Broodmare nutrition

[BridledObsession]

We're getting our broodmare back this weekend in foal. In addition to good quality grain and hay, what would you recommend supplement-wise?

We're expecting a large foal naturally due to the size of the mare and stallion, so I don't necessarily want to give a supplement whose intent is to produce a larger foal. I do, however, want to be sure they are both healthy and getting everything they need.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[madelyn]

Here's what we do: Mare's milk contains 12% protein. Broodmares can be fed up to 14% protein, but it should not exceed that.. until maybe when they are lactating, when typically I feed some alfalfa. Be careful that the calcium/phosphorus ration in what you give is balanced, and the min. calcium is at least twice the max. phosphorus. A good 14% broodmare all-grain will most likely have vitamins and minerals, including selenium and folic acid, that are important. Otherwise, just take care of the mare -- Aniflex GL if she is a tad arthritic, etc. And, of course, don't forget your 5-7-9 shots..

[casallc]

We're getting our broodmare back this weekend in foal. In addition to good quality grain and hay, what would you recommend supplement-wise?

We're expecting a large foal naturally due to the size of the mare and stallion, so I don't necessarily want to give a supplement whose intent is to produce a larger foal. I do, however, want to be sure they are both healthy and getting everything they need.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

A broodmare doesn't need any thing extra until the last trimester of pregnancy. Proir to that anything other than a maintainance diet is throwing money away and not helping anything.

[madelyn]

When I didn't do anything until the last trimester, I got puny weak foals with crooked legs, etc. It only took that one bad crop to teach me that lesson. My mares are on broodmare and health maintenance from the day they are covered. The Rhino vaccination in the fifth month and seventh month are well before the last trimester and will prevent abortion. Mine get vigorously wormed regularly. I am very careful to monitor temperatures, etc.

[BridledObsession]

I appreciate the input. I'm actually dreading getting her back. I'm afraid of what I'll see.....keep your fingers crossed until we see her on Saturday. She and another mare that we sent out are 13 hours away and it's my impression that their idea of care is much different than ours. We shall see.

My feeling is that we're going to have some catching up to do but I don't want to overdo anything or shock her system.

Who knows........maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. You can bet I'll be asking alot of questions though because this is the first broodmare in our barn!!

[Intrinsic Worth]

Another idea is to give the mare up to a cup of corn oil in her feed the last month of her pregnancy. This will help make the colostrum more rich. It works, we've tried it.

Generally on the big farms, the mares are given minimal grain during most of their pregnancy. About the last two months, grain is increased, but it gets harder for them to eat large meals at once, so smaller meals may have to be given more often.

[Shammy Davis]

Some years ago, I attended a breeding/foaling program at North Carolina State University. It is one of the best equine education programs in the nation and is always filled to capacity. Nutrition is a 4 hour session and I can tell you that the experts there, when all is said on done, recommend using high quality manufactured feeds that contain all the nutrition to maintain the mare through gestation and foaling and then through weaning. I have used Purina's STRATEGY for years supported with beet pulp, and flax seed. Grazing, quality hay, and exercise is a high priority. During the coldest months, I add a cup of vegetable or corn oil to the mix. One cup of corn oil equals the fat content of 3.3 pounds of oats. My expectations have always been exceeded every spring.

For the past two years, I've worked during the school year caring for the school owned horses at a intercollegiate riding program at a nearby university. I am amazed to see and hear about all the "snake oil" potions and recipes that student owned horses get in their feed tubs two to three times a day. I know better than to offer suggestions or advice as this pricey school doesn't want to offend those paying the very high $ stall/turn-out board. Interestingly, the school owned horses get two meals a day with a beet pulp base, flax seed, rice bran, and in some cases probiotics. The rest of the nutrition is hay or by grazing. At the end of the day, the school owned horses look equal to or even better than the private horses.

No wonder the national economy is on the slide with amount of money wasted on some of this junk.

[BridledObsession]

I'm appalled at the way our mares came back. Granted, the one got very sick while out there, but there's no reason for her to come back looking so underweight. I haven't seen feet so badly in need of being done since I rescued my first thoroughbred 30 years ago. A couple people told us this weekend that it's not unsual to get broodmares back looking this way, but I cannot help but be shocked. They weren't even embarrassed when the mares were picked up.

Whatever. At least they're back now. I must say they seem relieved. We're slowly introducing grain and supplements. I picked up Mare Plus for the one in foal and Cool Calories 100 for the one who had gotten sick. I also picked up the Aniflex and will give that to both as well the other horse we're trying to get back in condition again for the track. These mares need a couple hundred pounds, easy, in our opinion. We usually put a squirt of corn oil in our horses feed as well.

Any other ideas?? Am I overdoing it? Missing something?

[madelyn]

Soaked beet pulp will pack on the pounds and add fiber to offset the corn oil, and is inexpensive. The Aniflex should help with hooves, etc.

Where on earth did the mares go? BTW, though, a 13 hour trailer ride can drop 100 lbs easy off of a horse. Also, I would have your vet recheck the one supposed to be in foal no later than tomorrow. I've known mares to resorb from the trailer stress. That's why now I give EVERY mare I sell in foal a shot of progesterone and 2cc of ace when they ship out.

[BridledObsession]

Thanks, Madelyn. I've been reading about beet pulp and trying to decide whether or not to try it......I think I will

I'm afraid to publicly name the farm....we still need cooperation from these people down the line. It's amazing how different people's ideas are when it comes to proper care/nutrition. They actually want the mares back next year!! They seemed like well-educated people with a nice operation-- not big, but well enough kept. If you remember the background story, I researched big-time to find an Unbridled offspring similar in conformation/size/personality to ours that passed away and settled on this stallion.

I think they just don't have a clue really. The stallions are well taken care of, it's the broodmares who look like h*ll.

I'll have the vet come check her asap. Thankfully, the mare who's pregnant is a big, tough, easy-going kind of girl. Here's hoping that enabled her and the foal to get through this ordeal just fine. It's the other mare I'm really feeling sorry for -- when she left she was a playful little spitfire (I say little because although she's probably almost 16 hands, she's built more on the petite side). We bought her straight off the track as she had a knee injury, but otherwise, she was beautiful. While she was out there, she got really sick with a virus and almost died. After getting a better picture of how she was living, I'm amazed she even survived. At one point, they even said she had recovered enough to be bred and was in heat. The stallion was "too big" to get the job done though. They told us the vet could not open her up any further. All I can think now is, thank God. In my opinion, seeing her now, she wouldn't have survived the pregnancy/delivery. She's wiped out but showing some signs of feeling better already.

This is one lesson we've learned the hard way. We'll have to check and double check references before ever sending any of our mares that distance again.

[madelyn]

...I'm afraid to publicly name the farm....we still need cooperation from these people down the line. It's amazing how different people's ideas are when it comes to proper care/nutrition. They actually want the mares back next year!! ...

What they "want" should never affect your future decisions. You do not owe them anything, including any sort of "obedience" to their expectations. In your shoes, I would wait until the foal is born, get your stud certificate, and then let them give your name out as a reference. Any reference call you get, be humble, apologetic and polite but tell them that farm nearly killed your mares and you wouldn't send them a dog you hated. That SHOULD get the message through.

[BridledObsession]

...I'm afraid to publicly name the farm....we still need cooperation from these people down the line. It's amazing how different people's ideas are when it comes to proper care/nutrition. They actually want the mares back next year!! ...

What they "want" should never affect your future decisions. You do not owe them anything, including any sort of "obedience" to their expectations. In your shoes, I would wait until the foal is born, get your stud certificate, and then let them give your name out as a reference. Any reference call you get, be humble, apologetic and polite but tell them that farm nearly killed your mares and you wouldn't send them a dog you hated. That SHOULD get the message through.

Very, very funny. Somehow I can see myself doing just that. I am still amazed that my "boyfriend" (I hate that word -- at 40 it just sounds silly) was able to keep his composure and be diplomatic while picking up the mares. That's generally not one of his strong points and he's a horse person to the bone -- so he was not a happy camper. I keep asking him how he kept his mouth shut - he keeps referring to the stud certificate. There's no way in h*ll any horse of mine will be going back there. Ironically, they wanted him to look at some other broodmares in foal while he was there to see if he was interested in purchasing any of them. Yesterday, they called and wanted to know if he was interested in purchasing their 2 year old stud colt --- he said the colt did look really nice, but I'm sure they'd want too much. I'm also afraid of what damage may have been done to him already.

Live and learn I always say.

[clh]

I feed my pregnant mares a high quality 16% grain, while in the stall they get high quality hay and when outside they get all the grass they can eat. I also top dress all their feed with Body Builder - none of my mares are over-weight. Sometimes they get oats - we've found that they like this treat and for some reason it seems to make them dapple up nicely.

Folks who have seen my mares all comment on how healthy and fit they look.

They too of course get the occasional peppermint and carrot as well