late pregnancy & preparing for foaling colin mitchell bvm&s certep mrcvs hexham

Late Pregnancy & Preparing for Foaling

Colin Mitchell BVM&S CertEP MRCVS

Hexham

Content

• Mare nutrition• Routine care• Vaccinations• Preparations for

foaling

Definitions

• Mare in foal for 11 months

• Gestation = pregnancy = in foal

• Lactation / lactating – mare feeding foal

• Womb = uterus

Mare Nutrition

• By 7 months of gestation – foetus 17% of birth weight

• 60% birth weight in last 3 months

• Total weight gain at full term – 10 – 12 %

• Foal birth weight approx 8 – 10 %

• Average TB mare 500 kg (not in foal)

• Average TB foal 45 kg

Mare Requirement

Early – mid gestation

• Early demands insignificant but not unimportant

• Good quality pasture may meet energy and protein requirements

• Need general mineral supplement

Early – mid gestation

• Little / no conc feed required unless :

1. Lactating

2. Pasture / hay quality or quantity declines

• Do not suddenly increase or decrease the mares intake

Exercise

• Can ride quietly and safely up to 6 / 7 months

• Healthy pregnant mare benefits from natural free exercise up to and including last few days

• Little proven risk from natural movement

Late gestation

• From 7 months – feed small, but increasing amount of conc to diet

• Last 3 months, energy demand increases :

9th month : 10 %

10th month : 15 %

11th month : 20 %

• Space restrictions

Space Restrictions

Late gestation

• Average 550 – 600 kg TB mare in last month of pregnancy, receives:

1. concentrate

2. ad lib pasture / hay / haylage

Which Concentrate feed ?

• Ca & Pr : Energy• Differ from

maintenance to pregnancy & lactation

• Commercially available conc mixesdesigned for the purpose are advantageous

Late gestation

• Forage quality – monitor & feed as appropriate

• Beware of starving if obese and overfeeding if lean

• No sea-weed

Nutrition - complexities

• Grain based diet raises blood glucose and insulin for 4 – 6 hours

• Feeding 1 – 2 high starch meals daily ??

• Surges / changes in insulin, growth hormone, glucose and thyroid hormone

• Developmental orthopaedic disease

Source of energy

• Fibre and oil based diets reduce these hormone fluctuations

• May reduce incidence of DOD

Feeding oil

• Concentrated source of energy

• 2 ¼ times the energy of carbohydrates

• Horses digest well – no temperament problems

• Introduce gradually

• Remember the ‘100 rule’

The 100 rule

• Do not exceed 100ml veg oil per 100kg bodyweight

• For every 100ml fed – supplement 100iu vitamin E

Farriery

• Routine trimming every 6 weeks

• Have re-shod if usually shod

• Try not to attempt anything new

• Check ingredients of any hoof supplements

• Sedatives ???

Dental Care

• Routine rasping – every 6 – 12months

• Fibre very important dietary constituent

• Careful handling• Care with sedatives

Worming Strategy

• Should have one in place already

• Most quite safe – check check labellabel

• Care with handling

• Good worming + good dental care

=> Efficient use of good quality fibre

Vaccinations

• Tetanus – a priority

• Influenza

• Herpes Virus ( EHV )

Tetanus

• Primary course : 2 injections 4-6 weeks

• Boosters : yearly / other year

• Repeat booster 4-6 weeks prior to foaling

• Tetanus anti-toxin often given to mare and foal on first day additionally

Antibody level

Time

booster booster

Antibody level

Time

booster booster

F

F

Influenza

• Usually combined with tetanus

• If programme up to date - ?continue

• Not usually required by foal at an early age

Herpes Virus ( EHV )

• 75% of all horses carriers

• Very widespread• Highly contagious• Viral recrudescence

EHV – disease syndromes

1. Respiratory disease

2. Abortion

3. Neonatal foal disease

4. Paralytic form – uncommon

5. Sexually Transmitted Disease

Equine Abortion

Cord abnormalities 46%

Placental abnormalities 25%

Foetal abnormalities 18%

EHV 6%

Twinning 3%

Maternal illness 2%

EHV - vaccination

• Given at 5, 7 & 9 months of pregnancy

• Offers protection against abortion

• Can be used to reduce level of EHV in environment

• Yard situation ??

Colostrum

Foal needs colostrum for :

1. Warmth

2. Energy

3. Laxative

4. Immune system – protection from environmental “bugs”

As foaling approaches

• Mare – needs to be in foaling environment at least 3 weeks prior to foaling

• Caslicks removal

• 15’ x 15’ box – thick straw bed

• Overhead light

• Tail bandage

• Wash & dry rear end & hind limbs of mare with warm water

• CCTV

• Emergency numbers

• Clean towels

• Antibiotic spray