I’m having my first foal soon and I’ve been feeding the mare buckeye gro n win with a mix of alfalfa pellets, cracked corn and oats and she looks great! I want to have the best baby possible so does anybody have any preference on weanling/foal feed mix or brand that they prefer? I want to creep feed when the little one is starting to show interest and want to already have the feed to start.
For 3+ months, the foal needs nothing more than his dam’s milk. If she isn’t producing quite enough, or it’s deemed low enough quality, then a good milk-replacer pellet - well-soaked - can be used. Progressive has a very good one - Foal’s First Starter & Creep.
Once he’s able to digest things other than milk, around 4 months, he can have that same Grown N Win. But not the oats, and definitely not the corn, and I would actually remove them from the dam. The oats aren’t too bad, assuming you’re not feeding 10lb. But corn is 75% NSC (sugar + starch) and no benefits. And, it is possible that if you feed enough, it can negatively affect the foal. If it’s a handful, no problem.
Don’t worry about creep feeding. He’ll show interest in food at a few days old and doesn’t need anything, assuming the quality and quantity of milk is good. Keep mom’s food out of his reach - he will nibble and it just doesn’t need to ingest any significant amount, as he cannot digest any of it for a while.
Once he’s 3+ months, you can start giving him a handful of the GNW in his own bucket (and really, soak it well, he doesn’t really understand chewing thoroughly quite yet), and increase from there to 1lb or so. By the time he’s weaned (6+ months), he can be on 2-3lb, depending on his expected mature rate.
Alfalfa pellets are fine too. I love keeping them as part of the diet of those who get ration balancers so I can increase them quickly if I suddenly need some extra calories.
Ok thanks! I’m feeding a 2 part alfalfa pellet mix to a one part 50:50 rolled oats and cracked corn at about 1 to 1.5 lb with a 1 lb gro n win right now. I was going to increase the gro n win when she foals and continue with that until weaning for the mare. But I can just do the alfalfa pellets and gnw so I do not negatively affect the foal.
Is there a mare/foal feed that isn’t progressive that is good? I don’t have that brand in my area.
In the last 2-3 months she should be on 2-3lb of the GNW, depending on how big she is. Her protein needs in particular, but general nutrition overall, really increase during that time, and into early lactation. By the time she foals, her protein needs are about 150% of normal, and closer to 200% when she starts nursing that foal.
I think Buckeye has a milk-based foal pellet.
I think they do but I don’t plan on weaning until 5-6 months old so I shouldn’t need it and can introduce the gnw to the foal with pellets if he needs it. Maybe some purina ultium because it is what brand I have available here if I need the extra calories.
