Pregnancy.........

horse_crazy · 10-11-2003, 06:11 PM

I was just curious how any of you breeders go about a pregnancy with mares.(Food wise, I mean!)
According to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine........during the first 8 months of gestation, broodmares can be fed the same ration as their non-pregnant herdmates. In the final 3 months an increasing amount of grain should be given. A vitamin-mineral supplement designed to complement the type of hay being fed may be given.
In past posts when I had mentioned that we start to increase our mares feed and start them on a supplement the last three months,some people disagreed and said that they need good food and supplement all through-out there pregnancy, not just the last three months.
Which I agree with and the mares do, its just that the feed and supplement value is increased at the last three months. Just thought Id see what some other breeders had to say,(and that i am not completely dumb when it comes to pregnant mares, as i have evidence that you can and or should do it the way we do! plus we do breed and talk to our vets about things! wink ) Thanks to all replys!

PawNHoofPrints · 10-11-2003, 07:48 PM

Nutritional needs in a pregnant mare do not increase from a non-pregnant mare until the end of gestation. You do not want to increase their calories until needed or you'll end up with a fat mare which could potentially cause problems with foaling. Typically, you increase them about the last 3 months of pregnancy and continue through lacation when nutritional needs are very demanding.

Dawn · 10-12-2003, 09:13 AM

I believe that I am one person that said the food needed to be changed. I meant not that the amount of food needed to be changed but rather the nutritional content of the food. Now if your mare was already on a high quality feed, you should be alright. However, if she is just on grass, hay, or low quality feed, she will need that supplemented with vitamins and minerals that are essential during pregnancy.

horse_crazy · 10-12-2003, 11:25 AM

We have our ALL of our horses on Strategy(spelling?) and GOOD HAY! They get exercise and are up to dat on all vacc. This year was only our 2 nd year breeding. Last year we didnt put our mare(s) on any supplement as we got her right before she had the foal. This year (a different mare, but owned her for a while) we had her on a supplement all during her pregnancy, along with the good hay and strategy. NOw this year we bred 3 mares(we think only 2 of the 3 took!) at the last 3 mnths of their pregnancy we will put the on a supplement. If a pregnant mare is "fat", does that always mean the foal will have complications? Our palomino/dunalino mare.....is like ohh im pregnant okay....and then shes HUGE! Our buckskin mare is just like ohh okay im pregnant...thats nice and you cant really tell that she is yet! lol! Well thanks to the replys. i was just wondering how many breeders out there put their pregnant mares on supplements.

spyro1 · 10-12-2003, 04:32 PM

I boarded my horse at an app breeding facility a few years ago and they put their mares on mare and foal developer the last 3 months of pregnancy and upped the grain 6-8 weeks before foaling out. You can keep the mare's on the Mare and Foal developer after foaling out as well. (can't remember who puts it out though) A lot of people do things differently and you just have to find what works for you. like your mare that is showing her pregnancy very well, could be a big baby, could be that she is overweight. You could have your vet reccommend whether or not to up her grain or put her on supplements. No, not all overweight mares have a hard time foaling out, it just increases the chances

How far along is she? You can also start working her lightly to get her into some kind of shape before foaling out. Start for a few minutes a day just walking and trotting and then slowly increase the time. Nothing heavy, just to get her moving and using her muscles wink

horse_crazy · 10-12-2003, 05:29 PM

She is due at in mid-end of May 2004.She is a big bone mare,a dn standing about 15.2-15,3 Hands high! I was riding her previously put my saddle doesnt fit her anymore because she has gotten so large! lol! we talked to the vet previously and some of our friends, they said that there was much to worry about. Her foal will be a automatically promoted for the NRHA! Well I have to go.....but Ill post back later!

10-11-2003, 06:11 PM	#1
horse_crazy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,067	Pregnancy......... I was just curious how any of you breeders go about a pregnancy with mares.(Food wise, I mean!) According to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine........during the first 8 months of gestation, broodmares can be fed the same ration as their non-pregnant herdmates. In the final 3 months an increasing amount of grain should be given. A vitamin-mineral supplement designed to complement the type of hay being fed may be given. In past posts when I had mentioned that we start to increase our mares feed and start them on a supplement the last three months,some people disagreed and said that they need good food and supplement all through-out there pregnancy, not just the last three months. Which I agree with and the mares do, its just that the feed and supplement value is increased at the last three months. Just thought Id see what some other breeders had to say,(and that i am not completely dumb when it comes to pregnant mares, as i have evidence that you can and or should do it the way we do! plus we do breed and talk to our vets about things! wink ) Thanks to all replys!

10-12-2003, 04:32 PM	#5
spyro1 Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Swamp..Home of The SEC Champs~Go Gators Posts: 6,881 Images: 62 Blog Entries: 21	I boarded my horse at an app breeding facility a few years ago and they put their mares on mare and foal developer the last 3 months of pregnancy and upped the grain 6-8 weeks before foaling out. You can keep the mare's on the Mare and Foal developer after foaling out as well. (can't remember who puts it out though) A lot of people do things differently and you just have to find what works for you. like your mare that is showing her pregnancy very well, could be a big baby, could be that she is overweight. You could have your vet reccommend whether or not to up her grain or put her on supplements. No, not all overweight mares have a hard time foaling out, it just increases the chances How far along is she? You can also start working her lightly to get her into some kind of shape before foaling out. Start for a few minutes a day just walking and trotting and then slowly increase the time. Nothing heavy, just to get her moving and using her muscles wink __________________ I used to have a handle on life, but it broke off. Do unto others......

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10-11-2003, 07:48 PM	#2
PawNHoofPrints Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Posts: 762	Nutritional needs in a pregnant mare do not increase from a non-pregnant mare until the end of gestation. You do not want to increase their calories until needed or you'll end up with a fat mare which could potentially cause problems with foaling. Typically, you increase them about the last 3 months of pregnancy and continue through lacation when nutritional needs are very demanding.

10-12-2003, 09:13 AM	#3
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,484 Images: 1390	I believe that I am one person that said the food needed to be changed. I meant not that the amount of food needed to be changed but rather the nutritional content of the food. Now if your mare was already on a high quality feed, you should be alright. However, if she is just on grass, hay, or low quality feed, she will need that supplemented with vitamins and minerals that are essential during pregnancy.

10-12-2003, 11:25 AM	#4
horse_crazy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,067	We have our ALL of our horses on Strategy(spelling?) and GOOD HAY! They get exercise and are up to dat on all vacc. This year was only our 2 nd year breeding. Last year we didnt put our mare(s) on any supplement as we got her right before she had the foal. This year (a different mare, but owned her for a while) we had her on a supplement all during her pregnancy, along with the good hay and strategy. NOw this year we bred 3 mares(we think only 2 of the 3 took!) at the last 3 mnths of their pregnancy we will put the on a supplement. If a pregnant mare is "fat", does that always mean the foal will have complications? Our palomino/dunalino mare.....is like ohh im pregnant okay....and then shes HUGE! Our buckskin mare is just like ohh okay im pregnant...thats nice and you cant really tell that she is yet! lol! Well thanks to the replys. i was just wondering how many breeders out there put their pregnant mares on supplements.

10-12-2003, 05:29 PM	#6
horse_crazy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,067	She is due at in mid-end of May 2004.She is a big bone mare,a dn standing about 15.2-15,3 Hands high! I was riding her previously put my saddle doesnt fit her anymore because she has gotten so large! lol! we talked to the vet previously and some of our friends, they said that there was much to worry about. Her foal will be a automatically promoted for the NRHA! Well I have to go.....but Ill post back later!