Ok milk testing peeps! What's the longuest you've had a mare hold to 6.2 pH? COLT!

[EquusMagnificus]

My mare is at 317 days today, but my gut is telling me she wants to go early. Mind you, this is a mare that normally goes around 330 days.

Last year, the strips failed me. I think I had a defective product, because as she got nearer, her pH would RISE! :eek: In any event, I listened to my gut feeling and treated her as about to go NOW and she did.

Now this year, her milk is very cloudy, and tastes just like milk. Her Ca is at 400 ppm, but her pH is closer to 7.0-7.2 ish. Typically, I have found 6.2 was the magic number.

What do you think? I didn’t have strips that did Ca the previous years, so I have no comparison point.

I’m just very nervous about her this year, she’s not in tip top condition (and she’s getting a year off for that too for 2013) and she had a partial red bag delivery last year soooo… :o

[Laurierace]

All I can say is not right now. How quickly that will change is anyone’s guess. I would check her pH twice a day.

[Daventry]

What I have learned with the pH strips is that every mare is different and any significant drop in pH should potentially be watched.

I just had a mare foal 2 weeks ago with a pH of 7.0!! This was her second foal. She had been at 7.8 for about a week and then suddenly dropped to 7.0. She foaled approximately 15 minutes later. But the reason we knew the drop in pH should be alerting us is because her milk had also finally come in and was sweet. So I ran to the house to get our foaling kit ready for that evening, etc. and she was already giving birth by the time I walked back.

Just had a mare foal a few days ago and she dropped to the classic 6.2. So, I wouldn’t rely on a 6.2 pH reading for each and every mare. I know of a few other people on the COTH BB who’s mares foaled with a pH above 7.0. But again, they all had a significant drop in pH that same day. It just ended up being a different number for them

Kathy St. Martin posted once that milk will go from yellow to clear to cloudy to milk and from salty to bland to sweet.

We use all three of those signs - visual, taste and pH to help us predict our mares.

Are you making sure to dilute the milk 1/2:3 or 1:6 with distilled water? Have you spoken to your vet about your concerns of her foaling early? Although, she’s very close to foaling within a reasonable number of days and still able to produce a healthy foal.

[EquusMagnificus]

She was at 8.4 two days ago.

I’ll be checking on her tonight… just to be on the safe side…

Now I’ll just hope she isn’t having this foal too soon!

[Dance_To_Oblivion]

I also had a mare sit at 6.2 for three days…calcium didn’t rise above 400 until just hours before she foaled. I think she enjoyed keeping me awake!

[Hillside_H_Ranch]

Keep in mind that the milk testing is just one tool to judge by. I never rely on it exclusively; too many mares don’t follow “the rules”. For example, just this year, I’ve had a 19 year old multiparous mare not register on the calcium at all, with a pH of 8+ foal on me a mere few hours after my testing her. She had a red bag delivery, which may have been part of the reason; her milk didn’t come in until after foaling. Another mare this year tested at maximum calcium with a 6.2 pH for a week, dripping milk the entire time, before foaling. And now I’m watching a mare that has had very high calcium and pH of 6.8 for at least a week, but doesn’t look all that close other wise. I’ve also had several mares follow the book this year, and once they hit the 6.2 mark on pH the foal was born the same day. But it isn’t reliable enough for me not to take the rest of the clues into consideration.

[Somermist]

What does your mare look like otherwise. Bag size, softening, milk color, taste, etc?

[dressage4ever]

Yes don’t rely solely on it. It’s been accurate for me but my mare just foaled with no milk change at all! Few hours before she foaled I checked and it was still light yellow and not sticky. Just to keep you awake even more.

[tucktaway]

I’m with Hillside and the others, the pH and Ca are intriquing, but I have to watch the mare!!

[EllenAspen]

I agree with the others…look at the whole picture…the ph going down CA going up…and the TASTE TEST. When the milk changes from salty to sweet…you are almost there.

[EquusMagnificus]

Thank you for your comments! I just hauled her shaving covered butt out to grass…

She’s telling me she’s going soon. Usually the milk test tells me how soon!

The Ca was throwing me off…

She’s under 7.0 imo this. morning. Ca is over 400, but not at 800 yet.

Milk is starting to taste a tad sweet. Outside I would have said pretty white, now against a sheet of paper, not so much! :lol:

[EquusMagnificus]

She’s now has been testing a true 6.2 since yesterday night. I slept in the barn. Who knew horse blankets could actually be so useful? :lol:

Seriously, my back is killing me and of course, my baby called me back in to nurse every 2-3 hours… Heck! That’s a newborn schedule… and he’s a year-old.

Anyways, no baby this morning. My mares typically went 36 hours from the first reading… This one likes to foal around 8-9 pm… Fingers crossed for a baby tonight!

This is a Banderas foal and beside being very nervous and worried that all will go well, I am also beyond excited to see this one too. :yes:

[Laurierace]

Good luck! As you may remember from last year, Jess was at 6.2 for over 80 hours! Drove me nuts literally.

[EquusMagnificus]

Ugh. Please mare… I can’t do 80 hours…

[Dorienna]

EM - your mare should go quickly, it’s storming out (well here at least)!

[EquusMagnificus]

Yes! Here as well!!

[Spike]

So!!??? Did your mare foaled yet?? Haven’t been on fb recently, so coming to the news here!

I have a mare who’s pH was at 7.0, 3hrs before foaling. Another one dropped under 7.0 and foaled the same day.

It’s a good tool, but not reliable on its own.

[EquusMagnificus]

No foal yet!

Well, it had been pretty reliable the past years.

But I haven’t had ANY mare foal just below 7.0 or within 6-12 hours post-6.2.

Mine usually hold on to 6.2 for roughly 36 hours. She’ll be a 36 hours post-6.2 with light edges to boot tonight. Two years in a row she foaled at 8-9 pm. Soooo fingers crossed for a baby tonight.

She otherwise has the rest of the signs and the behavior… and she’s giving me that gut feeling that she’s a “Go” too. (And that last element is usually the most reliable one :winkgrin:)

[ElegantExpressionsFa]

Oh good luck with her!! I am pretty sure I would be going VERY crazy right now!! I wish you all the best and look forward to the pictures!!

[EquusMagnificus]

I am! :eek:

I’ll be so glad when she foals and we both start our “vacation” until next year.

For sure, I’ll have pics. Lots of 'em. :yes: