I have a mare that is 325 days pregnant and the ph level of her milk has been 6.2 for the past two days. Her milk is light yellow and is the consistency of syrup and slightly sticky. Has anyone had a mare foal when her milk is still yellowish? Or does the milk usually turn white first?
The milk should turn white first and the taste will go from salty to sweet. We always check color and taste along with pH. I have had some mares milk turn to white and sweet two days before foaling and other mares do this an hour before foaling. As a result, it varies depending on the mare. We always keep detailed notes each year as I find the same broodmare usually has the same routine each year.
My older mare foaled with thin, golden, watery milk. (Previous foal she had dripped for days, white opaque milk). I went to sleep that night thinking she was a few days away, but she surprised me with a colt the next morning. Her colostrum was poor.
Most mares go by the book, but not all of them. And sometimes even “normal” mares won’t follow the rules.
