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Re: [RC] Orphaned Foal - Heidi SmithLet him drink out of a bucket or bowl--that is just fine. I don't worry about bottle feeding unless they are newborns--and even then, the quicker one can switch them to a bucket or bowl, the easier it is. Milk is not a real necessity at this age, but since he will drink milk replacer from a bucket, it wouldn't hurt to supplement with some. Foals aren't designed to take on a whole bunch at once--so you can't really give them as much as mama does unless you feed them every couple of hours. At his age, a pint or two every 6 hours would be a good supplement, and I wouln't worry about keeping him on it more than another few weeks. Get him on the BEST forage you can find--a really well-put-up grass hay or a grass-alfalfa mix (or mix them yourself)--you may need some alfalfa to get the protein up where he needs it, depending on your grass hay, but you don't need to overdo it. A good "Junior" product will do just fine instead of milk at this point, but again, don't overdo it--sounds like your pelleted feed is really overkill. I'd be more concerned about getting his minerals from the supplement, as his protein need is about 16%--sounds like the pelleted feed needs to just about be fed with straw! My main concern with foals this age without mamas is social rather than nutritional. Can he stay with the kindly uncle gelding you mention? Heidi ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kristene Smuts" <Ksmuts@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 1:12 AM Subject: [RC] Orphaned Foal Over the weekend I was asked to help with a 5 week old foal whose mom had died on Thursday night from colic. He wouldn't drink from the bottle - formula milk for horse babies - but would lick / drink it from a bowl if mixed with some grass hay. He was grazing quite happily but would ask the gelding babysitter very nicely for some milk to which he of course objected! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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