Milk Strips

[wildoak]

I don't always use these, but this mare is driving me crazy. She's been bagged up and looking ready since about last Thursday. Turned all 5 squares FAST last night at dinner time, but still no foal. Milk is honey-sticky, usually my best indicator. She is obviously uncomfortable, and I see the foal moving still now and then, still not in position. Just don't know how long to wait before I should be concerned. (I'm already concerned

: ) After losing one last month - the first in many years - I am so gunshy.

Jan

 

[hairicane]

Sorry to tell u this but we just had a maiden mare grow a big full, leaking bag for close to 3 weeks before she finally foaled. She waxed and leaked sticky milk all this time. When the time came she foaled easily and baby is fine but only has a very short slick coat. I quit using the milk strips when I tested a mare years ago and it said not ready, not even close, so I left home to run errands and less than an hour later I came home to a dead foal. And worst of all I thought the mare looked ready but I figured the milk strips knew more than I did. Now I have learned u never know when a mare is going to foal! I try to just be here as much as possible and use the cameras and equipage. Good Luck

 

[wildoak]

Now I have learned u never know when a mare is going to foal! I try to just be here as much as possible and use the cameras and equipage.

Amen to that! I use the strips as a back up sometimes, and they are usually pretty accurate. At least I've never had a mare foal when the squares were not changing color. Sorry you lost a foal with them - mares are pretty unpredictable.

Jan

 

[Becky]

Jan, any foal this morning?

I used the milk test strips one season a number of years ago, but have since learned to rely on what I see and feel. I 'usually' get pretty darn close.

 

[sedeh]

I used the milk strips my first couple of seasons but usually when it turned I knew the mare was ready anyway. ALso, if you read the directions they're only accurate(and always with a percentage of error to CYA) they only work after a certain gestation(I think it was around 320 days). So if you have a mare that likes to go before that they're not as accurate. I'd watch your mare like a hawk....because if all turned that fast she is likely ready to go! :bgrin

 

[Erica]

I have always had good luck with my milk tests (use the Mother Natures ones)....But I as well have a maiden filly who has tested "Ready" for three days

She has sticky Kayro syrup milk, and if you squeeze just one squeeze you can get an easy cc out........udder isn't all that big, but is full and milk down into the nipples so when will she go?? nobody knows

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

i have found that testing pH is always more accurate then the milk strips or testing calcium.. I have had mares go for a few days testing ready on the calcium strips but only once have I had a mare go over 36 hours with the pH level showing ready.

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I gave up on the milk strips three years ago when I had a mare test all five squares in seconds for five days before foaling. I can tell more by the milk texture/color than with the strips, and also feeling the mares muscle changes, and last by just being very observant and getting to know her "normal" habits.

I have a camera system, and the Equipage now too. I got the Equipage for my last mare to foal last year, used it two days. Now I get to use it on all four mares due this year, I'm excited about it!! :bgrin

 

[Magic]

Test strips can get old and not work nearly as well, so when using them you want to be sure they are "fresh" still. You can use an older one at the same time as a new one and see if the results are the same, if not, the older ones aren't working well anymore. Been there, done that, with old test strips.

 

[wildoak]

Well she STILL hasn't foaled LOL. I can usually get pretty close too on a lot of mares, but I'd have sworn this one was going to foal a couple of nights ago. She has to give it up eventually.... :bgrin

We have cameras and Equipage - which hasn't done much good for her because she gets the halter off in the middle of the night no matter how snug it is - the milk strips just give me an extra tool sometimes to narrow it down. (and it's a brand new package of strips). Erica your mare sounds like she's in the same place as this one - except mine's not a maiden. Maybe tonight's the night for them - I have noticed we seem to have more babies in the days after a full moon than during it.

Jan

 

[lightingtreeminis]

MOTHER NATURES FOALING KIT IS VERYYYY GOOD!!!!!!!!!!! I'VE USED IT ON ALLLLL MY MARES AND IT WORKS EVERY TIME

: ! TRY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

www.mothernaturesminiatures.com

LIGHTNING TREE MINIS

 

[mizbeth]

I am anxiously awaiting this one too! I hope soon as well, a pretty little black pinto or overo filly would be real nice.................. :aktion033:

Another World Champion...........I hope............with your pretty little mares!

Beth

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Years ago, the Miniature Horse voice magazine had an article about milk strips, a number of people mentioned that they had noticed a higher number of red bag deliveries, after noting milk strips that were "READY" for several days. I myself had a red bag delivery on my mare that foaled after being "ready" according to the milk strips, for 5 days. They were new milk strips. Just wondering if anyone else has seen any correlation between "ready to foal" milk strips and the mare's not foaling for several days after.

Luckily, my red bag foaling turned out with a live foal.