Mare with early bagging now dripping milk at 275 days

[MountainMeadows]

I'm with Beth on this one - she seems to be making all the classic changes that would indicate that she actually was bred on an earlier cycle -- hope so! Just keep up with the Regumate/SMZ/Banamine plan and keep us all posted -- we are all rooting for you and your little mare!

Stac

 

[Barbie]

I'm pretty sure you can buy a powdered colostrum if you can't locate any frozen. Seems like Tractor Supply had it when a friend of mine needed it.

Good luck - hope she holds off.

Barbie

 

[ShaunaL]

Well she is STREAMING milk but acting normal. She was very agitated the other night and seems much more comfortable now so I think maybe the doubled Regumate and other meds are working well. Thanks to Charlotte

we have frozen colostrum being Fed-Ex'd right now from Sandy at Nursemare in NY!! Thank you Charlotte! It should get here tomorrow. So at the very least we will have it on hand for the future. Sandy said it should last at least 2 years and that some places are now saying it's good for 3 years.

 

[shelly]

GREAT NEWS on locating colostrum!!!!

How does her vulva look tonight? Can you post pics yet?

 

[Miniv]

Well, Thank God for Charlotte!

Yes, the colostrum (if kept frozen properly) can be good for up to 2 years. They used to say it was only good for one year......Three? I would suspect is doubtful, but don't know personally.

Glad your girl is keeping her legs crossed for your sake...... I still feel she is probably farther along than you think.

 

[mizbeth]

Oh Shauna, this is good news!

She is holding, colustrum is on it's way. She will be just fine, I just know it! She will give you NICE filly to boot! Is this the pretty black mare I like so much? I'm not sure I caught or remember her name.

Still, keep a close eye on her........never mind sleep, you don't need any

 

[REO]

I'm glad you have colostrum on the way! I'm sure you know this, but maybe some new people reading this don't, so I'm saying.......don't nuke it to thaw it out. That would kill the needed antibodies it has. Thawing at room temp is best. Or *Maybe* carefully in barely warm water, but not in hot water.

Good luck!!!

 

[Brandi*]

So glad she is holding off

 

[Becky]

Shauna, keeping my fingers crossed here that you will be fully prepared for whenever she decides to foal. Still sounds like it could be anytime. I'll look forward to continued posts from you.

 

[Connie P]

Sounds like you are very well prepared. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a great delivery and a healthy foal for you.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

Hope you have a healthy foal soon! Good thing you have some colostrum on hand, that is wonderful!

You can see instructions and photos on the pool test strips for testing mares milk on my webpages, usually they have to drop one more ph square before foaling is really close (24-48 hours). I use the pool test strips, and feel the texture/color of the milk. As well as all the other signs.

Good luck!!

 

[WhiteTailsMinis]

I'm watching this thread closely - like everyone I too have fingers crossed all turns out well for you! She's really putting you through the paces. Sounds like you are on top of your game and fully prepared. I'm anxious for an update - how did she do overnight?

I'd like to ask everyone a question please? I don't want to intrude on this thread - but asking based on the conversations within. Others reading this forum may be curious as well as to your definition of "bred earlier and baby on time".

Throughout this thread, some folks mention that perhaps she bred on an earlier date....by this are you referring to just a matter of days within her cycle or a full cycle the previous month? Sounds like a dumb question maybe but just a matter of days within her cycle wouldn't put her a month earlier would it? I'm understanding this mare has a due date based on when she was bred - which is being calculated as early now. So if she was witnessed breeding with a due date, how would she have bred earlier?

It was my understanding that if they settle (are bred), then they don't breed again a month later. Please shed some light on this for me as I have a mare that looks ready to pop - she delivered early last year. I witnessed her being bred on 26 May .... which would make her due 21 April (330 days) or 3 May (342 days) according to the foaling calculator. BUT my concern is she was put with the stud on 8 April. My husband says no way did she breed in April if I witnessed her breeding on 26 May. But she looks as though she'll go long before April/May timeframe. I'm watching her closely mainly because she delivered early last year - and by that I mean earlier than what the breeder told me she was expected. The breeder could have been off on their calculation.

Just curious to know what you're actually referring to when you say "she may have bred earlier".

Hope all is well on the homefront - eagerly waiting your upate on she's doing now

 

[Mona]

Throughout this thread, some folks mention that perhaps she bred on an earlier date....by this are you referring to just a matter of days within her cycle or a full cycle the previous month? Sounds like a dumb question maybe but just a matter of days within her cycle wouldn't put her a month earlier would it?
It was my understanding that if they settle (are bred), then they don't breed again a month later. Please shed some light on this for me as I have a mare that looks ready to pop - she delivered early last year. I witnessed her being bred on 26 May .... which would make her due 21 April (330 days) or 3 May (342 days) according to the foaling calculator. BUT my concern is she was put with the stud on 8 April. My husband says no way did she breed in April if I witnessed her breeding on 26 May. But she looks as though she'll go long before April/May timeframe. I'm watching her closely mainly because she delivered early last year - and by that I mean earlier than what the breeder told me she was expected. The breeder could have been off on their calculation.

Yes, they are referring to an earlier cycle, not just days. And it is definately true that sometimes even mares that "settle" on their first heat cycle, can come back in and breed again after that. I hand breed so know exact breeding dates, and it has happened to me. It also happened with my very first mini I ever bought. She was in foal and the foal not expected until a certain date, and she ended up foaling just a couple weeks after moving here! Was not expected that soon, because she did breed the second cycle, so the breeder was going by that date. My vet said it is quite common for this to happen.

 

[AppyLover2]

That's a good point what. Once a mare is bred do they come back in season while they're pregnant?

Oops - Sorry - Mona and I were typing at the same time.

 

[WhiteTailsMinis]

Mona - thank you so much for the info - I need to really watch her then as she very well could have bred in April. Especially since her 8 April turnout was her foaling heat and she could have even taken that early rather than the end of April.

I'm sure to correct hubby on this too! Thank you and based on that - then I do hope that the lil mare we're all so closely watching on this thread is truly on schedule and no problems will arise.

 

[Mona]

WTFminis...another thing to keep in mind is all mares are different, and some will foal "early" every year. That does not mean they foal an underdeveloped baby...it just means that they "bake" their baby faster than most mares.

I had one mare that I referred to as my "10 month mare" as every foal she foaled at 10 months rather than 11 months. It was always fully mature for being born...it was just her way. Sounds like maybe your mare might also be one of the these.

 

[REO]

I agree with Mona.

Yes, don't count on all mini mares going 330 days. (11 months)

10 months is 300 days! And we have plenty (at our place) that foal around that time. Ours foal around 300-320 days. It's always best to "expect" them to foal "early" and then you won't miss it. And just may save the life of your foal and/or your mare.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Do you all use 330 days as your calculation for due dates? I used 340 but start watching closely at 300 days. Should I be changing that?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I actually use 300 days to calculate, nowadays.

I have one mare that goes just under 300 days every time, and then some that go around 310 ish.....it is always a bit of a worry!!

But about the breeding when in foal...YES definitely, I had one complete line of mares, daughter, mother, grandmother and two close cousins, ALL of which cycled when in foal, and the three closely related mares took the stallion at least one month into their pregnancy, and one mare took the stallion three cycles into her pregnancy and drove him NUTS for two more months squirting and flirting but refusing him when he offered.

This was one of the main reasons I stopped "natural breeding" as the stallion finally lost it and beat the mare up quite badly...I was a bit naive at the time and had not realised what was going on.

The next year I had her Ultra sounded and so I know she was in foal, and then watched her, and was thus able to work out what was going on.

Very annoying, especially if natural breeding is your only option.

Nowadays I do both, so the stallions get to run with mares and foals, but rarely actually breed loose, and I have the advantage of knowing exactly when each mare was bred.

 

[icspots]

I personally use 320 days with minis, if they go at 300 I consider them 3 weeks early. Mine have proven to be "early" foalers I guess, but I've never had a special needs premie!