Horse feeding baby

Feeding the Newborn Foal | Extension Horses

Getting a live foal on the ground is only half the battle in getting the baby off to a good start. The second half is the foal’s consumption of colostrum, the dam’s first milk.

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 the dam to provide her foal with natural immunity. The antibodies can be absorbed through the foal’s intestinal lining for approximately 18 hours following birth. However, as early as 12 hours after birth, the permeability of the foal’s intestinal lining is starting to alter, decreasing in the foal’s ability to absorb antibodies. In addition, the actual level of antibodies in the colostrum declines with time. Researchers have reported a 15 percent reduction in antibody levels in the mare’s milk within four to eight hours after foaling.

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 to one hour after birth. Unfortunately, many horsemen panic and attempt to over assist the newborn by forcing the foal to stand and nurse immediately following birth. Unwarranted assistance at this time will result in a stressful situation and a tired foal. 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. 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. 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.

Before offering the foal its first meal, make certain it exhibits a sucking reflex. Stimulate the sucking reflex by gradually inserting your index finger into the foal’s mouth and lightly rubbing the roof of the mouth. With stimulation, most foals will immediately cup their tongue and exhibit the characteristic sucking reflex. When actually feeding the foal, position the bottle and nipple so the foal is forced to suck the colostrum through the nipple. Under no circumstances pour or force-feed the colostrum. Foals that are reluctant to suck or accept bottle feedings may be fed through a tube inserted directly into their stomach. This procedure should be administered only by a qualified veterinarian.

For the first 18 hours, the foal should receive at least 1/4 pint every hour. For the remainder of the first day and through day 13, foals should receive 6 quarts daily spread over eight feedings. The colostrum should gradually be replaced with the dam’s milk.

Storing Colostrum

Because the first milk is critical to the newborn foal, horsemen are encouraged to store colostrum. In areas heavily populated with breeding operations, farm managers can cooperate to form colostrum banks. Members in a colostrum bank donate colostrum from milking mares and store it for future emergency use.

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. On the average, approximately 5 to 8. 5 ounces of colostrum could be hand milked from the mare immediately following each nursing. The hand milking process can be continued throughout the first 15 hours after foaling.

Store the colostrum in sterile, aseptic plastic bags and freeze it immediately after collection. Colostrum can be stored for several months to a year, thus permitting its use during the next foaling season. Before feeding frozen colostrum, gradually warm it to room temperature in a warm water bath not exceeding 110 degrees F. Do not microwave colostrum, and exercise caution not to heat it too quickly. Rapid heating denatures protein and reduces immunoglobulin content. Immediately transfer the warm colostrum to a sanitized plastic baby bottle, allow it to cool and feed it as described earlier.

The immunoglobulin content of the colostrum should be analyzed within hours after birth but before hand milking. Inexpensive, easy-to-use immunoglobulin test kits are available. The kits measure immunoglobulin G (IgG) content in colostrum. 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. Levels of 800 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) are considered to provide the foal with adequate levels of passive immunity. Foals with circulating levels of IgG below 400 mg/dl are considered to have complete failure of passive immunity transfer. Levels above 400 but below 800 mg/dl are considered to have partial failure of passive immunity transfer. 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.

Nutrient Content of Mare’s Milk

In addition to supplying the foal with antibodies, colostrum also contains high levels of vitamins, proteins and energy. It also has a laxative effect on the foal. Bowel movements for the newborn foal are sometimes difficult because of the sticky nature of the first defecation, commonly called meconium. Foals that have difficulty defecating will appear colicky and exhibit labored respiration. An enema is recommended for foals who have not passed the meconium within the first five to 10 hours after birth. Consult your veterinarian before administering an enema.

Unfortunately, the nutrients contained in colostrum also decrease at a rapid rate. Researchers report that mares’ milk proteins and total solids begin to decrease as early as 12 hours after foaling. Table 1 illustrates this dramatic decrease and also compares the mare’s milk at foaling and two months following birth.

Research has shown a rapid decrease in total milk solids, milk proteins and milk yield from the 10th day through the fifth month of lactation. At 30 days of age, foals should be consuming at least 0.4 percent of their body weight daily as creep feed to offset the nutritional deficiencies in the mare’s milk. At 2 months of age, 50 percent of the nutrients must come from creep feed. Proper management of the newborn foal, from the first meal through the first month of lactation, is essential to its future growth and development. Health and nutritional practices employed during this period are key factors in raising a healthy and productive animal.

Table 1. Composition of Mare’s Milk

	Total Solids %	Protein %	Fat %	Lactose %	Calcium (96)	Phosphorus %	Magnesium(96)
At Foaling	25	19	0.7	5	80-120	45 to 90	4-12
2 Months After Foaling	10	2	1.5	6	80-120	45-90	6-12

Source: Adapted from Feeding and Care of Horses, by Dr. Lon T. Lewis. Lea and Febiger, Penn.: Philadelphia. 1982.

Best Feed for Healthy Foals

Is there anything cuter than a foal? Watching their little antics and curiosity about the world around them is one of life’s greatest pleasures for any horse lover! If you’ve ever thought about raising a foal yourself, you may have felt intimidated by all the different things there are to consider, especially related to their diet and nutrition.

When it comes to nutrition for young horses, there are a few key differences compared to feeding an adult horse. From nursing within hours of birth to weaning and transitioning to solid foods, there are a lot of factors to consider.

Baby Horse Basics

As any horse owner who has bred their mare will tell you, producing a healthy foal comes from careful planning and exceptional management of the mare.

Normal mare gestation ranges between 320 and 380 days, but is often closer to 340 days.

Although horses have been foaling unassisted for centuries, complex issues can occur at birth with the potential to result in death for the mare and foal. It’s wise to carefully monitor a pregnant mare for signs of impending labor in case things don’t go smoothly and veterinary assistance is needed.

Some of the signs to watch for include:

The udder filling and becoming more prominent
Teats fill with, and may drip, milk
Musculature under the tail relaxes
Wax-like substance (colostrum) forms on the end of the teat

There are also test kits you can purchase from your veterinarian. These test kits provide fairly accurate foaling predictions based on the calcium concentration of the mare’s mammary secretions.

Approximately one week before foaling, the mare’s ration should be changed slightly to include more bulk to minimize constipation and reduce the risk of mastitis.

Labor is divided into three stages. The first stage lasts 1-2 hours and ends when the amniotic sac ruptures. Stage two lasts 15-20 minutes, on average, and ends with the foal’s birth. Last, stage 3 ends with the expulsion of the placenta.

The mare and foal will lie down for several minutes following the birth. Foals will generally attempt to stand about 30 minutes after birth. Their efforts generally sever the umbilical cord.

Foal Development & Corresponding Feeds

Along with genetics and management, nutrition can hugely impact proper foal development. Feeding to achieve moderate growth in foals is the best practice, as rapid growth can lead to lifelong muscle and skeletal development issues.

Foals exist solely on the mare’s milk for the first several weeks. If the foal has access to the mare’s grain, they may begin trying it out, but their gut doesn’t have the microbes to break down the grain as a newborn.

By two months, the foal will likely need high-quality forage, grain, and the mare’s milk to grow appropriately. To prevent skeletal issues, foals also need vitamin and mineral supplements, including calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin E.

Generally, you’ll want to feed one percent of the foal’s body weight daily at this stage of development. Always follow package instructions for feeding and feed by weight rather than volume to prevent overfeeding.

Photo Cred: Canva

Foals should have access to high-quality forage or hay freely. All horses, foals included, should also have access to fresh water at all times. Since foals have small stomachs, it’s best to divide daily feed requirements into at least two or three separate feedings.

Weaning occurs at some point between four and six months of age. The mare’s milk supply will gradually diminish in preparation for weaning.

Increase the foal’s ration gradually during this period. Conversely, the mare’s ration should be decreased to encourage the end of lactation. Once weaned, the foal will need between 2% and 3% of its body weight daily in feed; this may come from a combination of both forage and concentrate feed (grain).

Nursing

A foal should attempt to nurse within 3 hours of birth. If the foal hasn’t nursed within this time frame, it may need veterinary intervention.

The very first milk produced by the mare is called colostrum. This is vital for immune function, as it provides crucial antibodies to the foal via passive transfer. Mares only produce colostrum after foaling.

The Importance of Colostrum:

Colostrum contains antibodies to help boost the foal’s immune system, as they are born without antibodies. It is specific to the mare’s environment and the bacteria and viruses the foal might encounter.

A foal has only a short window to absorb the antibodies. If a foal hasn’t nursed within 8 hours of birth, they are at serious risk of infection. Based upon that risk, they may need additional veterinary help with their immunity.

Some tests can be used to ensure the foal has received sufficient antibodies. If in doubt, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

In addition to antibodies, colostrum contains vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and even a laxative to encourage the foal’s first stool.

Foals begin making their own antibodies between 3-6 weeks of age but continue receiving immune support from the mare’s milk until 4 or 5 months of age.

Photo Cred: Canva

What is the best feed for foals?

Commercially prepared feeds are always formulated for specific life stages. Although several feeds are available on the market, look for one specifically designed to address the needs of a growing foal.

What do you feed an orphaned foal?

A commercial horse milk replacer is the best option for feeding an orphaned foal. They can administer equine plasma to ensure adequate immune protection. Contact your veterinarian immediately if the mare dies before the foal receives colostrum.

The foal should receive between 20 and 25 percent of its body weight in milk daily. Foals should be fed about every 2 hours during the day and every 3 hours at night for the first couple of weeks.

Aim for an approximate 2-pound increase daily. Gradually add high-quality forage and grain as you would for a foal nursed by a mare.

Introduction of Solid Foods

Many foals will start testing out the mare’s feed when they are only a few weeks old.

The amount fed to the foal will gradually increase over the next several months while the amount provided to the mare will decrease.

Photo Cred: Canva

When do foals get teeth?

Similar to humans, horses develop “baby teeth,” which are later replaced with permanent ones. Foals are generally born without teeth but develop their first baby teeth within about 8 days.

By 6 months of age, the permanent teeth begin to replace the baby ones, and by a year, the horse will have around 24 permanent teeth.

Weanling

Between 4 and 6 months of age, the mare will begin producing less milk, and the foal will be weaned.

When do foals start eating grass?

Foals may start nibbling at grass within a couple of weeks. Forage and grain become staples of their diet within the first several months.

When do foals start eating grain?

Foals may try the mare’s grain within the first couple of weeks.

Yearling

By 12 months of age, yearlings have been completely weaned off milk. They may also have reached 90 percent of their mature height.

Bone development lags behind height, and horses at this growth stage require high-quality feed to promote steady growth. It’s essential to avoid overfeeding a yearling because doing so can cause significant joint and bone problems.

Photo Cred: Canva

What are the best feeds for foals?

When searching for feeds, always look for one designed specifically for your horse’s life stage. A feed designed for an older horse would not necessarily be appropriate for a foal. Nutrient profiles of different concentrates can vary dramatically.

Three feeds formulated for young, growing horses are:

Purina Omolene #300 Growth Horse Feed
Nutrena SafeChoice Mare and Foal Pellet
Triple Crown Growth Textured Feed

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do baby horses drink milk?

Yes. Foals nurse from the mare until between 4 and 6 months of age.

Q: What do you feed a newborn horse?

Newborn horses get all their nutritional needs from the mare’s milk. They may start testing out grass, hay, and grain within only a few weeks but won’t have the ability to actually digest nutrients from these feed sources right away.

Q: What do baby foals eat?

Newborn foals only need the mare’s milk in the very beginning. They will gradually begin testing grain, grass, and hay within a couple of weeks. With exposure to different feed sources, they will eventually develop the enzymes and bacteria necessary to break feed down so their body can use the nutrients.

Q: When do foals start drinking water?

There isn’t one definitive answer to this question, as each foal is different. Foals generally start drinking water at some point between 3 weeks and weaning. Suppose you notice a nursing foal visiting the water trough frequently. In that case, it can signify that they need more milk.

Weighing a foal regularly can help you track growth. If you’re questioning whether the foal is getting enough nutrients from milk, contact your veterinarian for further guidance.

Q: What age can foals eat carrots?

A foal should be well-established on forage and grain before you begin offering extra treats. It’s wise to wait until they have been weaned to offer carrots.

Carrots should be offered in moderation and washed thoroughly before feeding to your horse. Even if your weanling has teeth, it’s best to cut the carrot into smaller pieces to avoid choking. You can also shred the carrot and sprinkle it on your horse’s grain.

Although many horses love carrots, they are a treat and should always be fed in moderation.

Parting Thoughts

Baby horses have their own, specific nutritional needs and require extra care and attention to ensure they develop properly. It’s essential to offer a balanced diet appropriate for the foal’s life stage rather than overfeeding them too early.

Always consult your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about feeding your foal.

Understanding when and what to feed foals can help set them up for lifelong success.

P.S. Enjoy this article? Trot on over to:

Mares and Foals: How to Feed Breeding Stock for Success
Foal Math: How Many Babies Can a Mare Have?
3 Types of Horse Feed Every Owner Should Understand
30+ Equine Nutrition Terms Your Horse Wishes You Knew
Bundles of Joy: How Much Do Newborn Horses Weigh?
Breeding Basics: Understanding the Equine Pedigree
Baby Brain: Horse Breeding Terminology for Beginners
The Udder Truth: Do All Horses Have Them?

Sources

Horse Foaling Management Guidelines | Extension Horses
Foal Growth: Special Care and Nutrition | AAEP
Why do foals need colostrum? (umn. edu)
Feeding orphaned foals (umn.edu)
Foal Horse Nutritional Needs | Purina Animal Nutrition (purinamills.com)
Omolene 300 Growth Concentrate Horse Feed | Purina (purinamills.com)
Are Baby Horses Born With Teeth? Foal And Yearling Dental. (horseracingsense.com)
SafeChoice Mare & Foal Horse Feed | Nutrena (nutrenaworld.com)
Q&A: Drinking Behavior of Foals – Kentucky Equine Research (ker.com)

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Raising foals, how to feed and care for them

Many articles on the Internet begin with the words: “Foals should only be bought by experienced people”, but in fact, examples of the opposite are increasingly common. Equestrians who are willing to devote time to their foal, read educational articles, train with trainers, raise beautiful horses. How do they do it?

How to raise a foal?

You are mistaken if you think that the first teacher in a foal's life is the person who started grooming him. In fact, the first teacher of a young horse is always his mother, later - peers in the herd and other, older horses. That is why it is important to keep young animals in the company of relatives as long as possible.

Contrary to popular belief, a herd or a specially selected group will not make a foal wild, on the contrary, he will learn to understand body signals (which a person can later transfer to his activities), respect personal space, read emotions, divide his behavior into right and blamed.

In addition to strict hierarchy, the herd satisfies another need of a young horse - the need to constantly move. Short but regular runs improve the stability of the horse on different types of ground, train his cardiovascular system, strengthen the musculoskeletal system, help build enough muscle mass to reduce the load on the bones.

After weaning, if there are sufficient conditions, the natural activity of foals on the pasture is reinforced by group training for 2-3 kilometers a day, including such parts as: warming up with a free gait, moving at a calm trot and walking.

What do you need to know about feeding?

In stable conditions, the mare feeds the foal with milk until about 6 months, but from the first days of life this does not exclude additional feed. Some central strip studs deliberately calculate the foaling date so that foals are born in early spring, despite all the difficulties with controlling the queens and putting on blankets for newborns. The reason is to raise foals for the grazing season, which will be able to absorb all the nutrients of the pasture, since grass is the best roughage for a young organism. If this is not possible, the foal should be provided with constant access to high-quality hay of the current crop.

Concentrates are also needed, especially after weaning - what the horse does not get in the first months of life, it will be impossible to make up for any further feeding! The standard formula for calculating concentrates is: number of months x 300 grams of feed. When choosing food, you should pay attention to special mixtures for foals, as well as products in which, with a high protein content, there is no grain. These are vitamin-herbal flour, beet pulp and flaxseed meal.

Foal training stages

Touch

This is the first thing a foal should be trained to do. He must allow himself to be touched everywhere: first with his hands, then with various objects - parts of ammunition, including a halter, a whip, a shambarier.

It is important to remember the rule: if the foal moves away, in no case do not remove the pressure - otherwise you will teach the young horse to dodge contact with you.

Touching should not be only stroking: it can be rubbing, patting, massaging, and even pinching movements - the latter are very important as the future preparation of the foal for injections.

Many equestrians put a halter on a foal from the first days of life, so that later he gets used to it and stops noticing it. Our editors are of the opinion that the halter should be put on consciously, at the age of several months - this will be the first step on which the foal learns to learn.

Bowing

How to lead a foal?

Teach him to touch the face. When the owner sees that the foal is calm and relaxed, you should remove your hands and give a treat.
Teach him to scratch with a halter.

Tip: Most horses will feel more comfortable if an unfamiliar object moves towards the muzzle from the side of the neck - it may be wise to start the massage from there.

Accustom in advance to the sounds that a halter can make so as not to frighten a young horse in the process of fastening (multiple repetitions of clicking a carabiner next to a foal, rattling of buckles)
Try putting on each part of the halter separately, fasten to automatism: nape strap, nose strap.
And only after passing through all these steps, a full-fledged putting on of a halter on a foal prepared for this.

Preparing for the first trimming

This stage involves learning to stand on the crossroads, brush, walk on the lead and give legs for unhooking. It is recommended to devote time to this from the age of 5 months, since the first adult trimming should take place at six months.

In learning to give legs, gradualness is important. The foal is growing rapidly, each new week its balance is not similar to the balance of the previous one, parts of the body grow disproportionately, which negatively affects the balance. For such a horse, standing on three legs for a couple of seconds is already an achievement that needs to be praised! And if at the same time the foal has not yet transferred its weight to you, it is probably worth finishing the training on such a successful attempt. Foals are like children - they cannot concentrate on one task for a long time.

One more note: the foal should be taught to give each leg separately. He does not remember the general principle - for him, each leg is a new experience and new sensations. Once all four feet are comfortably in your hand, you can begin the unhooking followed by tapping movements to prepare the young horse for the farrier's next visit.

Games with foals

What to do with a horse when it is led, gives legs, easily follows a person, allows you to carry out all the necessary manipulations at the junctions? Of course, play and learn by playing!

Active games help to build boundaries: you should immediately stop all attempts of the foal to brazenly invade your personal space, and also send “candles” and “goats” in your direction.

Little horses like to interact with objects just as much. These can be both household items: brushes, cords, whips, cones, and specially designed toys: licks, large balls with a safe blow, small balls with a handle.

Foals can be taught tricks, but it is worth remembering that their musculoskeletal system is just developing, and excessive stress can seriously damage their health. Therefore, when choosing an element, preference should be given to intellectual tasks: fetching, calling by name, “smile”, “yes” and “no” commands. Of the more complex tricks, foals can perform a trapezoid, jambet, several steps of reining and concessions.

So, with a young horse, with enough time, confidence, patience and support from an experienced trainer, anyone can do it! And, of course, success lies in two things: discipline and love.

A child feeds a horse by hand. Stock Photo No. 5038537, photographer Yuliya Mashkova / Fotobank Lori

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