Question about placenta

[Nathan Luszcz]

I put an email into my vet mentor and am looking forward to an interesting responce. I'm VERY curious as to what these thingies are!

 

[Sue_C.]

I sent one to my Vet as well, and am axious to hear what he has to say.

 

[smlotsocats]

I actually had an AQHA mare foal yesterday morning and she had the same thing on her placenta! I had never seen that before and didn't really know how to explain it to the vet. My mare retained hers though. It finally came out after 7 hours just as my husband got to the vet to pick up medication. I just thought it was some weird thing due to the retention of the placenta.

Well, I've learned something new today! My day must be done!!

 

[Dona]

I'm interested in seeing what some of your vets say as well. I've been breeding since 1989, and have never come across this before. That is why I was curious if anyone else had ever seen it or knew what it was. This was a maiden mare who had an absolutely normal pregnancy, normal delivery, healthy robust baby, placenta passed within an hour....no problems whatsoever. Just those funky looking "tags" on the placenta.

Here is the resulting foal....."Kickapoo's Apache Primadonna" (means "first lady") I thought that was fitting since she is Apache's first foal...and a girl) Her sire is just over 30" and dam is 32.5. Look at those spider legs & that neck! She had just stood up in this shot...barely 10 minutes old. She looks like a race horse! (21" tall). She didn't get her Pop's color either...just some white on her face, a hind sock, and a coronet.

But that is just fine....they can't ALL be Framed. She is so nice & refined...I think she's beautiful!

And here's a dried off picture.....still not even a day old & lots of "unfolding" yet to do.

 

[ontherisefarm]

Dona very nice filly..Congrats !! I have never seen it either and I have been breeding since 88 biggies then and then minis in 94.

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

Ah! Heard back from Dr Pat McCue... he said, and I quote:

"This is a yolk-sac remnant. It was left over from early fetal development.

Not such an uncommon structure. It is sometimes larger (i.e. baseball sized) and may be ossified. It is not a twin."

The yolk sack is a structure back from early pre-placental development, when the fetus had to find nutrients from a different source than the mare. The yolk is just like a chicken's egg yolk, and feeds the fetus until the placenta takes over.

Ossification is the process of turning the sac into bone.

I'm less than impressed with the book "Blessed be the Broodmare". Its recommended reading for ANYONE thinking about breeding, and everyone highly recommends it, but I've heard some really odd, completely incorrect (and commonly known things, not obscure facts like this question!) comments in there too. I really need to sit down and read that book at some point to see what everyone is talking about.

 

[Jill]

Thanks, Dona, for posting and to those who had answers

Here's to just one more thing I've learned from LB's members

 

[MiLo Minis]

Here is the resulting foal....."Kickapoo's Apache Primadonna" (means "first lady") I thought that was fitting since she is Apache's first foal...and a girl) Her sire is just over 30" and dam is 32.5. Look at those spider legs & that neck! She had just stood up in this shot...barely 10 minutes old. She looks like a race horse! (21" tall). She didn't get her Pop's color either...just some white on her face, a hind sock, and a coronet.

But that is just fine....they can't ALL be Framed. She is so nice & refined...I think she's beautiful!

And you are right! She is beautiful Dona - I love a bright bay! Looks like she will be about the same size as mama when she matures - perfect!!! Congratulations!!!

 

[Margo_C-T]

Great thread; one of my favorite things about LB is these 'gems' of REAL information that come through on occasion!

Dona--what a LEGGY little lady...congrats on her safe and healthy delivery!

Margo

 

[Mini Mouse]

She's a beautiful little filly and I LOVE those legs. Congratulations!