Stud Mix/Stud Cubes/Suregrow/Pellets?

D

domane

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 September 2008
Messages
1,311
Location
South Shrops
Visit site
Meh! I'm a bit overwhelmed with feeding now that he's born! :o

Mum has been on stud mix and chaff but I was in the process of swapping to stud cubes because I believe they have less sugar (???) Now I'm worried that the colt might choke when he starts to take an interest in what she's eating. She's a Welsh cob, so a native "good-doer" and has come out from foaling looking very well - you can't see ribs in either of them. I'm aware that feeding him will take it out of her so I'm not TOO concerned at present but this is all new to me so I'm on a huge learning curve....

What do you all feed your mares with very young foals?
 
When foals are very young I feed the mare from an over door feeder so only she gets the feed.

When foal is older I use a rubber feed skip, I tend to use mixes rather than cubes and damp it well.

I found my native good doer was eating about 5 times more feed (and still dropping weight) when feeding her foal than when she was eventing and hunting.

I also added sure grow to the feed as she needed all the help she could get.
 
Thanks, Thistle.... she IS ravenous (but then I can remember how hungry I got when breast-feeding many years ago!) so I've upped her rations... but then I was worrying that she might just be a typical eat-all-day fat cob and be tucking in because it's offered! :D I guess I just need to monitor her shape and size and adjust accordingly. At this very early stage though, I'd rather overfeed to make sure that it is converting to enough milk for her baby.

I did wonder about feeding from a hook-on (supervised) to make sure she gets what she needs.... thanks :)
 
The foal won't be drinking that much atm, just lots of small feeds. I found my mare dropped weight from around 4 months, the foal was then drinking loads as well as grazing, eating hay and haylage overnight and helping himself to mums feeds. Greedy little sod!

My foal was born in July though so he wasn't weaned until he was just over 7 months at the end of Feb. They had their own paddock which was sheltered and had sufficient grass, but I still found I had to feed nearly 1/2 small bale of hay daily in the field as well.

As you say, just monitor her closely, also keep a close eye on the foals growth as slow steady growth is what you are after, not him shooting up and getting joint problems.

I think I was feeding 1 scoop stud mix, 1 scoop Alfa A unmollassed (this contains oil), and 1 mug sure grow. Twice a day.

When foal was very small I fed 3 times a day with smaller quantities.

This mare (Sec D x NF) evented and hunted on 1/2 scoop comp mix and 1/2 scoop Alfa twice daily and about a third of hay/haylage and restricted grazing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top