Weaning Lessons Learned

by Eileen A. Coite, Wayne County Cooperative Extension

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity of my own personal experience with weaning a foal. Back in college, I had taken the equine breeding and foaling class, but that has been many years ago. It was also a group project with a university mare and foal, and the semester wasn’t long enough to experience weaning. So this time, I not only refreshed my memory of the breeding, gestation, and foaling experience, but also was able to experience the stress that comes along with weaning.

Though I learned many lessons throughout the entire breeding and foaling process, I wanted to focus this article on weaning. I must say weaning was the most stressful part of the entire event for me! I hope that some of my experiences and research may be of help to you if its weaning time, or that you will find some similarities and comfort in decisions you have made when weaning your own foal. The following lessons are in no particular order but things I have learned and noted throughout the process:

Lesson 1: A group is always better. Having one mare and foal I learned tends to be considerably more difficult than having several (or at least more than one). The group can be pastured together and ultimately weaned together, leaving the foals to grow up and bond as a group. In my situation, a “buddy” gelding was used as the companion, and a similar weaning process had to be done all over with separation from the gelding at a later date.

Lesson 2: Utilize creep feeding. Long before the weaning process (usually within the first week or two) the foal should be consuming grain along with milk from the mare. Not only will this help balance out the diet and keep the mare from losing too much weight, it will also help the foal with an appetite during the weaning process. Research has shown that foals should be consuming at least ¾ pound per 100 pound of body weight per day before weaning. Of course, a successful creep feeding program needs to feed the foal and keep the mare out!

Lesson 3: Handle the foal often. This is one thing I definitely believe in doing right. Spending lots of time with the foal through feeding, grooming, leading, etc. is critical. Foal imprinting is something that can be used as a very beneficial aid to experiences later in life. We could spend a whole article discussing imprinting techniques. This should be a priority of your daily routine if at all possible.

Lesson 4: Don’t overcomplicate the feeding regime. There are so many brands and choices of feed on the market, it’s easy to get confused and worried about your foal’s nutrition. At the same time, this is a critical stage in the growing process and will have a lifelong impact on your foal, so underfeeding or poor nutrition at this stage is a major mistake. We have Extension publications that breakdown the nutrient requirements of weanlings and yearlings, and as long as these requirements are met, healthy foals will do just fine. The important thing is to make sure we feed a balanced ration with the right amount of energy, protein, critical amino acids, vitamins and minerals. There are many feeds on the market today that will meet these needs, and the rule of thumb after weaning is to feed approximately 1 pound of concentrate per month of age.

Lesson 5: Make sure to follow your veterinarian’s vaccination and deworming recommendations. Most will recommend that a series of vaccines be given at 5,7, and 9 months of age. Deworming should be done by body weight on a monthly basis at first. Definitely ask your vet what they recommend to get your foal off to a healthy start.

Finally, keep open communication with others and ask the experts. Having a friend or two that have raised foals can be wonderful assets to a positive experience. Make sure to keep in touch with your vet on a regular basis and follow his or her advice. Keep in touch with the breeding farm where your mare was serviced and ask them for tips. Of course, there are plenty of books, magazine articles, and internet resources to consult. It is best to know all the options and seek advice from those that have been there and have the experience and training. Most of all, have fun with your new filly or colt. As with any youngster, they will grow up very fast!