February 2003

Surprise! I'm Here Early

A premature foal presents a challenge, but it's even tougher when that premature foal is also born during the winter.

It may be necessary to milk out the mare to save the colostrum.

We read everyday of human babies being born very early but surviving nonetheless. It's different with a foal, where a birth as short as a week before the foal has physically matured enough may cause life-threatening problems.

Any foal born before 300 days of gestation is premature and unlikely to survive. Apparently normal foals have been born after as little as 305 days, but a gestation between 300 and 320 days is likely to result in a premature foal. Although foals born after 320 days are technically mature, Mother Nature doesn't obey rules, and it's possible to have a foal with features of prematurity, or dysmaturity, in longer gestations. The average…