Colostrum

Birdfeeder · 03-01-2005, 05:12 AM

It looks like there are a lot of people here breeding mares,mostly Apps and it looks like most are out west. Is there any Colostrum the feezer? Does anyone get Colostrum from their mares when they foal? Has anyone had to give their foal colostrum?

Blistering Winds · 03-01-2005, 05:26 AM

We don't freeze any. unless the mares stream too early (very rare).

BestofPrincess · 03-01-2005, 05:42 AM

we are collecting colostrum from my mare after she foals, since we still have 3 other mares to foal after her. Our vet does have some frozen clostrum but proubley not enough if some thing goes wrong

Paints4me · 03-01-2005, 05:44 AM

We bought it from the vet. Its not acctual colostrum, I think it has some in it, It looks like a syrup. But its supposed to be a subisitute in case your mare doesn't make any milk. Im not sure what its called, I don't have any right now as Im not breeding anything. It cost us about $60-$75 a bottle, and a bottle would only do one colt. (one time was all they needed) We used to live in MO when we bred paints and had trouble with fescue grass, so it wasn't uncommon for a mare to not have milk, even when kept off the grass before foaling. I can call my old vet and get the name of it if anyone wants to know what its called. We always kept it on hand, I think we used it more for other peoples colts , cause they'd call us when they had a problem cause they knew we had it... It is a lifesaver and If I ever breed mares again I will defintaly have some when foaling time comes.

Birdfeeder · 03-01-2005, 07:37 AM

Anyone that breeds any number of mares should have Colostrum on hand. It will keep up to three yrs. My wife collects Colostrum and sells it nationwide via fedx. Right now she is completely out.A good Colostrum Bank is hard to find and hard to keep up.Vets don't bother keeping it. The Colostrum substitute mentioned was I believe founded by Davis in Cal. We had a vet doing studies on it over here in NY. He used my wifes mares fresh colostrum in his studies. He has concluded that it will work on some foals, about 70 %. Nothing is better than mothernature. Collecting Colostrum is a bother to most, they can't see themselves sitting under a mare,milking her like a cow. Thats why its in such high demand.

kimber · 03-01-2005, 03:30 PM

We have some in our freezer. We needed some last year and our vet didn't have any of the bottled stuff. After a few calls we were lucky enough to find an Amish farm that milks his draft mares and sells it. Now I'll keep it on hand and I've let the vets know that I do if anyone needs it.

Dawn · 03-01-2005, 03:32 PM

There was a foal at the barn that did not get enough colostrum (mom leaked a lot more than we thought before foaling). It showed up on her foal check and they did a plasma transfer. Very, very expensive. So there are other options, but learning to properly collect your own colostrum, or knowing where to get some would be your best bet.

PawNHoofPrints · 03-05-2005, 03:02 PM

Mares typically don't produce any "extra" colostrum. The best thing to do is to have your vet pull blood on the foal within 12 - 18 hours of foaling. If your foal does not have adequate protection, they can they do a plasma transfusion so your foal has adequate antibody protection. Quite expensive, but better than a very sick or dead foal. This is assuming baby is nursing. Baby should be standing and nursing within 2 hours. If not, you can have your vet come and milk out the mare and then administer the colostrum to the foal via a nasogastric tube. The baby must receive the colostrum within 12 hours for it to be effective in protecting them against disease. After 12 hours, the stomach does not allow the antibodies to pass through and actually destroys them.

03-01-2005, 05:12 AM	#1
Birdfeeder Full Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 43	Colostrum It looks like there are a lot of people here breeding mares,mostly Apps and it looks like most are out west. Is there any Colostrum the feezer? Does anyone get Colostrum from their mares when they foal? Has anyone had to give their foal colostrum?

03-01-2005, 05:26 AM	#2
Blistering Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Augusta, Kansas Posts: 31,979 Images: 831 Blog Entries: 17	We don't freeze any. unless the mares stream too early (very rare). __________________ HGS is a very powerful, addicting place that is just as bad as cigarettes, however healthier for you AND your horse.

03-01-2005, 05:42 AM	#3
BestofPrincess Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: USA MD Posts: 5,173 Images: 575 Blog Entries: 14	we are collecting colostrum from my mare after she foals, since we still have 3 other mares to foal after her. Our vet does have some frozen clostrum but proubley not enough if some thing goes wrong __________________ tjitske you never deserved to lose a foal 5/31/05 dolly we pray for you and your lost foal 7/26/05 Duct tape is the new glue

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Immunity???	KZWestern	Horse Health	12	10-15-2004 12:05 PM
Can my little colt die? Please Help!	Sweet Sad Jess	Horse Health	22	03-10-2004 05:40 AM
Colstrum(sp?)	Cntrysass20	Horse Breeding	16	02-05-2004 05:02 AM
Mare won't nurse	t_ford	Horse Breeding	47	11-05-2003 02:39 PM

03-01-2005, 05:44 AM	#4
Paints4me Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,284 Images: 24	We bought it from the vet. Its not acctual colostrum, I think it has some in it, It looks like a syrup. But its supposed to be a subisitute in case your mare doesn't make any milk. Im not sure what its called, I don't have any right now as Im not breeding anything. It cost us about $60-$75 a bottle, and a bottle would only do one colt. (one time was all they needed) We used to live in MO when we bred paints and had trouble with fescue grass, so it wasn't uncommon for a mare to not have milk, even when kept off the grass before foaling. I can call my old vet and get the name of it if anyone wants to know what its called. We always kept it on hand, I think we used it more for other peoples colts , cause they'd call us when they had a problem cause they knew we had it... It is a lifesaver and If I ever breed mares again I will defintaly have some when foaling time comes.

03-01-2005, 07:37 AM	#5
Birdfeeder Full Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 43	Anyone that breeds any number of mares should have Colostrum on hand. It will keep up to three yrs. My wife collects Colostrum and sells it nationwide via fedx. Right now she is completely out.A good Colostrum Bank is hard to find and hard to keep up.Vets don't bother keeping it. The Colostrum substitute mentioned was I believe founded by Davis in Cal. We had a vet doing studies on it over here in NY. He used my wifes mares fresh colostrum in his studies. He has concluded that it will work on some foals, about 70 %. Nothing is better than mothernature. Collecting Colostrum is a bother to most, they can't see themselves sitting under a mare,milking her like a cow. Thats why its in such high demand.

03-01-2005, 03:30 PM	#6
kimber Full Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Huntington, IN Posts: 88 Images: 6	We have some in our freezer. We needed some last year and our vet didn't have any of the bottled stuff. After a few calls we were lucky enough to find an Amish farm that milks his draft mares and sells it. Now I'll keep it on hand and I've let the vets know that I do if anyone needs it.

03-01-2005, 03:32 PM	#7
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,292 Images: 1386	There was a foal at the barn that did not get enough colostrum (mom leaked a lot more than we thought before foaling). It showed up on her foal check and they did a plasma transfer. Very, very expensive. So there are other options, but learning to properly collect your own colostrum, or knowing where to get some would be your best bet.

03-05-2005, 03:02 PM	#8
PawNHoofPrints Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Posts: 762	Mares typically don't produce any "extra" colostrum. The best thing to do is to have your vet pull blood on the foal within 12 - 18 hours of foaling. If your foal does not have adequate protection, they can they do a plasma transfusion so your foal has adequate antibody protection. Quite expensive, but better than a very sick or dead foal. This is assuming baby is nursing. Baby should be standing and nursing within 2 hours. If not, you can have your vet come and milk out the mare and then administer the colostrum to the foal via a nasogastric tube. The baby must receive the colostrum within 12 hours for it to be effective in protecting them against disease. After 12 hours, the stomach does not allow the antibodies to pass through and actually destroys them.