (very clean, I think she’s just finding the feeling weird).
Not down in that classic “V” shape with her belly yet, I feel foaly is still very much chilling at the moment.

ive always used pH as my guide for foaling and all of those I’ve done have foaled within 72 hours of the pH dropping to 6.4 or lower so I’m a bit confused with this girl!

If the pH was higher I’d not think twice, but she’s consistently low? Has anyone experienced this and ended up waiting a while for foaly to appear?

Hmmm that is a bit unusual- was the vet happy with her generally? No temperature/ discharge?
 

I'm Dun

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Is it possibly an issue with the strips? It would be worth getting a different make and trying those.
 

Four Seasons

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I honestly don't like the pH strips. I prefer testing the milk myself (sounds disgusting, I know). If the milk is sweet = colostrum = foaling within 24 hours (8/10 times).

Although maidens can be very unpredictable and can change the liquid into colostrum within an hour and then give birth, all within a few hours. I've also known maidens to give (bitter) milk for weeks before foaling.

It's difficult to say with maiden mares...
 
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