Foal weaning: a delicate band

22.10.19 0 Comments Posted by Centro di riproduzione equina centauro Crec

One of the most delicate phases in the foal's life is the weaning phase, the removal from the mother.

In nature it is a process that occurs spontaneously, while in the breeding environment it is we who separate the foal from the mother.

In practice it is advisable to separate the foal at six months of age even though there are some situations that may require early weaning, one of the most common being the mother's weight loss. In this case the mare is not able to produce enough energy to carry out the lactation and it is preferred to remove the foal before the six months of life; this allows the mother a physical recovery and the foal a lesser stress. The same is true for mothers who have pathologies in place and therefore are unable to support lactation for a prolonged period.

Weaning is definitely a stressful time for both the mother and the foal. The degree of stress may vary depending on the management of the foal up to the time of weaning. In particular, if the foal is already in a group with other mothers and foals of the same age before the weaning, the separation will be less traumatic, both because the foal is already used to being with other elements of the pack and interacting with them both because it is possible to wean all the foals of a group at the same time, always keeping them together.

If, on the other hand, the foal has grown up alone with the mother, it will surely suffer greater stress than the previous situation.

The weaning phase often coincides with the first stage of foal training. Patience is the key word of this phase, we must act calmly,

respecting learning times. The foal, which

so far he has followed his mother, must

learn to wear the halter, to go to the long way,

to be managed both in box and in paddock and ad

be desensitized on the forelegs and

rear. It is also a good rule at this stage

use a farrier to correct any

perpendicular defects.

The duration of this phase depends on the learning ability of the foal. In our

experience we have noticed that foals grown in packs are more receptive than those

who were alone with the mother. We recommend handling foals during the first few months

of life, in order to get them used to the contact with man, trying to conquer immediately

their trust. The training phase will be less demanding both for us and for

the animal.

Still to reduce stress, foals that have been weaned at short notice can

share either the box or the paddock.

From the health point of view, the veterinarian performs the first vaccinations at the foal;

important is the coverage towards the flu / tetanus to which other vaccination covers can be associated, in particular the vaccine against Herpes Virus (Ehv1,4), responsible for respiratory and neurological diseases. The first vaccination is performed at about six months of age, the second one a month after the first and the third booster is performed six months after the second vaccination. It is advised not to vaccinate the foal before this age because its immune system is not able to produce antibodies autonomously; so far it uses those received from the maternal colostrum in the first hours of life.

The foals are very receptive to parasitic infestations, so it is advisable, under the advice of the veterinary surgeon, to intervene with a vermifuge at doses adequate for three months of life and then repeat it at six months with a double intervention two weeks after the other.

The feeding of the foal is mainly based on breast milk, but with growth it begins to take on, first by imitation then for greater nutritional requirements, the hay and feed available to the mother. We can intervene integrating, with specific feeds that allow a better growth of the foal. During weaning, it is advisable to use the same feeds to reduce stress in the intestine and eventually supplement the ration with a protein core and supplements for bone and joint growth, not exceeding the dosages to avoid growth problems.

The socialization with other foals or other horses in this period is very important, if you do not have foals of the same age with which to create a herd it is advisable to put however close to the foal a mare / or gelding that can accompany it in the growth especially

character and behavioral.

Once the foals are one year old, the males should be separated from the females as these start the first heats with the risk of having pregnancies at too young ages.

The post-weaning mother also needs attention. The mare in fact continues to produce milk under the action of the hormone prolactin. We must eliminate excess milk by manual milking and cold water showers in the days just after the foal is detached. This is to avoid discomfort in the mare and prevent any complications such as mastitis (inflammation / infection of the breast).

To conclude, a good management of the foal during weaning allows a better success of all the successive phases, a good training avoids the establishment of behavioral vices that often the horse will bring with it to life, a correct diet

reduces the onset of growth disorders that can compromise the foal's sports future, for example.

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