Mare in Foal vs. Mare in Foal with Lactating Foal at Her Side
Mares can be bred back as soon as their 10-day foal heat, post foaling, or any time after while she may still be lactating and raising a recently born foal. Consequently, the energy and nutrient requirements will vary drastically depending on whether we are dealing with a single mare during early pregnancy or a mare/foal unit with the mare, also, carrying a new embryo. The following information that relates to maintaining ideal body condition, forage first, balanced diet, water & hydration and healthy gut will apply to both scenarios. The biggest difference will be meeting the maxed out nutrient requirements and maintaining a healthy gut in the mare that is not only supporting herself, but also recovering from foaling, lactating to nourish the new foal, protecting and raising the new foal, while also maintaining a new pregnancy.
Body Condition
While not many dietary adjustments are necessary during early gestation, maintaining and/or achieving a healthy body condition score is essential to a successful pregnancy. Throughout pregnancy you want your mare to maintain a solid 5-6 body condition score on a range of 1-9 where 1 is extremely emaciated and 9 is excessively obese. Monitor her body condition regularly and make any necessary changes to her diet slowly to avoid disrupting her gut microbiome.
Forage First
The foundation of your mare’s diet should be high-quality forage; in which, she should be consuming roughly 2% of her body weight a day. In order to know what nutrients your forage is providing and what it is lacking, be sure to have your hay tested. The results will guide you to what additional supplementation you need to provide in her diet.
While avoiding consumption of tall fescue grasses, due to endophyte toxicosis, is most crucial during late pregnancy, it’s never too early to start when a mare’s pregnancy is at stake. If you have not already taken measures to determine if your pastures or hay contain tall fescue grasses, get it tested immediately. You can contact your veterinarian, equine nutritionist or local Ag extension office to make arrangements to have your pastures and/or forage tested.
Endophytes are a bacteria or fungus that live within grasses and play an important role in the hardiness and integrity of those grasses. While all plants have endophytes, some do not cause toxicity. Tall Fescue Grass is known for having the toxicosis causing endophytes which can cause disaster to a pregnancy and developing foal, up to and including death. Therefore, extreme caution should be taken to keep pregnant mares from eating tall fescue grass or hay during pregnancy, especially late pregnancy.
The results from your pasture and hay tests will give you the information you need to make appropriate turn out adjustments and to obtain a different hay for your pregnant mare, if tall fescue is detected. Whether you need to relocate her to a different pasture or facility or purchase a different hay, if tall fescue is detected, make these adjustments sooner than later.
During the approximate 11-month gestation period, you will likely undergo seasonal changes that alter your mare’s forage base from fresh green grass to hay. Depending on when the mare is bred, the forage base may transition back and forth more than once. During these transitions it is important to remember to test all new batches of hay to help you maintain a balanced diet that supports a healthy pregnancy.
Balanced Diet
The energy and nutrients needed to support a mare and developing foal during early pregnancy, typically, requires significantly less calories, vitamins, minerals and amino acids than late gestation. However, it is still vital to the health of the pregnancy, the mare and developing foal, that proper nutrition is provided prior to conception, throughout the entire gestation period and during lactation. During early pregnancy, though, the mare’s energy and nutrient requirements remain much the same as prior to being bred.
Once you have your forage test results you will be able to identify what else you need to provide in your mare’s diet to fulfill her daily nutrition requirements. Depending on the condition of the mare you will either want to add a fortified feed specific to her needs, a diet balancer or both.
If the mare is in heavy condition and does not need additional calories; add a diet balancer. Typically, this will make up for any deficiencies from her forage and meet her daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and amino acids without the added calories.
If the mare needs to improve her body condition, add a fortified feed to her diet. When choosing a feed be sure to stick with high fat, high fiber options that are low in sugars and starches and have feeding instructions specifically for pregnant mares. Feed the mare according to the feeding instructions provided on the bag/tag. These feeding instructions are designed to offer the minimum daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. So, if you intend to feed less than the feeding instructions suggest, then add a diet balancer to her diet, as well.
Similarly, if the mare needs a few additional calories but does not need as much as the feeding instructions are calling for; add a diet balancer to fulfill her daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and amino acids AND a small amount of fortified feed for additional calories.
Water and Hydration
Your mare should have free-choice access to fresh, clean, drinkable water. If you are concerned that your mare is not drinking enough, contact your veterinarian.
Ways to Increase Hydration
- Keep water tanks and buckets clean.
- Offer more than one water source.
- If the temperature is cold, utilize bucket and/or tank heaters to keep water from freezing and ensure access to drinkable water; offer more than one water source at different temperatures.
- Monitor your water sources and heating devices for proper function.
- Offer soaked feed, hay cubes/pellets or beet pulp. These options generally, absorb water quickly and easily and so is a great way to offer a hydration boost.
- Electrolytes are typically safe for use in pregnant mares. However, if you have any questions before adding an electrolyte to their diet, contact your veterinarian or equine nutrition specialist.
Healthy Gut
Prevention is key in managing a healthy gut during pregnancy. Ulcers and other digestive upset can create a negative domino effect on the health of the pregnancy and disrupt the proper development of the foal. Focus on ways you can create a stable environment and consistent routine for your mare. Gestational Nutrition: Preparing for Breeding and Pregnancy
Preparing for Late Gestation
Depending on the mare and the pregnancy, sometime between the 4th and 7th month into pregnancy, the mare’s nutrient requirements can begin to increase. By the time your mare gets to the 8th and 9th month of pregnancy, her need for additional energy and nutrition will, likely, increase drastically. Work closely with your veterinarian and/or equine nutrition specialist to ensure you are providing your mare with adequate nutrition to support her pregnancy through each stage of gestation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Feeding Mares During Early Pregnancy
What should I feed my mare during early pregnancy?
While the energy needed to support a mare and developing foal during early pregnancy typically requires less calories than late gestation, it is still vital for the health of the pregnancy, the mare and developing foal, that proper nutrition is provided. During early pregnancy, the mare’s energy requirements remain much the same as prior to being bred. She will need:
- A balanced diet
- Start with forage first; have your forage tested to determine what nutrients it is providing and what nutrients are lacking.
- Add a fortified feed or diet balancer
- Once you have your forage test results you will be able to identify what else you need to provide in your mare’s diet to fulfill her daily nutrition requirements. Depending on the condition of the mare you will either want to add a fortified feed specific to her needs, a diet balancer or both.
o If the mare is in heavy condition and does not need additional calories; add a diet balancer. Typically, this will make up for any deficiencies from her forage and meet her daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and amino acids without the added calories.
o If the mare needs to improve her body condition, add a fortified feed to her diet. When choosing a feed be sure to stick with high fat, high fiber options that are low in sugars and starches and have feeding instructions specifically for pregnant mares. Feed the mare according to the feeding instructions provided on the tag. These feeding instructions are designed to offer the minimum daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. So, if you intend to feed less than the feeding instructions suggest, then add a diet balancer to her diet, as well.
o Similarly, if the mare needs a few additional calories but does not need as much as the feeding instructions are calling for; add a diet balancer to fulfill her daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and amino acids AND a small amount of fortified feed for additional calories.
When during pregnancy should I feed my mare more?
Depending on the mare and the pregnancy, sometime between the 4th and 7th month into pregnancy, the mare’s nutrient requirements can begin to increase. By the time your mare gets to the 8th to 9th month of pregnancy, her need for additional energy and nutrition will, likely, increase drastically. Work closely with your veterinarian and/or equine nutrition specialist to ensure you are providing your mare with adequate nutrition to support her pregnancy through each stage of gestation.
How can I tell if my pregnant mare needs something more than what I’m feeding her?
Closely monitoring your mare’s body condition is the easiest way to determine her needs. It is important to keep her overall body condition between a 5-6 on a scale of 1-9; where 1 is extremely emaciated and 9 is excessively obese. Being either too slight or too heavy can have negative consequences. Make necessary adjustments to her diet as you go to correspond with what her body is telling you.
Ensure her diet consists of approximately 2% of her body weight a day in forage and test the forage to know what else she needs added to her diet. By adding a diet balancer and/or a high fat, high fiber, low sugar and starch fortified feed with feeding instructions specific to pregnant mares; and feeding according to the manufacturers feeding instructions, you can rest assured that her dietary needs are being met. Make any dietary adjustments slowly. If you have any questions or concerns regarding meeting your mare’s nutritional needs to support a healthy pregnancy, contact your veterinarian or equine nutrition specialists for guidance.
What are endophytes?
Endophytes are a bacteria or fungus that live within grasses and play an important role in the hardiness and integrity of those grasses. While all plants have endophytes, some do not cause toxicity. Tall Fescue Grass is known for having the toxicosis causing endophytes which can wreak havoc on a pregnancy and developing foal, up to and including death. Therefore, extreme caution should be taken to keep pregnant mares from eating tall fescue grass or hay during pregnancy, especially late pregnancy. Work closely with your veterinarian, equine nutritionist and/or local Ag extension office to have your pastures and hay tested so that you can make necessary changes if your forage contains tall fescue.
What vitamins and minerals are important to supplement during early pregnancy?
As long as your mare is consuming a forage based, balanced diet and is supplemented with either a diet balancer and/or a high fat, high fiber, low sugar and starch fortified feed with feeding instructions specific to pregnant mares; and feeding according to the manufacturers feeding instructions, you can rest assured that her dietary needs are most likely being met. If you have any questions or concerns in this area, consult with your veterinarian or equine nutrition specialist.
