Weaning Tips

Weaning Tips 

Weaning can be an exciting time for horse owners but it can also be stressful on all involved.  Here are some tips to help during this transition:

• Try not to wean before the foal is four months old.  This is a crucial period for the development of not just the immune system, but of the foals’ natural behavior as well.  Foals weaned too early require intense nutritional and behavioral management.  Early weaned foals will require bottle feedings every two hours in the early weeks and every four to six hours after the first few weeks.  This requires a significant amount of manpower and the additional cost of having to purchase milk replacer.  On the contrary, however, if a mare has an undesirable disposition or vices it can be beneficial to wean as soon as advisable to prevent the foal from learning the unwanted behaviors.  The benefit should be weighed against the risk for the use of early weaning.   With even the earliest weaned foals, care should be taken to assure that the foal receives a good amount of colostrum from the mother in the first 24 hours.  This will help reduce the chances of Failure of Passive Transfer occurring in the foal.
• Use a creep feeder several weeks before the weaning date to help with the transition to a grain and forage only diet.  The creep feeder should allow for safe entry and exit while restricting mares from gaining access.  One should take into consideration the quick increase in foal height in the period prior to weaning and use a gate that allows for easy height adjustment.  Foals tend to eat small amounts of creep feed frequently and amounts can vary from day to day.  Providing small allotments throughout the day, such as when the mare is being fed, reduces overfeeding and spoilage. 
• Use feed made specifically for creep feeding.  Creep feed should contain 14-16% crude protein, about 0.8% Calcium and 0.5% Phosphorus to ensure a correct energy balance for the foals.  The feed should also contain additional vitamins and minerals needed for growth and development.  The creep feed should be highly palatable, and the use of pelleted or extruded feed is the most desirable, as it cuts down on sorting for preferred individual ingredients.
• Begin with general good behavior habits, such as brushing, haltering, and leading, prior to weaning.  It is never too early to start these basic good manner practices.  A foal can begin being haltered within a few days after birth and should be very comfortable with these basics by weaning.
• Make sure the foal is in good health by sticking to a vaccination and deworming schedule prior to weaning.  Work with a veterinarian who is familiar with your farm, location and practices to ensure the foal is in good health prior to weaning.  There are several vaccines that are recommended between three and six months including WNV, EEE, WEE, tetanus, strep. Equi and EHV.
• Choose a weaning strategy based on your resources.  The management level of your farm, facilities available and the temperament of the mare and foal are all considerations when choosing a weaning system.  Weaning systems can range from the abrupt separation of foal and mare, to a gradual, progressive separation.  Separating the foal and mare abruptly usually involves complete removal of contact, including sight, sound and smell, and tends to be more stressful on the foal.  This method is usually done by moving the mare to another turn out area or moving the foal into a confinement completely separate from any mare contact.   If this method is used it can be helpful to wean other foals of the same age and size, or if there are no other foals available, a companion goat or yearling of agreeable disposition may be used.  The more progressive method of weaning involves using a physical barrier between the mare and foal, such as an enclosure with a common side, which allows for the mare and foal to see, smell and hear each other but does not facilitate nursing.  This arrangement can be kept for several days to a week until the foal feels more comfortable being on its own.  No matter which system you choose, keeping the foal in familiar surroundings and preconditioning the foal to solid feed greatly reduces the stress of weaning.
• Take measures to ensure the mare’s comfort during weaning.  Most mares will calm more quickly than their foals, resuming normal behavior within a few hours to several days, depending on if they have had a foal weaned before.  If the mare is still producing milk, her grain intake should be reduced and exercise increased to help her dry up.  If her udder is still tight after four days and has an increased temperature, she should be checked for mastitis.

This covers the main things to take into consideration before beginning to wean a foal, however, every case is different and other considerations may need to be made for each individual weaning.  Planning and preparation will help to reduce stress on the owner and hopefully make a smoother transition for the foal and mare.