Foal colostrum replacer

[severnvalefell]

Hi all, looking for some advice...

I have a fell mare who has been running milk since Saturday, looking uncomfortable and grunting - this is her first foal. The vet came today and said that the foal is still alive and is completely fine, baby is basically in position ready for mum to make up her mind and get on with it!

I've been breeding foals for years but never known one like this one!

The problem is that the vet is worried that because she has been running milk for so long, alot of the colostrum will already be gone! So I was just wondering if anyone knows of a good colostrum replacer that I can give to the foal once she finally decides to have it. The vet also suggested that the foal have a blood test to check immunoglobulin levels.

Many Thanks x

[Louise Dixon]

That is frustrating, one of my mares did this 2 years ago, I spent days following her round with a jug and kept it in the freezer. I don't know about colostrum replacer, but I'm sure someone on here will, maybe ask your vet if they keep any.

[pattendown]

my dads mare ran milk for 18days so we got the net tex colosterum replacer and he had that and his blood test came back ok ,a good feed store should have it or ask at the national foaling bank if they have any colosterum

[clarej]

We used the nettex stuff this year for the first time on a mare that doesn't have sufficent colostrum and we igg tested foal and came back fine. I would definitely give it a try. Hyperdrug sell it online

[Louise Dixon]

Thanks, that is very helpful, I have just looked it up and it is £40.69 for a pack for a foal. We aren't having any foals this year, but hope to have 4 next year if things go according to plan, I think for that price I will be ordering one next spring to have just in case.

[sarahp]

Our vets used to keep frozen colostrum if they had a chance to get any, had some from one of mine once. Don't know if they still do but maybe some other vets will, or the Foaling Bank.

[pattendown]

has the foal arrived yet

[holiday]

We keep frozen colostrum taken from our own mares. However we also have a product called Immunofoal which keeps for 3 years in the fridge which is a colostrum replacer. However we always test the colostrum when the mares foal to see what quality it is. We do also IgG test the foals as well.