Mare streaming milk.

[Spike]

Last mare to foal of the season here, and she is at 328 days today. Had wax yesterday morning, and started to drip milk in the afternoon yesterday. She act calm altought she was box walking last night. This morning, she was calm did her turnout (she’s an old gal and her legs like to go out for a walk), and now she is back in her foaling stall. She is calm, eats, etc. But I can SEE on the monitor that she is now streaming milk! How long can she safely stream milk this way before I can start to worry about the colostrum supply? I have some frozen but can she run out of colostrum if this last another 24hrs?

Thanks for sharing!

[Edgewood]

If it were me, I would milk her some now and keep a stash of her milk in the refrigerator or freezer. That way if she keeps streaming you will not lose all of her own colostrum.

Once the foal is born, I would feed it to the foal before they got up (as long as they had a suckle reflex). Good luck!

[Sugarbrook]

I say DITTO to above post.:yes:

[Spike]

I tought of it but I was wondering if I would not disturb her and cause more harm than not interfering (she is a little fussy about her privacy when it comes to begin the process). But you are right, better get couple of ounces in the freezer.

[coloredcowhorse]

Not only will you save some of what she’s putting on the ground…you will release some oxytocin when you milk her and may push her into labor a bit earlier…daytime babies are good things…you get to sleep.

[EquusMagnificus]

[QUOTE=coloredcowhorse;5626322]
Not only will you save some of what she’s putting on the ground…you will release some oxytocin when you milk her and may push her into labor a bit earlier…daytime babies are good things…you get to sleep.[/QUOTE]

:yes:

Keep a good eye on her though, she might not be streaming non stop. She’s obviously very close.

My mare started streaming about 18 hours before foaling, at somewhat regular intervals, but with long pauses in between. I figured she wasn’t actually loosing all that much colostrum. Foals need 30 oz if my memory is correct?

I milked her as soon as the foal was born to give him a few ounces before he got up. His IgG was perfect. :yes:

[rio2]

Best bet is to get a vet out and give baby some plasma or tube with some calibrated colostrum at this point. Regardless of suckle reflex, chances are greatly increased to have them aspirate if their head angle etc…is not right when nursing. Why come this far just to chance it?