What can be done to assist mare cycling after birth?

[Foxfolly]

Our mare who foaled in April went to stud in June (We should have got our backsides in gear sooner!!) and didn't come into season, once scanned after being at stud 4 weeks she was found to have 5 eggs but hadn't ovulated, she was injected and then came into season and was covered but didn't hold. She then came into season without injection 3 weeks later and was covered and has held in foal.

My question is... is there anything we can give her to help her start cycling properly after she gives birth next year?

I am worried that as we were so late this year (She'll be due in Early July) that if she does the same we'll end up missing her for 2009/2010! We are hoping o cover her on her foaling heat in 2009 so we can get an earlier foal in 2010!

 

[JanetGeorge]

Some mares DO have problems after foaling - for dozens of different reasons.

I USED to put mine on Regumate after foaling for 8 days - to delay foal heat and give the uterus a little more time to settle down before covering on the delayed foal heat. But discovered PDQ that IF there is the slightest hint of infection after foaling, Regumate will make it worse by inhibiting uterine clearance.

So now I scan mares 7 days after foaling; 1. to check all looks well; and 2. to check how close they are to coming in. We got 4 into foal on foal heat with this - including one who was back in foal BEFORE she was officially 'due' to foal (she did foal at 319 days!)

Some mares aren't easy to spot in season with a young foal at foot (they tend to try and kill the stallion if foal is held nearby - OR get too agitated if foal is left in the stable while they're tried.)

One mare who had an easy foaling took 3 months before we could cover her - she kept getting haemorrhagic follicles! Another just wouldn't stand - despite showing in season (while trying to rip the stallion's throat out!)

I don't think there's any easy answer to the problem mares except to work closely with your vet. The mare may need a washout/infusion of antibiotics if she had a difficult foaling, or if she retained placenta (even for a short time!) You may need to experiment with either teasing her with the foal held in her view - but out of the stallion's line of approach - OR leaving the foal in a stable out of sight and sound while teasing (leaving someone with the foal to ensure it doesn't panic and hurt itself!!)

And scan!! We do 14 day scans, 21 day scans, and 28 day scans. We scan 7 days after foaling - and we also do WTF scans (whenever a mare isn't behaving according to 'the book') Yep - it adds to costs - but it does help reduce the time spent getting a mare in foal.