Foal Will Not Nurse

Veterinary, horse care, and training issues.

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griff
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Foal Will Not Nurse

Postby griff » Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:35 pm

The stud farm in WV called this morning and said we had a colt last night and he would not nurse.

I've had calves that would not nurse and was always able to hget them going by getting some warm milk in a bucket and putting my warm milk soaked fingers in the cales mouth until it started sucking. Then all we had to do was hold his mom and and squirt her milk into his mouth while he was sucking a finger,

I asked th farm manager if they had tried that and the answr was yes.

Got any suggestions?

griff
"We has met the enemy and he is us" [Pogo]

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Waternymph
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Postby Waternymph » Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:17 pm

Mainly this problem can occur if the mare has the first foal, also possible that she has no milk or just not the right quantity..You have to act fast because the colt after birth 2-3 hours needs the colostrum otherwise his bloodsugar can drop badly. His immunsystem needs it against infections. And between 12-24 hours you have to check the immunglobulin...that is very important. I need some more info on the mare to say what it can be, but they need to act fast...

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Roguelet
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Postby Roguelet » Wed Mar 02, 2005 7:31 pm

Just a thought, you may have already done this and too much time may have gone by, but you might ask around for colostrum. We typically collect some every year and freeze it to save for the following year, just in case we'd need it. Maybe someone near you does the same thing... at least it would be a way to get some of that all-important colostrum in the foal.

Good luck with everything and please keep us posted on the little guy's progress.
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marg
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Postby marg » Thu Mar 03, 2005 9:48 am

Hi; We had this happen and our vet had us milk the mare----this relieves the mare too-----put it in a bottle and feed him----once he gets a little food he will get a little stronger.We fed every 3 hours or so for a bout 24 hours.In the mean time we kept getting him up and guiding him where he had to go.He was a really big foal and was very unsteady on his legs and as soon as he reached up he lost his balance so he had quit trying.We stayed with him to steady him till he got stronger on his feet.It only took a day or so before he was nursing.Just be sure you keep making him try to get It from Mommy so he doesn't think you are his food source and then you will have a 3 month job.I do not know if you are close but my advice is to go do it yourself as no one else will spend the time with your horse as much as you will unless they are very special people.Besides you have more to lose than the stud farm.A dairy farmer told me he used to put brown sugar on the cows nipples and the calf would often lick it off and then get the idea of sucking.I was ready to try it but did not have to do it so I can not say this is a sure fire method.Don't rush the baby so he gets to think that this is a battle.I hope this helps.Marg

griff
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Postby griff » Thu Mar 03, 2005 2:40 pm

The mare was milked and the foal was fed first with a bottle and later with a tube.

Last hight our second mare had her loal and the same thing happened. I've never had TBs before but have 20 years experince with GHs and their pedigrees look very familatr.

I've had to hold a mare so she would let t6he foal nurse and I've had calves that would not nurse. However, two out of two is too much and has me concerned. Both mares recieved the herpies vaccine every two months and both mares are in good shape, and both mares have plenty of milk, all onfirmed by the vet.

I know and trust the stallion manager and I know these mares have had good care. This is the first foal for both and that may be a contributing factor I don't think it explians two out of two in a three day beriod.

Both mares and their foals were transported to vet hospital. The vet says the first foal is going to be OK but is concerned about the second foal.

Lastly we have two more of these mares to foal in May who were bred to the same stallion. Any ideas as to what we can do to make sure we don't get a third or third and forth repaet ?


griff

PS: All four mares recieved two WNV vaccines befor they were bred and have not had a WNV vaccination since. And, the vet said this has nothing to do with the presence or absence of WNV vaccinations

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Waternymph
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Postby Waternymph » Thu Mar 03, 2005 3:08 pm

I hope that things will be going fine for them..I think the main problem that for this mares this are there first foals. Keep in mind that the best is goatmilk and if you are using 2% cowmilk you have to put in it 2 spoon of honey.Another problem is for them to learn to became social, and they will start to eat much later the grass. The vaccine against herpes virus is never a 100%, unfortunately this can be also a case here.
For the two other foal better to find an older mare a relaxed good mam, and with hormons to make her becoming a mom...she will have milk and than imitating the birth, in most cases the mare excepting the foal. Than in 2 weeks she will have her own milk (not because of hormons) and she will be able to feed and socialize the foal.
I wish them all the best :)

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madelyn
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Postby madelyn » Thu Mar 03, 2005 6:11 pm

I have only had the experiences with the mares I had last year, and I found pretty much in each case with the maidens, I spent all day and half the night in the barn, in and out of the stall, helping the foal up and putting him to his dam, in one case I had to sedate the mare and tie her up. The foal was getting "body language" from her that scared him. I have a question, though, since having two like that is so odd... In the farm's procedure for prepping a mare for foaling, are they washing her udder along with her stomach, legs, etc.? If so, what are they using? Maybe they are tinkering with the natural scent too much.
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Ruffian
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Postby Ruffian » Fri Mar 04, 2005 5:59 am

Last year my mare had her first foal (a colt) she wouldn't let him nurse (so probably a different situation) but we let him drink colostrum from a bucket for around 12 hours whilst trying with the mare and finally resorted to hobbling her and she let him nurse after that there wasn't an issue she just wasn't sure what he was trying to do!!! :lol:

However by the time 5 months rolled around she didn't even look at him :?