What to do now that your foal is born
Congratulations! Your brand new foal has just entered the world, now what?
At Iron Spring Farm, we have a system in place to help our mares and their new foals thrive. Make sure you are in contact with your veterinarians throughout the pregnancy and delivery. Because our veterinarians are so close, in a normal pregnancy, we call them once the mare's water breaks.
Once the foal is born, we follow this protocol, as explained by Andrea Bomkamp, our broodmare manager.
Foal Care
Most mares will lie down to foal. Once the foal is on the ground, we run our fingers along the outside of the nasal bone to strip amniotic fluids out of the nasal passage. We remove as much of the amniotic sac from the foal as possible while he is still lying down, clearing the legs, shoulders, body, rump, etc. so he’s free when the mare stands up. Next, we rub the foal with clean towels to stimulate circulation. We make sure his heart and lungs are working properly and continue to monitor his vital signs as we work through all the steps in our system. We also note his interest in his dam, whether or not he’s moving his legs and trying to get up, whether or not he’s developing a suckle.
We allow the umbilicus to break naturally. If you cut or break the cord prematurely it will bleed. While this bleeding is not life threatening, the rule of thumb is to let it break naturally, which usually happens when the mare stands up.
Once the umbilicus breaks, we dip it in diluted chlorhexidine. We will continue to do this two to three times per day for about three days until the stump is dry. If it’s wet or gets infected, we will dip for additional days, as needed. Umbilical stumps usually are not clamped unless it won't stop bleeding. That decision should be made by your veterinarian.
Once the umbilicus is dipped, we will give an enema to stimulate the meconium (first stool) passing. We also like to weight tape our foals and this is an opportune time to do that. Next, we administer an E.coli antibody product to help protect against E.coli, a disease that can cause systemic sepsis in foals. We also milk the mare and give the foal a bottle once their "suck reflex" has kicked in to ensure that the foal gets the early colostrum.
Mare Care
While we care for the foal, we observe the mare for maternal instincts, good maternal behavior and general signs of good health and recovery. We also replace the water buckets that were removed when the mare went into active labor.
Cramping is expected while she passes the placenta. Watch for signs of extreme discomfort. This could mean she has an internal bleed and she should be examined by your veterinarian.
We like to give a warm mash 15-30 minutes post-foaling, with additional alfalfa once the stall is cleaned. (We do this while waiting for the foal to stand.) At that point, we can leave the feed tub that was removed when the mare went into active labor.
Mares should pass manure by 24 hours post-foaling. (Manure doesn’t happen immediately after foaling since she has likely cleared everything out in the hour before foaling.) There is likely some tearing or swelling of the vulva if the foal was large or the birth was difficult. This should be examined by the veterinarian at the foal check. A mare that is actively bleeding under her tail post-foaling needs to be seen by your veterinarian.
It may take up to three hours for the mare to pass the placenta after foaling. It’s common to tie the placenta up behind the mare with baling twine so she doesn't step on it before it comes out naturally. The weight of the placenta itself provides enough traction to keep it coming out. It is not advised to pull it out because you may tear the placenta or cause additional issues for your mare. It is a good idea to save the placenta and have the vet look at it during the foal check to ensure no retained pieces are left inside. Retained placenta tissue can be toxic very quickly. As the placenta degrades, bacteria enters the bloodstream, causing inflammation, which can lead to laminitis. If you suspect your mare has not expelled all of the placenta, call your veterinarian right away.
After our mares have passed the placenta, we administer Banamine. This helps alleviate pain and discomfort.
Foal Check
Foal check should be done within 24-hours of birth. The veterinarian looks for leg deformities that may need attention, listens to the lungs to make sure there aren't wheezes or extra fluid (can be caused by milk aspiration), checks the eyes for cataracts, checks the mouth for palate or jaw deformities, palpates ribs for broken ribs (fairly common especially with a dystocia), and listens to the heart for murmurs (not totally uncommon, but should be monitored).
Bloodwork is often drawn to check for normal values. An immunoglobulin test, IgG, measures the level of certain antibodies in the blood. This is a stall-side test performed with a drop of blood to ensure the foal has absorbed enough antibodies from the mare's colostrum. This should be done no sooner than eight hours after the first time the foal nurses. If you do this test too early, you could get a false low IgG. Low IgG means the mare's colostrum is low in antibodies or the foal is having trouble absorbing them. This is easily remedied with a plasma infusion.
A colostrum test on a small sample of the mare's colostrum can also be performed. This test is done within a few hours of delivery. At Iron Spring Farm, we have an equine colostrum refractometer. This is easy to use and very cost effective since we have a lot of foals each year. You can work with your veterinarian to do this testing. Colostrum turns to milk about 24-hours post-delivery.
While foaling is a big endeavor, now your next adventure begins as your foal develops.
Disclaimer:
All content provided by Iron Spring Farm is general and for informational purposes only. Content may also not constitute the most up to date information. Nothing in this content is intended to constitute veterinarian advice or to serve as a substitute for consultation with a veterinarian. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified provider with any questions that you may have about the treatment and care of your horse.
Any reliance that you place on the information provided is strictly at your own risk and Iron Spring Farm, its officers, employees, representatives, and agents, hereby disclaim any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, consequential or other damages arising directly or indirectly from access to or use of any content provided to the maximum extent permitted by law.
