1. Neonatal Care
EQM 120 – Introduction to Commercial Breeding

2. Initial Foal Care Normal Health Parameters After Birth
Stands within 1-2 hours
Nurses within 2-3 hours
Urinates within 9-10 hours
Suckling reflex within 2-20 minutes
Meconium (first feces) within 8-12 hours
Temperature of 99 – 101.5°F in non-stressed births
Heart rate of 60 bpm 1-5 minutes post foaling, bpm at 6-60 minutes post foaling, bpm 1 to 5 days post foaling
60-80 breaths per minute first 30 minutes, to 12 hours after
The Following Days
Examination within hours after birth
Ophthalmic and respiratory exam, and visual checks for conformation abnormalities
Foal’s antibody level in the serum should be tested for IgG antibodies (>800 mg/dl)
A newborn foal will nurse 4-6 times per hour and will consume 21-25% of their body weight in milk daily (2.5 gallons/day for 100lbs foal)
Fecal output of 2-5 piles per day

3. Importance of Nutrition
The correct nutrition of foals, weanlings, and yearlings is essential for their productivity and longevity as racehorses
The nutritional start a foal receives can have a profound effect on health and soundness for the rest of its life
A careful balancing act to provide the foal the nutrients it needs for steady consistent growth
Accelerating growth can lead to Developmental Orthopedic Disorders (DOD):
Contracted tendons
Epiphysitis
Angular limb deformities
Osteochondrosis
The period between birth and 18 months is most critical to increases in height, weight, and quality of skeletal development. From birth to age two, a young horse can achieve 90% or more of its full adult size, sometimes putting on as many as 3 lbs/day

4. Using Nutrition to Minimize Unsoundness
Maximum Growth vs. Optimum Growth
The maximum risk for the development of skeletal abnormalities occurs when weight gain is high
Maximum growth is not compatible with optimum skeletal development
Excesses and deficiencies of nutrients during the first 12 months can cause abnormalities in bone growth
High energy (28% over recommended levels) and combined high-energy protein (30% higher than recommended levels) have been shown to cause bone growth disturbances, cartilage damage, and a reduction in the calcium and phosphorus deposited in bone

5. The Nursing Foal
Once the foal stands and nurses, it receives antibody-rich colostrum to help protect it from disease
Need about 2 liters within the first 24 hours
During the 1st weeks of life, the mare’s milk provides everything a rapidly growing foal needs for sustenance
Keep an eye on the mare’s body condition
During lactation she will produce an average of 2-3% of her body weight in milk a day
Observe nursing habits of the foal
Suckles for more than 30 minutes, the foal may not be receiving enough milk; supplemental feed or milk may be needed
Peak lactation occurs during the 2nd and 3rd month of a foals life
Mare will need almost 2x the amount of feed required during early pregnancy and needs to receive adequate protein, vitamins and minerals

6. Example of Mare Milk Composition
Foal Digestible Energy (DE) Requirement vs. Milk DE Output Over Time

7. The Orphan Foal
Occurs when the dam did not survive parturition or because she rejected the foal
Foal needs immunological protection right away
Provide colostrum, 2 to 3 liters as soon as possible after birth
Best to tube-feed to ensure foals get as much as possible
If colostrum is not available, veterinarian should administer IV transfer of plasma with high levels of IgG
Farm managers should plan ahead for orphan foals and store mL of quality colostrum from other broodmares in a freezer

8. Orphan Foal Milk Options
Mare’s Milk
Challenging because it is uncommon for other mares to adopt orphan foals and allow them to suckle alongside their own foal
Nurse Mare (Ideal Option)
Lease a lactating mare with the understanding she will raise the foal until weaning
Provides foal with social education
Is expensive, hard to find, some farms require the nurse mare to be bred back before being returned, is a biosecurity risk due to shipping in an outside horse
Inducing Lactation
Induce lactation in a barren mare through hormone treatments
Can take up to 14 days for lactation to begin
Can be difficult to have the mare accept the foal
Mare’s Milk Substitutes
Powdered products for young foals, pelleted products for older foals
Similar nutrient and micronutrient levels as mare’s milk
Done through bottle feeding or bucket feeding, every 90 minutes for the young foal (16x a day) decreasing to 5x a day by 15 days old

9. The Nutritional Gap
In the 3rd month of lactation, the mare’s milk production drops
The problem is that the foal’s nutritional needs keep increasing
We can fill this gap through additional rations in the form of hay and concentrates
1. Provide high-quality roughage
2. Use of a creep feeder
3. Foals should be fed 1% of their body weight per day, adjust ration based on weight
4. Divide rations into multiple feedings
5. Provide unlimited fresh, clean water
6. Ability to exercise

10. Creep Feeding
Many foals show interest in eating concentrate within weeks of birth and will start to pick at their dam’s feed
Once the foal’s nutritional needs are not being meet by the dam’s milk, a concentrate will need to be introduced
A creep feed is a concentrated ration designed specifically for foals to help build strong, correct bones and muscle
Make sure the feeder is designed in a way that the mare cannot eat the foals grain and so the foal cannot get hurt
Creep feed should be fed at a rate of 1% of the foal’s body weight per day
Creep feed should contain 14-16% crude protein, 0.9% calcium, and 0.6% of phosphorus, along with high levels of trace minerals zinc and copper

11. Nursing Foal Nutritional Requirements at 3-5 months

12. Use the following password to access Quiz 7:
EQM120Foal

13. Foal Care Management
In addition to nutritional considerations, proper management and care techniques will aid in the developmental of a strong, healthy foal
General practice for foal turnout dictates that the foal should be a minimum of 10 days old with a minimum temperature of 40 degrees before the foal should be turned out at night but it is important to ensure the foal receives as much turnout as soon as possible.
Provide foals with ample exercise room, paddocks, and pastures
Provide a clean, safe environment with shelter
Make sure fencing is suitable for foals and does not have loose boards, nails, etc.
Provide a regular deworming and vaccination schedule
Should receive their first vaccinations at 6 to 9 months if mares were vaccinated the last 30 days of pregnancy, if not than at 3 to 4 months
Core and Risk Vaccinations for foals as recommended by the American Association for Equine Practitioners