:: FOAL
GROWTH
Special
Care and Nutrition
A healthy foal will grow
rapidly, gaining in height, weight and strength almost
before your very eyes. From birth to age two, a young
horse will achieve 30 percent or more of its full adult
size, sometimes putting on as many as 3 pounds per day.
Generics and environment play significant roles in
determining individual growth patterns. Through
research, we also know we can influence a foal's growth
and development - for better or worse - by the nutrition
we supply.
STRIVE
FOR BALANCE
Feeding young horses is
a careful balancing act. The interplay between generics,
management and nutrition is complex. While we can do
nothing to change the genetic road map, we can alter its
course via proper management.
The nutritional start a
foal gets can have a profound effect on its health and
soundness for the rest of its life. We can accelerate
growth if we choose. However, research suggests that a
balanced dietary approach which supports moderate growth
is less likely to cause developmental problems.
Some conditions which
have been associated with rapid growth rates include:
- Contracted Tendons
- Epiphysitis
- Angular Limb
Deformities
- Osteochondrosis
THE
NURSING FOAL
One of the foal's first
missions in life is to stand and nurse. In doing so, it
receives the antibody-rich colostrum which helps protect
it from disease. During the first weeks of life, the
mate's milk provides everything a rapidly growing foal
needs for sustenance. The burden then gradually shifts
to other sources. During lactation, a mare will produce
an average of 3 gallons of milk a day. But in order to
do so she must receive ample feed and water.
Observe the foal's
nursing habits. If it suckles for more than 30 minutes
at a time, it may not be receiving enough milk.
Supplemental feed or milk replacer may be required.
Peak lactation generally
occurs during the second and third month of a foal's
life. At this time a mare will need almost double the
amount of feed she required during her early pregnancy
In addition to extra energy, her diet must include
adequate protein, vitamins and minerals to keep from
depleting her own body reserves. Increases or decreases
in feed should be made gradually over a 7 to 10-day
period.
THE
FOAL'S CHANGING DIET
As early as 10-14 days
of age, a foal may begin to show an interest in feed. By
nibbling and sampling, the youngster learns to ear solid
food. Its digestive system quickly adapts to the dietary
changes.
At 8-10 weeks of age,
mare's milk alone may not adequately meet the foal's
nutritional needs. High quality grains and forage should
be added to the foal's diet. It is essential the ration
be properly balanced for vitamins and minerals.
Deficits, excesses or imbalances of calcium,
phosphorous, copper, zinc, selenium and vitamin E are of
particular concern in the growing foal. Improper amounts
or ratios can lead to skeletal problems.
FOAL
FEEDING GUIDELINES
As the foal's dietary
requirements shift from milk to feed and forage, your
role in providing the proper nutrition gains in
importance. Here are some guidelines to help you meet
the young horse's needs:
- Provide high quality
roughage (hay and pasture) free choice.>
- Supplement with grain
or concentrates beginning at about 4 weeks of
age.>
- Start by feeding 1
percent of a foal's body weight per day, tie. 1
pound of feed for each 100 pounds of body weight),
or 1 pound of feed per month of age.
- Weigh and adjust the
feed ration based on growth and fitness. A weight
tape can help you approximate a foal's size.
- Foals have small
stomachs so divide the daily ration into 2-3
feedings.
- Make sure feeds
contain the proper balance of vitamins, minerals,
energy and protein.
- Use a creep feeder or
feed the foal separate from the mare so it can eat
its own ration.
- Remove uneaten
portions between feedings .
- Do not overfeed.
Overweight foals are more prone to developmental
orthopedic disease (DOD).
- Provide unlimited
fresh, clean water.
WEANING
Foals are commonly
weaned at 5 to 6 months of age. Beginning about the
third month, the mare's milk supply gradually declines
and a natural weaning process begins.
To prepare the foal for
complete weaning, its ration should be increased over a
2-3 week period to make up for the nutrients being lost
in the diminishing milk supply. The mare's grain should
be reduced and/or gradually eliminated to further limit
milk production.
Once it is no longer
nursing, a 500-600 pound weanling should be eating
approximately 2.5% of its body weight in feed and forage
a day.
SUSTAINING
GROWTH
Weanlings and yearlings
continue to build bone, muscle and mass at a remarkable
rate. From weaning to two years of age, the horse may
nearly double its weight again.
Weanlings and yearlings
benefit from a diet containing 14-16 percent protein.
They also require readily available sources of energy to
meet the demands of growth and activity.
A good rule of thumb is
to provide 60-70 percent of the ration as concentrates
and 30-40 percent of the ration as roughage-measured by
weight. The diet must also provide ample fiber to keep
the digestive tract functioning properly. Some of the
new "complete feeds" have the ration already
balanced.
Weight gain and
development taper off as the horse matures. As growth
slows, you will need to adjust the ration to
approximately 1.5-2% of the yearling's body weight. The
grain to roughage ratio should also be adjusted so by
the time the horse is a 2-year-old, half of its daily
diet (by weight) is coming from grain sources and the
other half from hay and pasture. Breed type, maturity
and level of activity will affect the horse's exact
nutritional requirements.
TOTAL
CARE & MANAGEMENT
Work with your equine
practitioner to develop a total health care plan for
your foals, weanlings and yearlings. A regular deworming,
vaccination and examination schedule is essential to
ensure your feat is getting the care it needs. Remember,
vaccination and deworming regimens may vary depending on
regional factors and disease risks. Consult your equine
practitioner for exact recommendations.
Here are some other
management tips:
This
brochure was developed by the American Association of
Equine Practiitioners through a grant from Bayer
Corporation.
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