what to feed baby horses

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.

How do you feed a baby foal?

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What do you feed foals when weaning?

To support smooth, steady growth, suckling foals should be offered one pound of a properly-formulated foal feed per month of age per day. 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.

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.

What can foals 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 a foal drink cow's 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 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 is the best mare and foal feed?

Purina® Omolene® #200, Strategy® GX or Ultium® Growth horse feed would be good choices, or Purina® Enrich Plus® Ration Balancing horse feed may be an option for mares that are easy keepers. During the tenth month of gestation the greatest amount of mineral retention occurs in the unborn foal.

Can baby horses eat carrots?

Horses have always loved to eat carrots, and people have always loved to feed carrots to them. Any time food is offered to a horse from a person's hand, a few basic guidelines should be followed. HERE'S HOW: Slice several carrots lengthwise, into “fingers” or take a bag of baby carrots.

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.

Can foals eat apples?

Many of us like to feed our horses apples as treats. But excessive amounts of fruit can become too much of a good thing. A belly full of apples or any other fruit can cause colic or other complications. 1 You probably should not feed your horse more than one or two pieces of fruit.

How do you take care of a newborn foal?

A checklist follows.Make sure the foal is breathing.Put iodine on the foal's umbilical stump.Make sure the foal (including orphan foals) receives colostrum soon after birth.Make sure the foal is protected against tetanus, either through the colostrum or by a tetanus antitoxin injection.More items...•

How often should an orphan foal be fed?

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.

How long can a newborn foal go without milk?

It's an emergency if: the foal has not stood within two hours and nursed within three to five hours. Failure to do these things may indicate a problem that requires urgent medical care. And time is critical because he needs to ingest colostrum within the first six to eight hours of birth.

How do you get a bucket to drink a foal?

Training a foal to drink from a bucket is surprisingly easy. Place a small amount of milk in the bucket so that the foal's muzzle can easily touch the base. This contact with the base of the bucket elicits a suckle response, and the foal will usually drink quite happily.

What is the best feed for a horse?

The nutrient requirements of a horse vary with its age, weight and the amount of work it performs. Good quality hay is sufficient feed for a mature horse that is ridden very little. With an increase in work, grain should be added to its diet.

What are the minerals needed for horses?

Small amounts of minerals usually are needed. Iron, copper, phosphorous, calcium and magnesium are examples of minerals that are important for a horse's body. Without iron, blood cannot carry oxygen to the body's cells. Without calci um and phosphorous, bones and teeth will not form properly.

What is a complete feed?

A complete feed is a grain mix that is high in fiber because it contains a forage or high-fiber byproducts feed such as hulls. Complete feeds are held together, usually by extrusion (puffed up like dog food) or by forming into pellets. If you are feeding a commercial complete feed, you will not need to feed hay (follow the label for feeding recommendations). There are also feeds for specific classes of horses. Some feeds are specially formulated for young, growing horses (weanlings and yearlings); and for geriatric (aged) horses that are old and have specific nutritional needs. Some commercial feed companies make pre-mixed, convenient, easy-to-use formulated feeds for horses that are on different hay diets such as grass or alfalfa. You should not need to add any other supplements to the diet. These feeds may be more expensive than developing your own ration, but they are good for the owner who does not want to spend time to research their horse's diet.

How much roughage should a horse eat?

For example, a 1,100 pound horse requires at least 11 pounds of roughage.

Why is it important to know how to feed a horse?

Understanding the function of the horse's gastrointestinal (GI) tract is critical for maintaining its health and preventing conditions such laminitis.

How much water does a horse drink?

A horse drinks about 10 to 12 gallons of water daily depending on the work it is doing. In hot weather, a horse may drink up to 15 to 20 gallons of water. In very cold weather, water heaters may be needed to prevent the water from freezing. Energy in feeds is measured in Mega calories (Mcal) of digestible energy (DE).

What are the parts of a horse made of?

Proteins eventually become muscle, internal organs, bone and blood. Skin, hair, hooves and many other parts of a horse also are made of protein. Protein not needed to maintain or build a horse's body is either converted into energy or passed through the digestive system.

What you need to know about foals (baby horses)

A baby horse is called a foal. It is born after eleven months of pregnancy. The foal comes out in a different order than a human baby: the front feet, head, and shoulders first. All horses are born with ‘slipper’ feet that protect them when they walk on slippery ground.

How horses breastfeed

It is called breastfeeding, but that isn’t really correct. Horses don’t have breasts like humans. A female horse will have nipples near her back legs though.

The importance of the first milk

It is important for a newborn foal to drink from its mother right away. The first milk that the baby drinks is called colostrum. When a foal is born, it cannot protect itself because it doesn’t have an immune system yet.

Is milk the only thing foals eat?

Foals drink milk for a few days. After a week or two, they will start to eat grass and hay. When they are young, foals don’t eat much.

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.

What do you feed a miniature horse?

Feeding the Miniature Horse. Regardless of their size, all equines have the same basic nutritional needs. Each animal must consume enough water, forage, and (possibly) grain to meet the requirements of growth, tissue repair, reproduction, exercise, and maintenance of all body systems. Factors such as body size, age, breed, work, climate, ...

What are the basic needs of equines?

Regardless of their size, all equines have the same basic nutritional needs. Each animal must consume enough water, forage, and (possibly) grain to meet the requirements of growth, tissue repair, reproduction, exercise, and maintenance of all body systems. Factors such as body size, age, breed, work, climate, health status, ...

What are the factors that affect the amount of hay a horse needs?

Factors such as body size, age, breed, work, climate, health status, and metabolism affect the type and amount of hay, pasture, and grain a particular horse should be given. Because very little research has been done on the specific requirements of Miniature horses, feeding recommendations must be based on standards for other equines tempered by ...

Why are miniature horses easy keepers?

Miniature horses tend to be easy keepers, meaning that they seem to maintain or increase their weight on limited forage and little or no grain.

How to determine how much hay to give a horse?

Deciding how much hay, grass, and grain to provide a mature Miniature horse involves, as a first step, an estimation of body condition. This is most easily determined not by looking at the belly, which may appear large even in an underweight horse, but by observing the ribs, spine, and fat deposits. For a horse in moderate condition, the ribs ...

How much does a miniature horse weigh?

In a study conducted by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), 49 Miniature horses (mares, geldings, and stallions between the ages of 1 and 12) had an average weight of 213 pounds, and fewer than 15% of these animals weighed as much as 250 pounds. The study found that owners of Miniature horses commonly over- or underestimated the weight ...

How much grain should I feed my mini?

Many Miniature owners, who measure feed by the cup or half-cup, would agree that a full-grown Mini’s grain ration should not exceed 1 pound per day, and as little as half a pound per day is often adequate.

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 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.

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.

How much does a horse grow before weaning?

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.

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.

Can a weanling horse eat dry feed?

A weanling horse already accustomed to eating an adequate amount of dry feed will transition to life without mom much easier and will be ready to maintain nutrient intake at a level that can sustain optimum growth.

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 ...

How to hand feed a baby suckling?

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. Thoroughly wash and rinse the mare’s teat area with soap and warm water before hand milking.

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.

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 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.

Go with grain

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.

Split it up

Many mares in the first three months of lactation will require between 10 to 15 pounds of a commercial grain mix per day to meet their increased nutrient requirements. Dividing this into two or three meals per day can help reduce the risk of digestive upset and increase nutrient digestion and absorption.

Watch for food thieves!

Most foals will begin to nibble on their mare’s grain within weeks of birth and can easily consume up to four pounds each day by the time weaning approaches. You might need to increase the amount of grain you provide your mare each day to ensure she is still getting enough to meet her needs.

Monitor body condition score

Monitor a lactating mare’s body condition frequently, and adjust her diet as needed. 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.

Take-Home Message

Lactating mares have drastically increased nutritional requirements in order to keep themselves and their foals healthy. Ensuring that your broodmare consumes enough calories each day will help foals start out on the right foot and help keep mares’ bodies functioning optimally.

What to do with a baby bird

If you’ve found a baby bird on the floor, or one has been brought in by your cat, the first thing to do is get it to a safe place. Gently pick it up – you can use a tea towel if you’d rather not touch it – and put it into a box.

Should I look after this baby bird?

Hopefully you’ve tried to return the bird to his parents – hand rearing is hard work, and nowhere near as rewarding as they make it sound in books. Feeding needs to happen frequently – as often as every 20 minutes – during daylight hours, so this is a big responsibility.

How do you take care of an abandoned baby bird?

If you can’t find anybody else to take the bird and you really want to give it a shot, it’s time to find out how to take care of an abandoned baby bird. Here’s all you need to know:

Housing an abandoned baby bird

You’ll need to find somewhere suitable for the baby bird to live until it’s old enough to be released. For a fledgling, this is easy – they’re already out of the nest so you just need to provide a safe space in the garden that they can escape when they’re ready.

What do baby birds eat? How to feed a baby bird that fell out of its nest

If your bird is a nestling, you’ll need to feed from a syringe or pipette. These birds would be being fed regurgitated food from mum and dad, so they’ll need a soft food.

Can you give baby birds water?

It’s very important that birds don’t get dehydrated, but it’s difficult to safely give water to a baby bird. Nestlings should not be given water – they won’t know what to do with it and might drown in it. Both nestlings and fledglings that are not yet feeding themselves will get their water from their diet – so they’ll need access to moist foods.

Conclusion

Knowing what to do with a baby bird that’s been abandoned is tough. Whilst our instinct is to rescue and look after them, it’s generally not in the bird’s best interests – they’re better off outside and rarely do well when hand reared.