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Orphan Foals by Megan Petty, Dvm
Anything besides colostrum administered orally to a foal has the potential to close the
gut before that 18 hour mark.
Well friends, it’s hard to believe foaling season is nearly upon us. As we fly through these last few months of 2022, there are many preparations to be made, not least of which are the preparations for the 2023 foaling season! But, ready or not, here it comes! Now is the time to make your lists (and check them twice) of supplies for foaling and breeding. It’s also
a great time to refresh yourself on the topics that we as breeders hope we never have to
deal with-foaling season problems. While we certainly don’t want to start stressing any earlier than needed, as the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention (or preparation, in this case) is worth a pound of cure. We have covered a handful
of these dreaded disasters in previous articles, and today we will cover another. If you’ve been in the foaling game for even a little while, no doubt you’ve come across the sad and stressful situation of an orphaned foal. Orphaned foals
are a difficult paradox. They cause worry and more than a little work. While they can be tough from a management standpoint, if you keep a few key points in mind, they can go from wreck to rewarding down the road.
AGE OF THE FOAL
When faced with an orphaned foal, the most critical thing to consider is the age of the foal. Management strategies are vastly different depending on how old the foal is. Older foals are, not surprisingly, generally easier to deal with. If the foal is already of the age where it is eating grain and hay in addition to nursing, dietary management and a buddy may be all he will need. Younger foals come with all their usual baggage, but the added pitfall of no momma. Which means no food and nobody to show them the ropes of being a horse.
Considering the situation of an orphaned newborn foal (often due to a catastrophic situation with the mare such as a ruptured uterine artery or a colic situation) the primary concern needs to be achieving passive
transfer of immunity. Your veterinarian can perform a test to measure the amount of IgG (immunoglobulin G levels) to determine that passive transfer that has occurred.
Commercially available foal milk replacers are a great option for feeding a foal until a nurse mare can be found, or long term if no nurse mare is available.
52 New Mexico Horse Breeder