LKF breeding video/palpation

[BriarwoodAcres]

I just finished watching my Little King Farm Breeding Video done by Robin and she mentioned to rectally palpate your mare. She said she pulls the manure out and Slowly inserts her arm and just bounces her hand around inside gently, if something pushes back, shes in foal.

My question is, how soon can you do this and feel a foal? is it safe to do this? I dont have a machine but I'd really love to buy one but they're expensive so i've herd. My vet wont palpate my mares at all as he says his probes are to big and he wont enter rectally for any reason. I've yet to find a good vet in this area for horses let alone one with small hands/arms for a mini.

Is this safe/ok for me to do without a machine?

 

[Debby - LB]

I wouldn't think this would be something recommended for just anyone to go out and try? was it? I mean as it's written here it sounds easy and someone reading this may think it's OK to do this... but then they may not take the precautions that should be taken nor know the preparation involved in doing so. I'll be interested in seeing the responses.

 

[LittleRibbie]

I would have to toatally agree with Debby on this on all points. Not at all something any one should try. IMO Is there a way to post that video.

Im editing this............ " not at all something anyone should try "...................obviously a vet or perhaps a breeder who is w/a vet alongside and is very experienced in horse anatomy/breeding could do this with out problems but it sounds as if anyone w/a small hand can do it.

Little King Farm has been breeding successfully for many years and if anyone would have the experience it would be them but I don't think its a safe thing to the average person to attempt. Anytime you bring something from the outside into your mare there is chance of infection.

 

[Riverrose28]

I've been breeding since 1985, and I don't feel comfortable enough with experience to try this at home, that is not to say, that someone else won't. So I agree with the other two comments above me.

What I can recommend is what my vet does. She will sono my mares using a probe that was made for lamas and alpaca breeders. I've never had a problem with this, but before they got this probe one of my female vets palpated a mare, (simply because the buyer wanted a pregnancy confirmation) and tore the little mares rectum, and this mare was 32"s. She was an experienced doctor not a lay person, so I know from this experience that I wouldn't try it.

 

[supaspot]

even my vet is reluctant to do it on a mini , he also made an extension to the standard probe instead

 

[LittleRibbie]

Supaspot...love the horse in your avatar

 

[stormy]

I have been trained to palpate cows and horses but would never do my minis, if you are just bouncing your hand around in there to see if something bounces back that baby has to be several months along....when I was palpating at 30 days or so the fetus on a large horse wasn't much bigger then a marble and I had to feel all around in there to find it...

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

Maybe ill state that i am not comfortable enough to do my minis lol. Theyre so darned small.

I have palpated before but only big horses but had pofessional guidence as well.

Ill try to video the part she says it and upload it. She makes it perfectly clear anyone can do it.....

 

[ohmt]

It is much too easy to tear the rectum in equine, especially minis. I would never do it myself-maybe a really experienced vet if necessary.

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

I breed cows as a very large part o fmy job. Im "in" about 10 cows a day.

And I would NEVER dare do it to a horse.

A) you will probably need sedative to do so

B) they kick. hard. Its hard to do a ninja move to avoid with one arm in

C) They are SUPER easy to tear

Also, if you are just "bouncing around," you will probably grab something else and think its a foal. The cecum I would think could have this distinct bounce. Plus, you stand a very likely chance of knocking your mare out of foal.

If you can't find a cervix in under a second, and still need guidance to even be in a horse, DONT TRY IT ON YOUR OWN! Plus, no, not everyone can do it. A golden arm takes years and thousands of palpations to get. In the words of my mentor - after the first 1000 it starts to kinda get easy.

 

[Tab]

Maybe if you are a tiny-boned woman? I have burly arms, so I don't think I will be rectally palpating mine any time soon.

 

[lil hoofbeats]

I U/S all my horses. Its pretty easy once you do it a couple of times. I sedate them with Zylazine about .5 or so, twitch them. And lube up remove fecal matter then insert probe. I used to do 60-70 a breeding season, now....well...just not as exciting as when I first bought my machine ! LOL!! its very accurate after 21 days, after about 3 months I can feel the baby. I have palpated where I could "bounce" the babys head. I have never had one kick back, so I don't know what that is all about.

I would not use a probe as you could tear the mares rectum.

I bought my U/S from EI medical in Colorado paid 3000.00 for it, I am sure they are cheaper now. Give them a call.