what to feed a baby horse

^{Feeding the Newborn Foal}

• Colostrum: The Foal’s Most Important Meal. Colostrum is the first milk secreted by the mare immediately before foaling and up to 24 hours after foaling.
• Storing Colostrum. Because the first milk is critical to the newborn foal, horsemen are encouraged to store colostrum. ...
• Nutrient Content of Mare’s Milk. In addition to supplying the foal with antibodies, colostrum also contains high levels of vitamins, proteins and energy.

What do baby horses eat?

Baby horses or foals eat only mothers milk for the three weeks before adding grass to their diet shortly afterward. By the time the foal reaches 2 to 3 month the mother will stop feeding and the baby horse will have to look for other food sources such as grass and horse grain.

How to take care of a baby horse?

Baby horses start out on mothers’ milk but soon begin to gain their independence. By the time your foal is two weeks old, they should eat a mixture of mare milk and hard feed. You should, however, still encourage your foal to drink as long as your mare is willing to feed them since milk is an excellent source of nutrients.

What is the best diet for a young horse?

Young, growing horses need a diet ratio of Ca to P between 1 to 1 and 3 to 1. Maximizing forage intake will mimic natural feeding behavior and bring about gut health. Feed the concentrate part of the diet across multiple feedings throughout the day.

How much milk to feed an orphaned horse?

For example, a 100-pound foal could consume 25 pounds of milk a day, or 50 cups. Both cow’s and goat’s milk have been used successfully to feed orphan foals, but neither is an ideal solution. Both are more concentrated than mare’s milk; they have about twice the fat, and one-half as much lactose (milk sugar).

What do I feed a newborn horse?

Foals this age will nibble dry feed, so provide Purina® Omolene® #300, Strategy® GX or Ultium® Growth horse feed in small meals throughout the day. They should be eating a minimum of 1 pound of dry feed per month of age per day, and nibbling small amounts of grass or hay in addition to milk replacer.

What kind of milk do you give a baby horse?

Quick facts. Colostrum is the mare's first milk containing protective antibodies for the foal. The best alternative to colostrum is antibodies from equine plasma, which is given by your veterinarian. The best alternative to mare's milk is an equine milk replacer.

What is a good feed for foals?

Grass, the most natural of equine foods, should always be available when foals are turned out, and hay should be provided in the stall. Alfalfa (lucerne) or an alfalfa/grass mix will provide both energy and calcium for sound skeletal development. Water and salt should be accessible to mares and foals at all times.

What do baby horses like to eat?

Foals learn to eat hay and concentrates. If foals are on pasture, it might take them longer than if they spend part of every day in a stall observing the dam. This might involve creep feeding.

Can baby horses drink cows milk?

After ingestion of colostrum, foals require a continuous supply of milk. Commercially available milk replacers specifically formulated for foals are an option. Alternatively, unmodified goat's milk or 2% cow's milk with 20 g/l of dextrose (not sucrose) added can be used.

Can we give cow milk to a horse?

Cow's milk or similar products (e.g. skim milk powder) are, therefore, not an ideal substitute for foals, because they do not contain the whey protein profile of natural mare's milk. The quantity of casein is about half that found in cow's milk. The predominant carbohydrate in horse milk is lactose.

When should a foal start eating grain?

As early as one week of age your foal may start taking some interest in feed by nibbling at hay or grain. This initial interest may be just a way of imitating mom, but the foal soon learns to use these other sources of nutrition and his digestive tract quickly adjusts to solid food.

Can baby horses eat carrots?

Slice several carrots lengthwise, into “fingers” or take a bag of baby carrots. Carrots should never be fed in chunks because they can lodge in a horse's throat and cause suffocation.

Can foals eat alfalfa?

She says alfalfa is ideal for horses on high planes of nutrition, such as lactating broodmares, growing horses, thin horses, racehorses, performance horses, or young foals that aren't getting enough milk.

What can I feed my 4 month old foal?

(A 4-month-old weanling should eat enough daily forage to equal between 0.5 and 1 percent of his body weight.) Think of him as a fussy toddler who won't eat his vegetables unless they're really tasty. Turn him out on a productive pasture or entice him with good-quality, palatable hay (fresh and clean, early-cut).

What do you feed a 2 week old foal?

Mare's milk replacers and goat's milk have also been used successfully to feed orphan foals. Foals should be fed every 1–2 hours for the first 1–2 days of life, then every 2–4 hours for the next 2 weeks at the rate of 250–500 mL per feeding, using a warmed milk container and an artificial nipple.

Are carrots good for horses?

Almost any fruits, and many vegetables, are safe treats for healthy horses. Apples and carrots are traditional favorites. You can safely offer your horse raisins, grapes, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe or other melons, celery, pumpkin, and snow peas.

What do you bottle feed a baby horse?

Foals that have not stood and nursed within two hours should be bottle fed colostrum. When hand feeding sucklings, use a sanitized plastic bottle and nipple. Use either an infant's milk bottle, with the top of the nipple notched approximately one-eighth inch, or a lamb's feeder bottle.

What do baby horses drink?

In general, mare's milk provides all the nutritional needs of foals in the first six to eight weeks of life. By seven days old, foals drink 25% of their body weight in milk each day. Though milk is unquestionably the mainstay of a young foal's diet, the transition to traditional feeds may be swift.

How do you make foal milk replacer?

Homemade milk replacers are relatively easy to formulate. They generally consist of low-fat cow's milk (less than 2 percent butterfat content), water, lime water to reduce the incidence of diarrhea and an additive to increase both the energy content and palatability of the milk replacer.

How do you feed orphaned foals?

Mare's milk replacers and goat's milk have also been used successfully to feed orphan foals. Foals should be fed every 1–2 hours for the first 1–2 days of life, then every 2–4 hours for the next 2 weeks at the rate of 250–500 mL per feeding, using a warmed milk container and an artificial nipple.

What Do I feed A Newborn Horse?

The mother will feed the horse during its first 3 weeks. If the mare is not taking or has passed you have usually two options to milk the horse by hand using a milk replacer or you can even lease a nurse mare.

Do Baby Horses Drink Milk?

They do drink the mother milk or a nursing mare if needed . You can also use a milk replacer if need to do by hand.

When Do Foals Start Eating Grass?

They start eating grass after the first few weeks. Sometimes they will start eating sooner or later. When they do sooner it is usually to mimic their mother.

What is it called when you feed a mare and a foal separately?

Most people do what is called creep feeding which is basically feeding the mare and foal separately. You do not want the mare eating what the foal has too. There are many ways to do this.

How much weight can a foal gain in a day?

As long as the mothers milk is coming out the foal should be gaining anywhere from 2-3 lbs a day just on that.

What is a baby horse called?

Baby horses otherwise known as foals are a beautiful sight to see. They are very active all the time driving their mothers crazy just like any toddler. Since they are so active they need to be fed a lot and filled with nourishment.

How do you know if your foal is ready for solid food?

Of the early signs your foal is getting ready for solid food is sometimes when they start eating manure yes that is correct.

How many foals can a horse have?

On average, a horse can have about 16 babies over the course of its life. People usually start breeding horses around 4 years old.

What is a dummy foal?

A dummy foal is a baby horse that cannot walk or do other things that horses can. They might even sleep all the time. This is called neonatal maladjustment syndrome.

How much does a foal grow in a day?

Prior to weaning, the foal is growing at a rapid rate of about 2-2.5 pounds per day. This growth gradually slows after the foal becomes a weanling horse—to about one pound per day as they approach 12 months of age. The ability of the weanling’s digestive system to digest forages also increases post-weaning, as does their daily forage intake. Therefore, the proportion of the diet as feed may not continue to increase, and may actually decrease, if forage quality is excellent.

How much foal feed should a 3-month-old eat?

For example, a 3-month-old would ideally be eating about three pounds of feed per day, in addition to milk and free choice hay or pasture.

Why are weanling horses growing?

Weanling horses are growing to their genetic potential when they are being fed a well-balanced diet in amounts to maintain slight cover so ribs aren’t seen but are easily felt.

How much should a horse's weight be by 6 months?

As a general rule, foals should reach approximately 50 percent of their mature weight and 80 percent of their mature height by six months old. Plotting your weanling horse’s height and weight over time should show a smooth, steady growth curve with no obvious peaks or valleys.

What percentage of protein is in economy feed?

An economy-type feed that has a seemingly adequate amount of crude protein (14-16 percent) will likely not supply sources of protein that are easily digestible or provide the correct ratios of amino acids. Now is not the time to skimp on nutrients!

When do horses start showing interest in feeds?

Foals will start to show interest in feeds very early on and, by around two months of age, their mother’s milk will no longer supply all the nutrients needed for optimum growth.

What is needed for a horse to grow?

Young, growing horses have different requirements for protein, vitamins and minerals than adult horses. A proper balance of high-quality proteins, calories, calcium and phosphorus is needed for correct muscle, bone and tendon development.

How much colostrum should a mare eat?

Colostrum should be collected only from heavily producing mares or mares who have lost their foals. Generally, foals consume 4 to 6 ounces of colostrum per feeding. Heavily milking mares produce higher levels of colostrum than the foal is capable of consuming during these early meals.

What is the purpose of a colostrum kit?

Several kits also measure IgG content in serum, plasma and whole blood. These kits are used to test the immunity status of the foal 24 hours after birth.

How long after birth can a foal take colostrum?

Because of the decreased antibody absorption by the foal and decreased antibody presence in the milk, colostrum must be consumed within 15 hours after birth (Figure 1). Foals failing to receive colostrum within this time limit will be more susceptible to infectious diseases. Ideally, the foal should stand and nurse within 30 minutes ...

How long should a foal be nuzzled?

Foals should not be expected to hit the ground running. To the contrary, the foal should be permitted to lie, rest and be nuzzled by the mare for at least 30 minutes after foaling. Under normal conditions, a newborn foal attempts to stand under its own power within 45 minutes following birth.

What is the most important meal for a foal?

Colostrum: The Foal’s Most Important Meal. Colostrum is the first milk secreted by the mare immediately before foaling and up to 24 hours after foaling. It contains extremely high levels of antibodies, which are large protein molecules capable of transmitting immunity against disease. Colostrum is nature’s way of allowing ...

What is the recommended immunoglobulin level for horses?

Immunoglobulin levels of 800 to 1,000 mg/dl are required for foals in particularly stressful situations. Foals subjected to unsanitary conditions or to many horses entering and leaving the premises will require higher immunoglobulin levels to maintain adequate protection.

How to wash a mare before milking?

Thoroughly wash and rinse the mare’s teat area with soap and warm water before hand milking. The washing process will disinfect the teats, limit the possibility of introducing disease to the foal and have a massaging effect on the mare’s udder.

What do weanlings and yearlings use?

Weanlings and yearlings first use energy and nutrients to meet their maintenance needs. They use remaining energy and nutrients for growth. Weanlings and yearlings should have visible ribs. Fat should cover the top ⅓ to ½ of the ribs below the flat of the back. More fat may mean the horse is too heavy.

How old do horses need to be to grow?

Nutrition is important for growing horses between weaning and 2 years of age. During this time, bone formation and size greatly increase as well as muscle mass. Thus, these horses need the proper amount and balance of energy and nutrients in their ration.

What is the average daily growth rate for a horse?

Recommended average daily gain values for horses of different mature bodyweights range from 0.28 to 0.39 percent and 0.15 to 0.21 percent of the horse's body weight for weanlings and yearlings, respectively. Feeding a young horse for a moderate growth rate doesn’t result in a smaller horse.

How to measure weight of horse?

For estimating weight, measure around the heart girth and the length from point of shoulder to point buttock. You can track growth over time by checking your horse’s bodyweight with a scale or measuring tape. With a tape, measure the following: Around your horse's heart girth. The length from the point of shoulder to point of buttock.

What does the plus sign mean on a horse?

Plus sign (+) if content is closed, 'X' if content is open. Minerals and vitamins. Natural feedstuffs usually provide enough major minerals such as calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). Young, growing horses need a diet ratio of Ca to P between 1 to 1 and 3 to 1.

What is the recommended diet for a young horse?

Young, growing horses need a diet ratio of Ca to P between 1 to 1 and 3 to 1.

How much forage should a horse have?

High quality forages provide young horses most of the energy and nutrients they need. Weanling diets should never be less than 30 percent forage by weight. Ideally, they should have much more forage. Maximizing forage intake will mimic natural feeding behavior and bring about gut health.

What is the most demanding stage of a broodmare's life?

Lactation is one of the most physiologically demanding stages for broodmares. Their nutritional requirements increase drastically in order to maintain weight while providing nursing foals with enough critical nutrients. Lactating mares have the highest nutrient requirements during the first three months of lactation.

What happens if a broodmare is undernourished?

In severe cases an undernourished broodmare can suffer weight, muscle tone, and bone loss. Thus, it’s crucial to provide lactating mares with enough feed to sustain both themselves and their growing foals. Here are five tips for meeting mares’ nutritional needs during lactation.

What is the body condition score of a mare?

Aim to maintain pregnant and lactating mares at a body condition score of 6 to 7, and never less than 5, on the 1-9 Henneke scale. Should a mare’s body condition drop substantially, her reproductive performance (for example, cycles per conception) might decrease.

Can a mare eat grass?

Although high-quality hay and/or grass should remain the basis of the diet, in most cases forage alone cannot meet lactating mares’ nutritional requirements. Grain products formulated for broodmares are designed to meet pregnant and lactating mares’ nutritional needs. Follow the feeding rates suggested on the tag or bag corresponding to the month of lactation.

How long does it take for an orphan to be weaned off milk?

By the time the orphan is eating four to six pounds (2-2.5 kg) of milk replacer pellets or creep feed a day, he can be weaned off the milk—sometimes as early as nine weeks or so. Most orphans can be completely weaned by the age of four months, after which they can be treated like any other weanling.

How long after foaling can you give a mare colostrum?

You can milk colostrum every two hours from a mare which has had a stillborn foal, until six to 12 hours after foaling. A mare which is supporting a foal usually can afford to donate about 250 ml (a half pint), after her foal nurses. About 16 fluid ounces constitutes a single feeding for a newborn foal, and most experts recommend that an orphan receive three to four feedings within the first eight hours of his life.

What is an orphan foal?

Orphan foals raised with a correct balance of nutrients and monitored for growth, food consumption, and weight gain can be every bit as tall, strong, and athletic as foals raised by their dams. Every breeder dreads finding himself or herself with an orphan foal—a baby left alone when his dam dies of foaling complications or from a later, ...

How long does it take for a foal to absorb colostrum?

A foal can only absorb and utilize colostrum effectively in the first 12 hours of his life, so time is of the essence.

Why do farms hand raise orphan foals?

Because nurse mares are relatively scarce, and can be expensive to lease, a great many farms hand-raise their orphan foals. While this is a valid approach, it often can result in a foal which is more socialized toward humans than to horses. But as he grows, his lack of equine social skills can make him dangerous.

Why do breeders leave their babies alone?

Every breeder dreads finding himself or herself with an orphan foal—a baby left alone when his dam dies of foaling complications or from a later, unrelated injury or illness; or a foal rejected by his mother or for some reason, unable to nurse. Even a foal which can’t derive enough nourishment from nursing his dam ...

What to do if your foal drinks goat milk?

If digestive upsets do occur when your foal drinks goat’s milk, try the same doctoring you would use on cow’s milk—adding lime water and pectin. Impaction can happen when feeding goat’s milk, so some breeders recommend adding 30 ml of mineral oil daily to the liquid.

How much does hay cost for horses?

The cost of feeding your horse varies greatly based on your location. A bale of hay can cost anywhere between $5-$10 per square bale. Should you choose to grain feed, there can be an added expense. Similarly, depending on your horse’s nutritional needs, they may or may not require a supplement.

What is alfalfa for horses?

Alfalfa is a high protein legume that can be used to supplement nutrition for horses that have a need for it. The occasional alfalfa treat for a healthy, adult horse is no big deal but should not be used regularly unless your horse truly requires it. Foals not getting enough milk, horses that need to gain weight or suffer from Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) may require an alfalfa supplement. Alfalfa supplements would not be a good choice for overweight or insulin-resistant horses.

How much does a horse spend on hay?

According to a University of Maine study, horse owners report spending $1,214 on average per on hay and grain alone. Clyde is actually a rescue whom we adopted from owners who did not know the actual costs related to maintaining a small pony. Just because he’s tiny, doesn’t mean he’s cheap.

What is the sweet spot for feed costs?

-The sweet spot for feed costs occurs when your horse is of the median age and good health. If you are looking to purchase a horse, feed costs are a concern. You are going to want to avoid younger horses who are still developing and older ones that may have health problems. Keep in mind, time takes its toll on all of us. The decision to purchase a horse should come with a healthy understanding. This should be a lifetime commitment.

What do horses eat?

Cost to Feed a Horse: The Rules of Feeding. Horses are omnivores, meaning their diet consists of plants and meat. Although much of their nutrition is derived from a plant-based diet, horses can and do eat meat. A horse will eat almost anything you feed to it.

How long does a 50 lb bag last?

A 50lb bag typically lasts a week or two for a riding horse. A 1,000lb draft-type horse would need 2-3 bags per year. It would last ~1 month.

What is the best grass for horses?

Lush/Plush green grass in moderation is best. Legumes such as clover, offer green, natural protein again, moderation is key. Nutrient toxicity, especially from a high protein diet, can lead to serious problems for your horse.