Foal Growth
Special Care and Nutrition
A healthy
foal will grow rapidly, gaining in height, weight and strength almost before
your eyes. From birth to age two, a young horse will achieve 90 percent or
more of its full adult size, sometimes putting on as many as 3 pounds per day.
Genetics and environment play significant roles in
determining individual growth patterns. Through research, we also know we
can influence a foal's growth and development - for better or worse - by the
nutrition we supply.
STRIVE FOR BALANCE
Feeding
young horses is a careful balancing act. The interplay between genetics,
management and nutrition is complex. While we can do nothing to change the
genetic road map, we can alter its course via proper management.
The nutritional start a foal gets can have a profound
effect on its health and soundness for the rest of its life. We can
accelerate growth if we choose. However, research suggests that a balanced
dietary approach which supports moderate growth is less likely to cause
developmental problems.
Some conditions which have been associated with rapid growth
rates include:
Contracted tendons
Epiphysitis
Angular Limb Deformities
Osteochondrosis
THE NURSING FOAL
One of the
foal's first mission in life is to stand and nurse. In doing so, it
receives the antibody-rich colostrum which helps protect it from disease.
During the first weeks of life, the mare's milk provides everything a rapidly
growing foal needs for sustenance. The burden then gradually shifts to
other sources.
During lactation, a mare will produce an average of 3 gallons
of milk a day. But in order to do so she must receive ample feed and
water.
Observe the foal's nursing habits. If it suckles for
more than 30 minutes at a time, it may not be receiving enough milk.
Supplemental feed or milk replacer may be required.
Peak lactation generally occurs during the second and third
month of a foal's life. At this time a mare will need almost double the
amount of feed she required during her early pregnancy. In addition to
extra energy, her diet must include adequate protein, vitamins and minerals to
keep from depleting her own body reserves. Increases or decreases in feed
should be made gradually over a 7 to 10 day period.
THE FOAL'S CHANGING DIET
As early as
10-14 days of age, a foal may begin to show an interest in feed. By
nibbling and sampling, the youngster learns to eat solid food. Its
digestive system quickly adapts to the dietary changes.
At 8-10 weeks of age, mare's milk alone may not adequately
meet the foal's nutritional needs. High quality grains and forage should
be added to the foal's diet.
It is essential the ration be properly balanced for vitamins
and minerals. Deficits, excesses or imbalances of calcium, phosphorous,
copper, zinc, selenium and vitamin E are of particular concern in the growing
foal. Improper amounts of ratios can lead to skeletal problems.
FOAL FEEDING GUIDELINES
As the foal's dietary requirements shift from milk to feed and forage, your role in providing the proper nutrition gains in importance. Here are some guidelines to help you meet the young horse's needs:
Provide high quality roughage (hay and pasture) free choice.
Supplement with grain or concentrates beginning at about 4 weeks of age.
Start by feeding 1 percent of a foal's body weight per day, (ie. 1 pound of feed for each 100 pounds of body weight), or 1 pound of feed per month of age.
Weigh and adjust the feed ration based on growth and fitness. A weight tape can help you approximate the foal's size.
Foals have small stomachs so divide the daily ration into 2-3 feedings.
Make sure feeds contain the proper balance of vitamins, minerals, energy and protein.
Use a creep feeder or feed the foal separate from the mare so it can eat its own ration.
Remove uneaten portions between feedings.
Do not overfeed. Overweight foals are more prone to developmental orthopedic disease (DOD).
Provide unlimited fresh, clean water.
WEANING
Foals are
commonly weaned at 5-6 months of age. Beginning about the third month, the
mare's milk supply gradually declines and a natural weaning process begins.
To prepare the foal for complete weaning, its ration should
be increased over a 2-3 week period to make up for the nutrients being lost in
the diminishing milk supply. The mare's grain should be reduced and/or
gradually eliminated to further limit milk production.
Foals generally need to be separated from the mare for 4 to 6
weeks to complete the weaning process. The mare will stop producing milk
during this time. If you need to put the foal and the mom back together
after this time, monitor the mare to make sure she does not allow the foal to
begin nursing again.
Once it is no longer nursing, a 500-600 pound weanling should
be eating approximately 2.5% of its body weight in feed and forage a day.
SUSTAINING GROWTH
Weanlings
and yearlings continue to build bone, muscle and mass at a remarkable rate.
From weanling to two years of age, the horse may nearly double its weight again.
Weanlings and yearlings benefit from a diet containing 14-16
percent protein. They also require readily available sources of energy to
meet the demands of growth and activity.
A good rule of thumb is to provide 60-70 percent of the
ration as concentrates and 30-40 percent of the ration as roughage-measured by
weight. The diet must also provide ample fiber to keep the digestive tract
functioning properly. Some of the new "complete feeds" have the ration
already balanced.
Weight gain and development taper off as the horse matures.
As growth slows, you will need to adjust the ration to approximately 1.5-2% of
the yearling's body weight. The grain to roughage ratio should also be
adjusted so by the time the horse is a 2-year-old, half of its daily diet (by
weight) is coming from grain sources and the other half from hay and pasture.
Breed type, maturity and level of activity will affect the horse's exact
nutritional requirements.
By the time your foal is six months old, your foal will have already attained about 80% of his mature height and half of his mature weight. Make sure your foal is on the right track by comparing its growth to the recommended growth chart at www.foalcare.com/pdf/Foal_Growth_Chart.pdf. Just print out a copy and mark an "X" at the appropriate weight-age intersection on the growth chart every time you weight your foal. Small or newborn foals can be weighed on a bathroom scale. Weight tapes can be used to estimate the weight of older foals when scales are not available. You can also keep track of your foal's growth, body condition and visits from the farrier with a printable chart at www.foalcare.com/pdf/Growth_and_Farrier_Record.pdf.
TOTAL CARE & MANAGEMENT
Work with
your equine practitioner to develop a total health care plan for your foals,
weanlings and yearlings. A regular deworming, vaccination and examination
schedule is essential to ensure your foal is getting the care it needs.
Remember, vaccination and deworming regimens may vary
depending on regional factors and disease risks. Consult your equine
practitioner for exact recommendations.
Here are some other management tips:
Unless there is a medical concern, provide youngsters free choice exercise daily.
Avoid confining foals for more than 10 hours per day.
Use longeing, round-pen or tread mill work judiciously. Excessive forced exercise can strain joints and limbs.
Never exercise a foal to the point of fatigue.
Keep your youngster's feet properly trimmed to foster proper bone development.
Provide a clean, safe environment with adequate shelter from the elements.
Check the horse's surroundings and eliminate any potential hazards such as loose boards, nails, wire fencing or equipment.
The reward for providing excellent nutrition, conscientious care and a safe environment will be a healthy foal that grows into a sound and useful horse.
This information is provided by the American Association of Equine Practitioners.
Groton City Animal Hospital
794 Cortland Rd. (Rte. 222)
Groton, NY 13073
(607)898-4482