[ginger102005]

Ok, question for all you guys, it's been two years since I had a pregnant mare, and I can't remember

I know after so many months they have to come off of fescue pasture, but can they have fescue hay??

I am braindead today and just can't remember.

[CJ]

I dont think you want to give a pregnant mare fescue-anything if it can be avoided. I forget if the problem (endophytes?) is integral or superficial, but you dont want to run the risk of contact and abortion either way.
Ive had geldings so never had to pay indepth attention to many mare issues.

[charming]

About 90 days before foaling. The longer she is off it, the better.

[JBandRio]

90 days is plenty long enough. 60 *can* be ok, but 90 is better.

[ginger102005]

Ok, well we just picked up an appaloosa mare that is 7-8 months along....
They don't know for sure, so we should go ahead and take her off, I'm guessing.

Also, JB, is it off of all fescue, or just fescue pasture?

Also, if I wanted to put her on a round-bale, how do I make sure that it is straight coastal and not coastal/fescue?

[Equine Repro]

Originally Posted by ginger102005

Ok, well we just picked up an appaloosa mare that is 7-8 months along....
They don't know for sure, so we should go ahead and take her off, I'm guessing.

Also, JB, is it off of all fescue, or just fescue pasture?

ALL fescue. Feeding fescue hay is like super concentrating the endophyte, so you definitely want to avoid feeding fescue hay.

Endophyte Fescue Toxicity and Pre-foaling Preventative Treatment

◊ Fescue toxicity is caused by an endophyte that “infects” the fescue grass. There is no reliable way currently known to eliminate the fungus without destroying the grass and re-planting;
◊ Effects of fescue poisoning can be low fertility, abortions, weak foals, stillbirths, thick placentas, prolonged gestation, increased incidence of dystocia, and most common, lack of milk production in the mare;
◊ Reversal of the effects may be achieved by taking mares off infested pastures/hay 30-60 days prior to foaling and feeding only fescue-free hay;
◊ The drug domperidone, has been found to block dopamine receptors that were activated by the alkaloids found in endophyte-infected grass. Researchers have found that treatment with the drug of horses grazing on affected fescue pastures got positive results (D. L. Cross, MS, Ph.D., and C. S. Adams, DVM, MPVM. (2001) Efficacy of Equidone®. The North American Veterinary Conference: Veterinary Proceedings, Large Animal. 15:90-91). Mares treated with the medication for 10-15 days before their anticipated foaling date were delivering normal, healthy foals without complications and producing a normal milk supply after delivery. The medication was also found to increase milk production in mares not suffering from fescue toxicity. The medication is now being tested by veterinarians around the country under an experimental permit from the US federal Food and Drug Administration;
◊ In the event that prophylactic measures are not taken, measures should be taken to provide foal with an alternate source of colostrum or oral supplementation with serum.

Hope that helps!

Kathy St.Martin
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[ginger102005]

Thanks Kathy...

I had a pregnant mare 2 years ago, and had looked all this up, but I forgot.

Now that you guys refreshed my memory, I remember, we had a small paddock that we tore up and seeded with fescue free grass, then we gave her alfalfa hay.