Tasting a mare's milk...

lindsayH

lindsayH

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as a way of predicting a foals arrival. Has anyone done this?? I thought I'd give it a go today, as I read it on the internet (one of my favourite sayings!). Apparently it's supposed to go from salty, to bland to slightly sweet. Just wondering if anyone else has tried it or knows if it works?
 
I did it with my mare about 4 times, it was followed instantly, each time with me gagging!!! Rank!

It was salty and it def did get less so, stiff nasty tho, the things we do for our mares!!
 
Apparently (and I didn't get to try this out on PF when she was in foal because they didn't arrive in time) you can use water-hardness strips to measure the level of calcium as an indication of imminent birth.
I did do the PH balance thing (less precise) and I tasted the milk and was none the wiser...
 
Yes it works. I do it. The first time you do it may make you gag but you get used to it after a while and it is another clue along with ph and calcium testing to get a better idea of when they will foal.
 
irish_only said:
I once put some in my husbands tea when we had run out of milk at the yard. He didn't notice at first until he realised we hadn't got any sugar either, and his tea was sweet lol
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Excellent!! Lol

I couldn't bring myself to taste it last year. I just kept a close eye on the colour change.
 
irish_only said:
I once put some in my husbands tea when we had run out of milk at the yard. He didn't notice at first until he realised we hadn't got any sugar either, and his tea was sweet lol
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Hahaha, fab idea!

As it turned out, my mare was starting to foal just as I submitted this thread! I pressed 'submit' went out to check her and her waters broke as I stuck my head over the door! Quite interesting, I had tasted her milk 4 hours earlier and it was totally bland, not salty at all. So there you go...
 
lindsayH said:
Hahaha, fab idea!

As it turned out, my mare was starting to foal just as I submitted this thread! I pressed 'submit' went out to check her and her waters broke as I stuck my head over the door! Quite interesting, I had tasted her milk 4 hours earlier and it was totally bland, not salty at all. So there you go...
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Yee-Ha! About time too!! :D

Me - I just look at colour/consistency. Mare who foaled this evening had clear liquid at 4pm. VERY slightly milk coloured with a HINT of wax at 6pm!
 
I also look at the colour and consistency of the wax.

When it goes from orange to clear I then keep a closer eye on the mare and know it is more likely as it goes milky and opaque.

I have tasted mares milk though not to predict foaling. I had a mare who was struggling to drop milk. Prior to collecting oxytocin I milked another mare thought I would try it.

I found the taste a bit bland and not at all sweet though I understand that it is low in fat.
 
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