Gestations for 2014

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

I've seen a ton of mares running late this year.. What are your mares' gestations running? Are they bagging up like you would expect but then holding out? Or are they not bagging up like normal, running late and then bagging up?

 

[Flyin G Farm]

I currently have 2 mares at 348 days and 1 at 355 days. I've only had one of the mares for all of her foalings, and she always bags up well (takes her 3-4 weeks), waxes and foals within 12 hours. She has always foaled no later than 336...and here we sit at 348 with a mostly full bag (but could still be fuller). The other 2 are new to me so I don't know their patterns, but both are experienced broodmares. One has had a full, tight bag for almost 2 weeks, has gone back/forth between being puffy/elongated, to all "scrunched up" again. I can finally get fluid fairly easily, but it is still looking fairly clear and just slightly sticky. She is also at 348. The last mare should be at 355, she's a very experienced broodmare who has just kind of done her thing for all of her foals, so I don't have any history on her. She had zero bag a month ago, but there has definitely been a substantial change in appearance, but when I feel it, it's just a small handful, she has a lot of room to bag up more (photos on LB marewaters/marestare forum). We did turn her out with the stallion late June/early July for less than a week to try and keep the stallion from pacing and we did not see her in heat. IF she was bred then, she wouldn't be 330 until around May 27th. Her bag does NOT look like she will hold on until anywhere near that late of a date. She would be 355 today from the last day I bred her. All of the mares were hand bred, with the exception of the less than a week the one was with the stallion. These girls are driving me crazy and not doing what I would normally expect...and definitely going longer than what I would expect!

 

[ohmt]

My mares on average go 340-350 days, with quite a few that go a full year. I only have one that goes "early" and her average is 325 days....that's as early as it has ever been here with records going to back to the late 70's. I'm not sure if it's just the harsh environment here (SE North Dakota where it's very cold and very windy) or bloodlines, but even with the outside bloodlines we have that's how long they go.

Most of our mares start to bag up about 8 weeks out...we have 1 who doesn't until she foals which makes for stressful foal watching. It's pretty consistent each year with a few outliers here and there....I think just to keep us on our toes

Last year we had 2 maidens who showed no signs of foaling. Our barn flooded and we made the decision to put them in the pasture with the rest of our mares until we could get it dried out. Well, we went out the next day to 2 new fillies. Healthy, happy little girls, thank goodness.

 

[Dontworrybeappy]

Abbie is at 370 today....

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

Karen I feel for you! lol Your girl is actually part of the reason I asked.. I've seen a ton of mares (both big and small) that are carrying MUCH longer this year.. I have two mares due end of April/first of May (330) and neither are bagging much..

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Ours are mostly going normal that we have had so far, only been off by a few days. Have a couple that are closer to 340 days though that normally foal in the 320s but otherwise on the ones we know history, they have been very close to their predicted due dates.

 

[Dontworrybeappy]

All our other mares this year have gone before 342... (Well, I don't know about Prissy, she was pasture bred, but she delivered right in the mid-range of the dates I had listed for her...)

 

[stormy]

Just had a filly last night, mare wasn't due until the 6th of May by her first breeding date so was at 318 days. My first foal this year, a colt, was at 330 days.