www.hobgoblins-stud.com

Caring for your pregnant mare and her foal
 

DR MADELEINE CAMPBELL BVetMed (Hons) MA (Oxon) PhD MRCVS

Hobgoblins Stud, Duddleswell, Ashdown Forest, East Sussex TN22 3BH

Tel 01825 713631  Mob 07980 008496 email: reprovet_uk@yahoo.com

www.hobgoblins-stud..com

 

The following notes offer some advice for owners whose mares have been inseminated by Madeleine Campbell on how to care for your mare until she foals.

 

Confirmation of continuing pregnancy

 

The stallion owner will have informed you of the conditions of the contract (eg NFFR, NFNF) and when the mare must be confirmed pregnant for the last time in order to fulfill these conditions. Please arrange for this examination to be carried out and notify Hobgoblins Stud of the result. Thereafter, please take your own Veterinary Surgeon’s advice on whether to have the mare re-checked as the pregnancy progresses. Routine examinations during mid to late pregnancy are not strictly necessary, but can be reassuring!

 

Feeding the pregnant mare.

 

Under normal circumstances, the mare’s nutritional needs are the same as those of a non-pregnant mare until the last third of pregnancy (i.e. until month 8). It is important that mares should not be overfed in the first two thirds of pregnancy. In the last third of pregnancy, the foal starts to grow rapidly and the mare’s nutritional needs increase accordingly. Some mares have reduced appetite, particularly for forages, as the space in their abdomen gets decreased by the growing foal. Feed little and often. From month 8 onwards mares should be gradually introduced to a short-feed formulated particularly for pregnant mares such as Stud Cubes or Stud Diet, which should be fed in quantity according to the manufacturers instructions. Additional supplements are not usually necessary if these feeds are being fed in normal quantities. Body condition is the best guide to adjusting your feeding regime.

 

Vaccinating the pregnant mare.

 

Mares should receive their regular influenza and tetanus vaccinations during the course of pregnancy. In addition, mares should receive a booster vaccination for both 6 weeks to 1 month before they are due to foal: this maximizes the antibodies to these diseases which will be available in the colostrum for the foal when it is born, and is the most effective way of protecting the foal during the first months of life. We are currently not recommending vaccination against Herpes Virus abortion for mares which are kept individually. Please contact Madeleine Campbell to discuss Herpes vaccinations further if you should wish to. Because of the risk posed by air-born Herpes Virus to pregnant mares, it is advisable to keep pregnant mares away from any other horses which are travelling in and out of the yard, and particularly away from youngstock.

 

Deworming the pregnant mare.   

 

Most deworming products are safe for pregnant mares: read the manufacturer’s instructions and maintain your regular deworming programme throughout the mare’s pregnancy. There have been recent unconfirmed internet reports from the USA that the deworming product “Equest” may cause problems in pregnant mares. Mares should be dewormed 1 week prior to expected foaling to minimize the number of eggs in the faeces which are a potential source of infection for the foal.

 

Preparing the foaling box

 

In order to give the mare time to produce antibodies to local environmental infection  which will get passed on in the colostrum to the foal, it is advisable to move the mare to the foaling box c 4 weeks before foaling. This also gives her time to get accustomed to her surroundings. Prior to moving the mare, scrub the box thoroughly, taking particular care to remove any manure stains etc. Foaling boxes should be big enough to allow the mare to turn and get up and down easily, well-lit, and should be bedded with a deep straw bed (NOT deep-littered). Remove any water troughs etc which are a potential hazard for the foal – check for nails, sharp corners etc and remove or pad them.

 

Late gestation

 

The average gestation length for mares is 340 days, however normal varies between 320 days and 360+ days, so don’t panic unduly if your mare appears to be overdue!  Your own Veterinary Surgeon can advise you and check the mare if necessary.

 

 

 

Signs of impending parturition include:

 

Slackening of the ligaments around the mare’s pelvis.

 

Lengthening and softening of the vulva.

 

Filling of the udder (becomes rather oblong in appearance )

 

Distension of the teats ( c 4-6 days before foaling).

 

“Waxing up” of the teats (usually signifies birth within  24 – 72 hours).

 

Obvious dripping of colostrum / milk NB loss of milk pre-foaling is abnormal in the mare and is potentially disastrous as it means that the foal’s source of antibodies which provide it with protection against infection is lost. If your mare starts running milk prior to foaling contact your Veterinary Surgeon and arrange an alternative colostrum source as a matter of urgency. If you can, collect the milk which is being lost into a clean receptacle and refrigerate or freeze it.

 

 

Foaling

 

The majority of mares foal at night. Most mares foal unassisted without difficulty. However, mares foal quickly, and when things do go wrong, they go wrong quickly. The most important factor in ensuring a successful birth is watching the mare carefully.  Good observation can be achieved by use of closed circuit TV, watching through a window or direct observation. When foaling appears to be close, you need to observe the mare every 20 minutes throughout the day and night – but try to be minimally intrusive as some mares are not happy foaling in human presence.

 

Foaling takes place in 3 stages:

 

Stage 1: labour starts, the mare experiences contractions and will flank watch / get up and down / roll. This is all normal, and may last up to an hour – do not interfere. (However, more prolonged signs without foaling starting may be due to colic – call your Vet).

 

Stage 2: expulsion of the foetus. Begins when the mare’s “waters” (the allantoic fluids) break as the allantochorion is ruptured. From the time the waters break to the time the foal is born should not exceed 20 minutes – if it takes longer call for Veterinary assistance immediately. The normal presentation for a foal is to be delivered forelegs first, one slightly ahead of the other, with the head in-between them. Thus you will see a foot first, than another foot, and a nose. If you see anything different, call the Vet! Foals are usually born with the amnion still around them – this is whitish in appearance. Breaking the amnion gently and clearing the foal’s nose of fluid will help it to breath as it is being delivered. Always beware of sudden movements when attending a foaling mare. The umbilical cord will normally rupture on its own – do not cut it. Should the cord haemorrhage, apply pressure.

 

Stage 3: expulsion of the placenta. This is often accompanied by straining and some discomfort from the mare. The placenta should be passed within 3 hours of foaling. Meantime, tie it up with some bailing twine to avoid the mare treading on it. Do NOT attach weights to the placenta or pull it. When the placenta is passed, save it in its entirety for examination by your Vet. If the placenta is not passed within 3 hours of foaling, call your Vet.

 

Care of the newborn foal

 

The first week of a foal’s life is critical, and all foals should be examined by a Vet during the first day of life. In the meantime, there are various measures which you can take to help the foal:

Make sure that the foal’s nose is clear of membranes and fluids after birth, and that the foal is breathing.

Make sure the stable is well ventilated but draught-free and warm.

Normal foals move themselves into an upright lying position within minutes after  birth – if the foal fails to do so check it and call your vet if necessary.

After the foal is delivered, allow the mare and foal to bond for a while, and then dip the umbilicus of the foal in 2% Hibiscrub solution (Chlorhexidine, available from any chemists). This should be repeated every 6 hours for the first 2 days – the umbilicus is an important route of infection in foals.

Once the mare is standing, and before the foal attempts to nurse, remove dirty bedding and clean the mare’s underside, legs and udder with warm water: in searching for the teats the foal eats many bacteria, and this can be much reduced by simple cleaning.

Normal foals stand within 30 minutes - 1 hour of birth and drink within 2 hours – do not leave the foal until you have seen it do both of these. If the foal fails to do so, call your Vet.

The most important thing for a foal in the first 6 hours of its life is that it should drink enough colostrum. If the foal fails to suck, if the mare rejects the foal, doesn’t have much milk, or has lost milk before foaling call your Vet.

During the first few hours, monitor the foal for passing of the first faeces (meconium) and urine – some foals experience meconium impactions which will be signified by straining. Call your Vet.

Allow the foal and mare quiet time to bond and establish normal behaviour: defer visitors until the second day.

Healthy foals can be turned out in good weather on the first day of life, after they have been checked by a Vet. 

On average, mares foal 340 days after ovulation.

We hope that the above notes will help you to be prepared. Remember: the vast majority of mares foal naturally without assistance and the majority of foals are healthy! Please don’t hesitate to call me on 01825 713631 at any time if you have questions or concerns regarding your mare and foal. Finally, please remember to send Hobgoblins Stud a photo of your foal and to register the foal with the relevant Breed Society.