Equine Reproduction
Neonatal
Management and Common Neonatal Diseases Including Orphan Foal Management and
Management During the First Six Months.
Assignment:
Chapter 11 in the text.
In this lesson we will discuss all the important managerial aspects of new born foal management as well as orphan foal management, and follow the foal to six months of age. There are some critical things that need immediate attention after a foal is born. This will help prevent complications following delivery of a live foal.
I.
Immediate newborn management.
A. The foaling environment must be clean with good footing. Clean, dry
straw
B. Make sure amnion sac is not covering foal’s muzzle and restricting
breathing.
C. It is important for last transfer of blood from mare to foal prior
to breaking of the cord.
D. Naval should be dipped in a disinfectant (Nolvasan
(chlorhexidine) or betadine (tamed iodine) usually as soon as possible after
the cord breaks.
E. Foal should be bright and alert from beginning
F. Take foal’s temperature. Normal: 99.5 – 100.5 F (37.5 –
38.5 C); below 98.5 F suspect hypothermia; above 101.5 F - infection
G. Foal should stand within first
hour. (The foal will usually attempt to stand within 10 to 15 minutes of
foaling.)
H. The foal should nurse within the first 2 hours. (Foal
will usually attempt to nurse within first half hour.)
I. Allow mare and foal to bond.
J. Using an enema on
the foal is advisable. Normally done any time after the foal has been up and nursing.
K. If mare hasn’t been vaccinated for tetanus within the last few
months of pregnancy, the foal should be administered a tetanus antitoxin.
Common
problems must be recognized and dealt with effectively if they arise in the
first few days of a foal’s life.
II. Problems associated with the immediate post foaling period.
A. Meconium (first manure) impaction.
1. Straining to pass manure or signs of colic may indicate
meconium impaction.
2. Enema (standard or mineral oil fleet enema) is preventative
as well as a treatment for this condition.
B. Patent urachus – leakage of urine
from the umbilical cord when straining to urinate.
1. Treatment: may require application of a chemical
cauterizing agent; antibiotics; surgery
C. Ruptured urinary bladder.
1. Appears normal for first 24 hours.
2. The abdomen begins filling up with urine which causes the
belly to enlarge and the foal to become weak and depressed.
3. Requires surgical correction.
D. Neonatal maladjustment syndrome or “dummy foal”
1. These foals may be normal at birth and become “dummy” on the second or third day after birth. (Foals stop
nursing, walk around stall as if blind.)
2. Usually associated with systemic infection (septicemia) or
possible loss of blood to brain early in life.
E. Septicemia
1. Possible fever, lack of nursing reflex, weak, depressed
foals from birth.
2. Systemic infection contracted within the womb.
F. Failure of passive transfer of antibodies. The foal prior to nursing is virtually agammaglobulinemic
– meaning there is no protection from infection. The foal relies on the
antibodies provided in the colostrum for protection.
Causes:
1. Lack of colostrums intake during first 12 to 24 hours of
birth.
2. Mare dies at birth.
3. Mare leaks out colostrum prior to birth.
4. Mare has inadequate levels of colostrum.
5. Foal does not nurse properly for first 24 hours. There is no
placental transfer of antibodies to foal. The only way a foal can naturally
obtain neonatal protecting antibodies is through colostrums intake.
Conduct a blood analysis after 18 hours of life to detect IGG antibody
levels to ensure successful transfer of antibodies.
Treatment: 400mg/dl is considered partial failure of passive transfer
and requires IGG rich plasma transfusion to prevent infection problems during
the first few months of life.
a. 400 – 800mg/dl. Most of these foals will
survive,
but an IGG rich plasma transfusion would probably
be beneficial.
b. 800mg/dl. This level of antibody transfer is
considered adequate and ideal and will provide
the
young foal with adequate protective antibodies
for
good health until natural antibodies are developed
at 3 to 4 months of age.
III. The raising of an orphan foal is sometimes necessary.
Care of the
orphan foal.
A. An orphan foal is any foal whose dam is unable to
provide adequate nourishment through normal nursing.
B. Immediate care consists of making sure the foal is able to consume colostrums during the first 12 hours of birth. (If the dam
cannot supply this, use of colostrum from another mare is needed). If colostrums are not available, Plasma rich
IGG antibodies should be given to the foal by stomach tube in the first 12 to
24 hours of life, or intravenously shortly thereafter.
Meeting the needs of the growing orphan foal.
A. Nurse mare.
1. The mare
must accept orphan foal. (Urine or manure of mare can be rubbed on the foal).
2. The mare
must be a good milker.
3. Initial
nursing must be attended.
B. Goats have been used
successfully to raise an orphan foal.
C. Hand feeding
1. Milk replacer (quick formula is evaporated can milk and water in
equal proportions) Commercial – Foal Lac.
2. Use of a lamb’s
nipple is best.
3. First week: feed every
hour. Second week feed every 2 hours.
Third week feed every 3 hours. Third week feed every 3 hours. Fourth week feed every 4 hours. Thereafter feed 4 times per day.
4. Attempt to switch to bucket feeding as soon as possible.
B. The sooner they are exposed to other weanlings the better.
C. Don’t encourage or tolerate
development of bad habits around humans (nipping, kicking, rearing). Although cute in the young
foal, this behavior is dangerous when coming from a growing horse.
IV. Factors to be
considered during the first 6 months of a foal’s life.
Six months of age is
the most common age for weaning. (The permanent removal of foal
from dam so no more nourishment is derived from the dam.)
A. The first 6 months.
1.
Exercise and exposure to the outdoors is important once the foal is found to be
healthy and sound.
2. Early handling – if
various forms of restraint and handling are calmly introduced during the
suckling period, the foal should be very tractableby
the time it is weaned.
3. Foal imprinting – the development of the
human-horse bond shortly after birth.
a. Haltering, leading, handling the legs.
4. Nutrition: creep feeding of the foal should begin as soon as
practical. At least by the third month of life.
a. Protein requirements of a creep feed – 16-18%; milk-based protein
b. Ca:P ratio 1.2 to
2 : 1
5.
Worming and vaccinations.
a. Deworm every 2 months during
first year of life.
Rotate strongid
with a benzimidazole at 2, 4 and 6 months.
At 8 months start ivermectin.
b. EEE, WEE, WEST Nile, VEE, Influenza, Rhinopneumonitis
and tetanus at
2 months with a booster 3 to 4 weeks later.
At 6 months flu and rhino and possibly strangles. Other
vaccines depending
on area of the country. (Rabies, Potomac
horse fever,
equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, lyme disease,
botulism.)
6. Suckling stage diseases.
a. Foal heat
scours (diarrhea).
1. Normally is eliminated when mare goes out of heat.
2. Two ounce of Pepto Bismol
can be helpful every 6 hours.
b. Infectious
diarrhea.
1. Can be serious. Foals dehydrate easily. Usually need
veterinary
attention.
c. Stomach and intestinal ulcers.
1. Seem to be caused by
stress.
2. Excessive salivation, grinding teeth,
diarrhea.
aa. Mylanta or
Maalox is helpful.
bb. Anti-ulcer
medication can be effective.
cc. (Prevents secretion of stomach acids).
dd. Infectious Pneumonia
3. Normally requires
veterinary care.
6. Rodococcus pneumonia (bacterial pneumonia
– dust
pneumonia)
2-6 months of age, coughing. Abscesses
in the
lungs.
7. Umbilical hernia
1. If small, may close on its own by 6 months.
2. Require surgical closure if
large or if not gone
by
6 months.
8. Navel Ill or Joint Ill (Bacterial infection usually introduced
through the umbilical cord shortly after birth.
(This is why disinfectant
application to cord is important).
1. Spreads to joints and causes
severe infections usually causing permanent joint disability.
2. Requires extensive veterinary
treatment for chance of future usefulness.
9. Crooked limbs
1. Usually medial deviation of the knees.
2. May require surgery to correct.
3. Pereosteal stripping and or stapling of
the distal radial epiphysis.
Green lines demonstrate
correct conformation.
Red lines illustrate
angular deformity.
10. Contracted tendons
1. Seen to knuckle over at the fetlock. Superficial
digital flexor contraction or development of a club foot with inability to put
heel on the ground. (Deep digital flexor contraction).
2. Surgery to cut offending tendon may be necessary.
Contracted
tendon and
club foot
11. Weaning
1. Normally done at 6 months of
age. Possible as early as 4 months.
2. Group weanlings together and allow
them to have visual contact with mothers.
3. Have good, safe fencing
between weanlings and mares.
4. Alternate approach is complete separation from sight and hearing.
This is more stressful to
the foal.
5. Best approach to weaning is gradual separation over a period of
time, increasing time spent apart.
ASSIGNMENT:
Please send to jsales@horsecoursesonline.com "Lesson 8 Repro" in subject
line.
1. Describe colostrum and the importance of this in the newborn foal.
2. Describe the procedure of attending a normal foaling from the time
the mare breaks her water up to 24 hours from birth.
3. List 5 of the more common post foaling complications that can occur
during or immediately following a foaling.
4. Describe a general approach to the care of an orphan foal from birth
through the first 3 months of life.
5. Describe the management procedures regarding deworming, vaccinations
and nutrition for the foal during the first 6 months of life?