I never taste, and don’t test the milk anymore. I just go by visual of the milk, and stickiness. Once those visuals are in place, any other changes can be within 5 to 10 minutes of foaling, so that is why once that happens, I check constantly until they foal - 1 day, 2, 3 or a week. I don’t want to miss that other 1 to 10%.
Reviving this thread - more questions
Do you find that mares follow the same pattern year after year? We have a mare that I had not been testing because it was hard to get the milk out of her and what I could get out was pretty clear and yellow. 2 days ago it went cloudy - tested it and it came up 3 squares on Predicta foal and 500 cal/7.0 on PH.
Tested yesterday and it was 4 squares on predicta foal and 500+ cal/6.8 on PH
Today 4 squares on predicta foal and 1000 cal/6.2 on PH
However, the milk is still cloudy yellow and not streaming. Last year we did not use the tests but the mare was dripping white milk for several days before foaling. Should she follow the same pattern as last year or could she foal without white milk this year?
Ofcourse this mare is the full sister to the one that defied all the tests a month ago by coming up all 5 squares on predicta foal for 2 weeks and below 6.8 and 500+ cal for 1 week. Maybe it is a hereditary thing - these mares sure are making it hard on us…
Ruthie
readings at noon today
1000 cal/6.2 PH
only thing that is different is predicta foal went to 5 red squares immediately.
A little bit of wax this a.m. but still not a huge bag. Cloudy yellow milk…
Ruthie
Yes, we have had them foal with cloudy yellow milk! Listen to the milk test! 
sfir, let us know if it’s a boy or girl.
You ARE GOING within 12 to 36hrs (outside) I would put money on TONIGHT, fairly early. :yes:
Why do my mares defy the rules???
Well still no baby. Today is her due date based on the last one. I am not going to even bother with wasting another test strip. Sleep deprived…
Ruthie
How much can the pH fluctuate? I just tested my mare. She is 6.4 to 6.8 on one side and 7.5 on the other. Admitedly I have probably been testing more out of the side that is lower, but decided to test both sides tonight. Calcium is steady at about 300 on both sides.
Do I stay awake or sleep?
sfir-anything yet?
I’d sleep. Or at least not set the alarm for more than every 3 hrs.
It can vary a little, but once it changes, both teats are usually the same. You’re still early both in calcium and pH.
BUT–of course–every mare is different and if she has a history of milk coming in rapidly, well then set the alarm every 2 hours. :lol:
SUCCESS!!!
Our mare foaled a beautiful palomino colt with blaze and 4 socks at 9 p.m. 36 hours after the ph drop to 6.2
Milk turned white this a.m.
He’s super healthy and very large. Everything went smoothly and easily.
Should have trusted her timing - she carried the same - to the hour!- as last year. Day 322 at 9 p.m.
Interesting note - mom is dun (1/2 KWPN, 1/4 TB, 1/4 Connemara). She has been bred to 2 different stallions (one bay and one chestnut) for 3 different foals. All 3 have come out palomino…
Yay!
Now we start foal watch on our one due Sunday. What’s the saying - no rest for the _______!
Ruthie
This is fascinating.
Just an FYI- you can buy a pH meter for $50-200 that will be far more accurate than the pool strips, which as you’ve seen are limited in resolution, and will also show a greater range of pHs. Get one that is designed for field work, waterproof and shockproof, and it will last years.
Forestry Supply has some
here we go again
our mare Mimi is due Sunday
started testing Mon <100 cal/8.4 ph milk yellow clearish
Tues 100 + cal/8.4 ph milk yellow clearish
Wed 200 cal/8.4 ph milk starting to get cloudy
so far calcium is starting to go up but ph has not moved and turns 8.4 fast.
Will record the test results daily and see if it works
other signs - not much, mare is huge and bag is huge but otherwise no real signs
BTW mare is not a maiden and due date is based on gestation of last foal which was day 342 at 8:30 a.m.
another question
mare is now at 7.8ph/250 cal
do you even bother doing any night foaling checks with a mare that has those readings. Mare is very bagged up, no waxing, cloudy yellow thin milk. Due on Sunday a.m. based on last foal (her first). If I was not going by the test strips I would be checking her through the night but the tests indicate she is a ways away and last time she had streaming white milk for a day before she foaled.
How much can I rely on the strips for telling me when she is NOT going to foal?
Ruthie
colostru
Not at all at this point. Her milk can change within an hour or so. I would listen on a monitor constantly, and probably set my alarm for every hour to take a peek, and nap if she is quiet.
Readings tonight
7.2 pH/350 cal
Milk is almost white tonight and tastes sweet. This morning it was still pretty yellow but cloudier. Ph has gone down one color square since this morning and cal has gone up one color square.
Could not resist and used my last predicta foal strip. 4 squares with slight color change on the 5th
Maybe tomorrow???
Getting closer!!!
This a.m. milk is at 6.6pH/500+ cal
mare did not finish all her a.m. hay and is standing in the stall with her head in the corner. She is really huge!
Tiny bit of wax - not much else of notice.
What do you think tonight or tomorrow a.m.maybe???
Last night at 9:20pm my mare had a colt at 327 days. She tested 400+ calcium and 6.4 or less (lowest on my strips) for 3 days in a row.
All seems well, waiting on the Igg results and hoping the mare is ok since she did retain the placenta. Vet was out this morning to get her to expel it and mare seems comfortable.
I needed this wonderful thread for reference and didn’t see it as a sticky – so I’m bumping it for anyone else who may need it! :yes:
This is great. I’m forwarding it to all my baggy eyed friends so they can resune their beauty rest.
Thanks for the bump!
Ive just printed it out as well. I am not happy with the results of my special, super expensive “foaling” strips and am going to give this a try instead
Aftre 3 days last year of them saying “she is going to foal any SECOND, dont even leave to go pee!!!” she finally foaled 4 days later, so I am not holding out much hope for them to be accurate this year either
Thanks again
