The foal will usually be weaned when it is around four to five months old. Often, this separation brings about a reduction in food intake and consequently loss of condition and resistance. It is therefore a good thing to timely introduce the foal to hard feeds and forage and allow for some time to phase out the mare’s lactation. The mare’s production of milk will decrease when her daily ration of (hard) feed is reduced one week prior to weaning. The foal will then have to get a higher intake of energy from forage and hard feed. However, don’t overfeed, for a foal that grows too fast runs an increased risk of damage to the joints. A well-balanced feeding programme with the right minerals and micronutrients will stimulate a steady and even growth rate.
Circumstances
The moment of weaning depends partly on the breeder’s circumstances. If the owner has plenty of land then the moment of weaning may be postponed for a while. If extra feeding is required it may be more profitable to wean at an earlier stage. It is always wise to wean several foals at once or to make sure the foal has another friend to play with. This serves as a diversion so that the foal will continue to eat and will get enough exercise. Opinions differ about the ongoing contact between the mare and foal. They can no longer have time together in the field because the foal will resume suckling. Whether they are allowed to have visual contact depends on the character of the individual animals as well as stabling and field situations.
As published in the Aug. 2013 Newsletter
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