Overdue maiden mare with NO milk/bag?

[sahiba2001]

We have a maiden TB mare who was 340 days since breeding on Saturday. She has NO udder size at all and we are getting a bit worried now. She is not a youngster, 15 this time. Anyone any ideas? Did I read on here somewhere about Cocoa being used to stimulate milk production???? Our other mares (one maiden too) not due for another 3-4 weeks are much more bagged up.

Any help/ideas/suggestions gratefully received!

 

[Tempi]

get the vet out.

 

[zigzag]

Are you sure she is in foal? we had a TB mare for her first foal she went to stud and the stud were actually orried about the size of her bag (it was tiny) but it filled up after foaling

 

[S_N]

Some maidens, irrespective of age, will NOT bag up till after foaling. What is she being fed? When was her last PD?

 

[AndyPandy]

Also, 343 days after covering is NOT overdue... she's not going to be overdue until she reaches 371 days. Might be good to get the vet out for your peace of mind, but don't panic!

 

[Penniless]

Don't worry about it. One of our maiden TB mares carried and didn't foal until 365 days exactly and even on the day she did foal - she had no udder size or anything to even think there was going to be any milk available. Immediately the foal was born, the milk was there though! This isn't the first TB maiden mare we've had who carried like this with no show - one of them didn't even look pregnant the day she gave birth but we got a live healthy foal from her as well. Now, I don't want to panic you, but how many scans did your mare have from being covered? The only reason I'm asking this is because our stallion covered a mare (walk-in covering), they had a 16 day scan done, rang us up to say their mare was pregnant and never doing anything else again. The mare got bigger and bigger, come due time she was bagged up, her vet came out at that point and said just give her time, she's still pregnant, and then 15 months from the date she got covered, she got a different vet out who said she was empty and it must have been a phantom pregnancy. If she'd bothered getting more than one scan done, she would have been aware that the mare had lost it.

 

[sahiba2001]

Thanks all....

She went to Shade Oak Stud and she had several scans there before coming home plus the 1st Oct check and I have seen the foal kicking too so I know she is in foal!

Vet, like some of you, didn't seem unduly concerned when I mentioned it. I am sure like a lot of you say she will develop udders of mammoth proportions once the foal arrives so thanks for letting me know that she is not the only one! Just that with all our mares, maiden or not, we have not had this happen before.

 

[rosebud]

Hi
We hav a maiden mare due in a 2 weeks not really bagged up infacted nothing really but yes we have been told to use Cocoa powder spoonful per food to help with her milk

 

[jmponzo]

I have successfully used the cocoa powder for the mares.
Would like to hear experiences with the Dutch Process vs the Natural.