new to breeding worried about foal

[billy:)]

im new to breeding and have a foal of 4months at the moment, mum is a very good doer and fat! foal has been doing well, well grown etc.. but the last few weeks she has dropped weight and i havent seen her feeding from mum much. they are both on hard feed although the mum will often finish the foals off because of how long it takes her.
They were wormed today.

Should i wean early or are they ok staying together? they arent too btohered about each other and i think they will be reasonably ok to wean.
is there any way of helping her pick up more?

thanks

[lampshade]

I would leave them together for a little while longer. I'm new to breeding myself, I have a 3 month old filly. What hard feed are they having? My mare is also a good doer and I feed them on lo-cal balancer with hi-fi lite, they are at grass 24/7. If your foal continues to loose weight then it might be wise to speak to the vet. I'm sure that they will point you in the right direction.

This section of HG is very informative and alot of experienced people on here, I have found it very useful. I have asked lots of questions and received some very good advise. Good luck x

[bizzylizzie]

Have you taken advice from an SQP on what to worm the foal with? Youngstock are suseptable to ascarid burdens and you need a wormer that it suitable and effective in this situation.

[sarahp]

I had a foal with ascarids, born from a poor 3yo bought in foal because I couldn't bear to leave her where she was. Nasty looking things, but the foal was so much better for being without them! According to my worming guide, the only drug that doesn't do ascarids is praziquantel, used as a tapeworm wormer; read the ingredients of wormers for the drug they carry, it's the drug that matters not the brand name.

[greasedweasel]

Could be worms and definately worth checking out but sometimes they just grow and look a bit empty for a week or two then fill back out again. Also not sure where you are but the weather up here (SW Scotland) has been knocking mine back a bit.

Definately wouldn't wean, especially when mum is doing well, four months is too early IMO (we wean at six.) I could just about understand weaning now if mare was a skeleton and foal a little fat dumpling but not the other way around.

[larkhaven]

If you can, try to separate mum and baby for feeds - I only have some rather makeshift shelter, but we made a bit of a barrier so they could eat separately but still see each other. Then you can give baby a youngstock mix or supplement without mum pinching it! Most of my mars are fatties and we have done this each year to control their weight and ensure foalies get what they need - it also makes weaning easy if baby is used to being shut away from mum to eat. Obviously take care, and be sure you can move the barrier quickly if anyone panics - I may have been lucky, but so far we haven't had a problem with this arrangement.

[sarahp]

Mares do vary in how they milk - some will be fatties but the foals are no more than OK, whereas others will milk like Jersey cows and end up boney themselves. I had one who had tiny rabbits of foals, milked for England so by weaning time I had a hatrack mare and a huge bonny foal.

I wouldn't wean yet, they are best together, but some sort of creep arrangement like larkhaven's sounds a good plan if you feel the foal needs more.

[snapdragons]

I would give her a dose of panacur if she where mine,what type of foal is she ?

[snapdragons]

Sorry,just read your post again and you have wormed her,what did you give her ? at 4 months she is probably going through a growth spurt so maybe changing shape,looking more leggy rather than cutsie roly poly foal maybe ;D i wouldnt worry to much if she seems fine in herself.

[sweetsilverstone]

ony of my foals is looking ribby at the moment and she has recently been wormed but im sure she has grown the mare too is a VERY good doer and VERY fat. they are out 24/7 and fed once a day, i separate the mare and foal for feeds like above people have suggested, this foal is 4.5months im not planning to wean her until approx 6months. good luck im sure she is ok, dont panic too much

[gillwales]

have you established if foal still has a suckle reflex? Be careful as she will have teeth now! It is defiantly worth checking her teeth and mouth in case there is an injury or problem there.

You can get foal creep feeders with bars on that prevent mum from eating the food,

I have weaned early and if you have the facilities it can work but would be much easier to leave with Mum.

I would not think that the weather this year has helped either

good luck