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Sue J
Gold Member
 Wales
914 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Dec 2010 : 08:40:07 AM
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Hi all you experienced breeders out there. I am in the process of starting to wean this years foal (he's now almost7 months old) but have delayed because of the weather.
For the last 3 nights I have put him in his own stable but put him out with mum again in the morning, this is working well and it's what I did with my last foal for a few days before separating them completely and I had no problems. However my mare has been such a good mum, she's done him really well and herself as well I might add but she still seems to have masses of milk. The last mare I weaned a foal of seemed to be drying up naturally at 6months. Is this natural and will she dry up as soon as I seperate them completely? Sorry if this seems a silly question but just want to do the best for them both.
Thanks Sue
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Welshpool
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2010 : 09:07:53 AM
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She should dry up but you need to stop her hard feed and keep a close on her just in case she gets mastitis.
I don't wean as I don't put my mares back in foal the same yerar and they eventually wean themselves!
Barbara |
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Mrs Vlacq
Platinum Member
Wales
3776 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2010 : 10:09:26 AM
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She will dry up soon Sue - the trouble with a gradual wean as you are doing is that mare keeps producing as foal will want a big guzzle in the mornings! Glad it's going well though
Agree with barbara; dropping her feed, keeping her out and moving and not on your best grass/haylage will help things. Once the 'little' guy is off permanently she'll get the message. We've only just weaned our 5 too and touch wood all girls seem ok, even Sybil who would feed a dozen if she could! We rugged her (carefully) for the last week as her foal is huge and it just made drinking more of an effort for him so he stuck to the haylage bale and grazing.
Is leaving your mare out 24/7 for a week viable? it does help but with the weather looming it might not be doable. She's obviously been a good mum  |
    
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2010 : 10:21:05 AM
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They've been out 24/7 until 4 days ago when the ice cleared I brought them in (they did have access to a lovely field shelter while out on field). The mare isn't having any hard feed, just HI FI light with a gen purpose supplement and baby is having Top Spec balancer however they do have good quality haylage ad lib, I haven't managed to get any hay this year.
I need to wean him as i'm on my own mostly so for safety's sake I need to be able to lead him in and out not let him trot along behind her when the ground may be icy. They've also both gone very footy having worn their feet down, especially foal due to hard frozen ground whilst being out 24/7 so another reason for bringing in and weaning.
I'm sure you're right about her keep producing milk with the gradual wean so think I will just have to give it a go and see how it goes. |
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tamila
Platinum Member
England
2532 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2011 : 07:16:14 AM
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I have always left mine until about one year as the mother tends to do the job herself especially if she is in foal again. I always found it too dramatic to do this early and at one year they adjust better. If they are in foal agian the milk dries up and the weaner cannot get any more. You must make sure they can get at any feed.
I believe the wild ponies do a kind of weaning at one year. |
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 02 Feb 2011 : 08:45:54 AM
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Thanks Tamila,in a way I wish I had left him with her for longer but I needed to seperate them to make leading etc, easier as I am mostly on my own putting out and bringing in and with the ground conditions as they were I didn't want the foal having a fall.
However I must say the mare was not ready to let go and is still not too happy even after 4 to 6 wks of seperating them. She was a super mum and he was her first foal, I do feel rather mean, but foal is fine and happily playing with his 2yr old friend. |
Welshpool
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Weaning
