Weaning the Foal

Most horse owners think that weaning a foal from the mare is just a matter of physically separating them, until they start the weaning process.  Weaning is actually very stressful on both the mare and foal.  The bond they have is very strong and separating them can cause them to do many crazy things that they normally would not even think about.  I’ve had normally calm foals to break fences and jump stall doors in order to get back to the mare.  They have also stuck their heads through temporary fencing to nurse mares on the opposite side and have slammed into doors repetitively until the latch on the stall door breaks.  Anytime a foal gets out and gets back to nurse its mother, you have to start the weaning process over again.  After the mare’s milk has dried up, you can put them back together, but this can take several weeks.  When you are sure that the mare’s milk is dried up, check that the foal is not restarting the milk flow once you put them back together.  If so, you may need to separate them permanently.  Also, you want to be careful because sometimes putting a foal together with a different lactating mare can cause them to be adopted and fed by another mare.  The weaning process should not be started unless the foal is healthy.  Deworming helps to ensure the health of foals and should begin early in a foal’s life.  An immunization program should be started when the foal is about three months of age.

      

Creep feeding the foal is very important in the weaning process.  As foals increase in age, their dependence on feed, grass, and/or hay increases while milk intake decreases.  Creep feeding is important for 2 reasons.  The foal develops eating habits to make separation easier and it meets the nutrient demands for optimal growth.  The mare is providing only about 50 percent of the protein and energy the 3-month-old foal requires.  Creep feed can be offered to foals within the first two weeks after birth.  However, very little consumption will take place at this time.  If your foal is not nibbling at the feed after 2 weeks, you may need to let it eat out of the mare’s trough, because mimicking what their mother is doing may help them to understand how to eat feed.  You may also need to put feed in their mouth and simulate crunching.  They will also oftentimes eat hay and/or grass because they see their mother and other horses doing it.  Depending on age, the foal will reach consumption levels of one to three pounds per day.   You want to look for a creep feed that has high quality protein, moderately high energy levels, and adequate calcium and phosphorus amounts in the proper ratios.  For more information on nutritional requirements, please visit this website: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/PDF%20Files/Nutrient%20Requirements%20for%20Horses%20FACT%20SHEET.pdf

When to wean is one of the questions most frequently asked by horse owners.  There is no one answer that fits every situation.  You will want to think about the health of the foal, health of the mare, temperament of the mare, environment, maturity of the foal, management level of the farm, and facilities.   The usual age for weaning is between four and six months.

The primary goal of any weaning system is to minimize stress.  There are three types of weaning systems.  The most traditional method is the abrupt complete separation of the mare and foal.  Incomplete and Gradual separations are also used to wean foals in the horse industry.  Each system has its advantages and disadvantages.  There is no one system that is right for everyone.  The complete separation system completely separates the mare and foal as a single event.  There should be no contact by sight or sound of either the mare or foal.  Generally, the foals are placed in small paddocks or stalls and the mares are turned out to pasture.  This type of weaning process requires little labor and management.  However, many foals lose weight and experience depression at this sudden and unexpected loss of their dam.  Under the stress of weaning, the foal may attempt to jump fences, squeeze through openings and fail to notice obstacles in it path.  Provide adequate exercise to use the foal’s built-up energy when weaning in a stall situation.  You also need to remember that social interaction is important in a young foal’s development.

A less stressful form of complete separation involves removing one mare from the group at a time, leaving the foal with the other foals and their dams.  Ultimately, all mares are removed, leaving the group of weaned foals in their own environment.

An incomplete separation can also be used.  This system separates the mare and foal with a fence line or side-by-side stall.  With the use of V-mesh or bull wire, the mares and foals are able to see, hear and smell each other while in separate paddocks.  However, these foals are not able to nurse and can be separated completely after several days.  Research indicates these foals in this situation experienced less stress during weaning when compared to abrupt separation.

Gradual separation of the mare and foal may be used by horse operations as an alternative to complete and incomplete separation.  Under this system, the mare and foal are separated for a certain period of time each day. The length and number of separations are increased until finally the foal is never returned to the mare.  A period of 5-10 days could be used to wean the foals.  Although this method may be less stressful on the foal, it requires more time and labor to complete the weaning.

Each horse owner must find the system that is less stressful and causes increased growth and productivity of foals, while still being feasible for the conditions of their farm.  Reductions in productivity losses, which often occur during weaning, would result in larger, healthier foals.

One of the best ways of lessening the weaning stress is to maintain the foal in familiar surroundings.  This can be accomplished by leaving the foal in the same area previously occupied and/or by weaning with other foals of like size and age.  When other foals are not available, an older, non-lactating, patient mare or gelding may be used for companionship.  Some farms have successfully utilized goats for the same purpose.  The foal appears to undergo far less stress when other elements of the environment are the same and/or when companionship is available, thereby limiting weight loss, decreasing disease incidence and making the transition to independence less traumatic.

Weaning is not only stressful for the foal but is also a time for concern for the mare.  The mare usually calms down more quickly than the foal, although the time required for her to resume normal behavior may vary from a few hours to a few days.  If the mare still has significant milk production, the owner should remove all grain approximately five days prior to weaning.  Additionally, the mare should have access to plenty of exercise.  The udder should be checked daily.  If the udder becomes very tight, a small amount of milk may be milked out by hand.  Repeated milking of the mare should be avoided as this will stimulate the production of milk, and the goal is for her to cease milk production.  If the udder is still tight four days after weaning and the mare’s temperature rises significantly, or if the udder is hard and hot to the touch, the milk should be checked for the presence of mastitis (infection) and appropriate treatment performed by a veterinarian.  As a general rule, if the foal is healthy, eating well, has a companion, and is placed in a safe environment, the chances of a successful weaning program are great!