What gadgets, tests, etc. do YOU use on your mare???

[TB Dreamin']

Hi all, Amy again, wondering what people like to use w/foaling their mares? Do you like the milk predictor test kits?

Does anyone use the Foal Alert?

Does anyone take their mare's temperature in the a.m. and p.m.-a pain, I know, but some swear by the "one degree" temp. change 24 hours before foaling...

I would just like to hear what people like and don't like!

Thanks,
Amy

[amanda1]

Hi Amy,

We did use the Predict A Foal test kit last year and it worked very well. Other than that we do take temps AM and PM, extract a bit of colostrum from mom to check for color and consistency (once it turns whitish and thins you know you are in business). We also check the mares hind end for slackening and her abdomen to discend.

The Predict A Foal we used on only two of our mares, but with both it was totally accurate when the test result said that there was an 80% chance of foaling within 12 hrs. They both foaled that night.

We also have cameras on our foaling stalls and the employees that live on the farm take turns being the watchman for a few hours at a time.

We have never missed a foal yet!!!

[K~2]

I used spa testing strips last year with good results. They're cheap and you get lots of tests.

Mare Milk Testing 101

Step #1: Get milk. Not so easy. You must convince mare, once she has sufficient udder, to
'let down.' Think foreplay. Massage, a little baby oil can help, warm wet washcloth...
then some poking, like a little baby nose would do. Next, strip out a bit of milk. First
squirt or two goes nowhere, it's not accurate. You need only about 2 good squirts, or way
too many itty bitty squirts. Collection container can be a nifty little plastic cup like a
Nyquil cup, or, (my favorite) a shot glass. Shot glass cleans easier, and somehow, seems
more appropriate.

Step #2: Observe. First milk will be like water. You don't even have to waste a strip on
this. next will look like Pee. Clear but yellow in color. This is often preceded by a very
thick, sticky, clear stuff. Dunno what that is. Won't test, don't bother wasting a strip
unless you are *reeeeealy* anxious. I know you're tempted since this is the first sign of
'change' and is sticky... o.k., go ahead, try it. I'm right. Next will change to
lemonade. That's when you start testing. Next will be lemonadey, but with tiny, tiny
flecks of white. closer still... Final change will be to cloudy/grey/bluish. If you're
brave, taste a drop or two. Early milk will be salty. When she gets close, it will be
sweet, or to me, 'rich' like the taste of cream (which I don't think has so much a taste
as a 'texture' or aftertaste.) Stickyness is worth noting too. Early, early stuff--the
clear, thick goo is sticky, but later, when the milk dries on your fingers, if it's sticky
and flakes like sugar water drying--you're closer.

Step #3: Testing Equipment and procedures. You may buy the "Mare Foal Predictor
Kit" (Jeffers is cheapest I've found, 1-800-Jeffers) which makes you feel like
Beakman (luved that show!) and is pretty user friendly, or the Chemetircs
"Titrets" (just the name makes me laugh! punch... ) which are also supposedly
user friendly. (Haven't ever braved them, so this post only applies to 'strip' tests.) OR,
you can build your own kit for about $20 LESS than either of the above by buying Water
Hardness test strips. Best brand I've found is "AquaChek" which tests calcium
only. A local pool shop was able to order these and have them in 2 days for me. Running in
close second are two different types of hot-tub strips I'm trying this year, "Baqua
Spa" and "Soft Soak". Both are made for Bromine-Free, Chlorine Free Spas &
Hot Tubs. Readily available, cheaper than the Aqua check (which is weird, since they have
4 in 1 tests) AND have the added entertainment value of pH testing. brand isn't
important, what you're looking for is a test that measure Calcium as CaCO3 in Parts Per
Million (ppm) from 100-500 at least. As I said, a pH test is bonus fun.

-You also need some type of small (5cc) test tube or larger than 3cc syringe with cap, a
3cc Syringe, a 1cc syringe (insulin syringes are perfect) and, the magic potion: DISTILLED
WATER. This is the secret "testing solution" in the commercial kits. The key is
it has no inherent minerals, so the test is accurate.

-Ratio for testing is 6 to 1, or 3 to 1/2. For me, all I can ever get early on is 1/2 cc
of milk, so I use 3cc of distilled h20 to 1/2 cc of milk. Mix 'em together, WELL in
mini-test tube or syringe.

-Dip strip for one second. Do NOT shake off if it's the spa test strips. DO if it's the
others.

Step #4 Time, observe and bang head against wall... The calcium only strips show changes
in 15 seconds. pH at 30. The mare strips are supposed to be checked at 1 minute, but if
you see earlier changes, that's good, and part of how you figure how close you are.

Step #5 Interpreting results:
Calcium: Less than 100 ppm, you can go 2 days before rechecking unless you notice other,
significant changes. Above 100ppm, but less than 200 ppm, check daily, in the evening.
Once you hit 200 ppm, you've GOT MILK. 90% of mares will foal within 24-28 hours. Over 500
ppm, camp out in the stall, here we goooooo.... On the mare strips, 1-3 squares in a
minute, 2 days before next check. A FAST three though, recheck daily. 4, something like
80% chance in 24, 5, within 2 hours. a FAST 4 or 5 and buckle in, we're off...

pH: This is new to me this year, found it out by accident when I couldn't get my regular
calcium strips. You CAN test pH, and it's actually a very reliable and easy indicator! pH
will be well over 7 up until you've got Colostrum (my brief experience had it over 8.4,
the "high" test on the spa strips) When you get colostrum, pH will drop to below
7. This a.m. we started dropping, though still just above 7. The information I found is
when it gets below 7, you're within a few hours. I have a feeling this second test could
be helpful for a mare who has a high calcium count for a couple of days, but I'm not sure,
only time and experience using it as a measure will tell.

Finally, it's really, really obvious in the test tube with the water what you've got.
After doing this a few dozen times, I've noticed the milk that is real MILK, i.e., close,
stays in suspension. With just half-a cc in the tube, the entire sample looks cloudy,
like you put water in a not-rinsed-milk-glass. It STAYS this way. Earlier samples settle
and need to be reshook. In the end, all the evidence leading up to dipping the strip
tells me my answer, I just like the empirical evidence to justify booking out of work.

Obviously you have to take in these results with an eye towards other signs like
dilation, softening of the tail head etc. And the standard disclaimer about maidens
apply: they break all the rules, so don't RELY on any signs at all.

Happy midwifing!