How We Predict When Foaling Is Near
The birth of a foal is an event that we always look forward
to. We have foaled out over 200 mares here on our farm and no two births are
the same. We learn something new from each birth. I am not a veterinarian and in no way am I
intending to give any type of medical advice.
I am simply sharing with you the things that I watch for to help me determine when one of our mares is
close to foaling.
The first thing that I can say is that regardless of what
steps that a person takes, Mother Nature still has the upper hand on
determining the actual onset of foaling. We can, however, help ourselves out in
a number of ways to get a better idea when foaling is near.
All of our mares are hand bred so we know the date of each
mare's last breeding. We use 340 days
from her last breeding to calculate a due date.
No amount of testing can take the place of knowing your mare
and doing a hands on check of her several times a day. Mares, like humans, are
individuals, and each will react to the approach of foaling in her own way.
Mares tend to behave similarly from year to year, so keeping track of prior
behavior and length of gestation also helps us make predictions.
We use two types of tests to help us determine the mare's readiness
to foal. One is a measurement of the quantity of calcium present in the mare's
milk and the other is the pH of the milk. When used together these two tests
have been very helpful as indicators as to when a mare will foal. Both tests require only a few drops of milk
from the mare.
Milk Strips
We have been using milk test strips for years as part of our
pre-foaling routine. As the mare gets closer to birth, the quantity of calcium
in her milk increases. The milk strips measure the calcium level in the mares
milk and gives us an idea how a mare is progressing.
PH Strips
We use narrow range PH strips to measure the Ph levels in
the mare’s milk. Generally a mare's milk will test above pH 7 for a period of
time before foaling and as she nears foaling the pH level will drop. When the
milk is pH 6.6 or below she is getting close to foaling. Most of our mares foal
within a matter of hours to a day when the pH level goes to 6.3 or below.
Signs we look for when checking our mares
Mare's udders filling with milk (often referred to as
“bagging up”) and may start to leak.
Teats waxing or sealing over.
Muscles beside tail head softening.
The abdomen becoming increasingly pendulous ( often said to
be forming a V)
Reddening of vaginal mucosa
Signs the mare is in the first stage of labor
RESTLESSNESS
The mare usually paces about the stall more than
normal. She may repeatedly look back at
her flanks. She may walk circles in her stall.
PAWING/NEST BUILDING - She may spend time pawing at her
bedding with one of her front legs. Mares will frequently stop their restless
pacing and paw the stall bedding then begin pacing again.
FREQUENT, LOOSE BOWEL MOVEMENTS - Most mares have a number
of bowel movements in the hours just prior to foaling. Generally these are
rather loose and more the consistency of "cow pies". The mares also
urinate frequently
LYING DOWN AND STANDING UP - Usually as the actual active phase
of labor gets closer, the mares will lay down for short periods of time
(seconds to a minute) then get up. She will move about a little and usually lay
down again. She may lay flat out, on her side or may keep her head up. She may
also roll.
YAWNING OR FLEHMEN DISPLAY - Many mares will repeatedly yawn
or curl their upper lip in the flehmen display in the hours just preceding
foaling.
Active labor
ACTIVE CONTRACTIONS BEGIN - The mare may actually lie down
and begin the rhythmic contractions of labor. These are very characteristic in
which the mare lies on her side. Her feet are extended and become rigid in a
regular pattern of strong contractions.
Under "textbook" circumstances the mare may lie down and make
a number of contractions, get up and pace the stall few times, lie down and
have another series of contractions, then get to her feet again. This can occur
several times in routine foalings. The culmination of this series of behaviors
is that the "water breaks". Very shortly after the water
breaks a clear, whitish bubble should appear which is the amniotic sack that is
encasing the foal. Two feet followed
closely by a muzzle will be visible very soon and if all goes well the foal
will be born in a matter of minutes.
To see a new foal enter the world is one of life’s most exciting
pleasures. I hope you are able to be
present as our 2016 foals take their
first breaths and we hear their first nickers.