How does condition score of a mare impact reproduction?
How does condition score of a mare impact reproduction?
Mares in body conditions of four or less have overall pregnancy rate reductions as large as 20 percent less than mares in a greater body condition. Moreover, early pregnancy losses are significantly greater in mares with body scores of four or less.
What should a pregnant mare’s body condition score be?
between 6 and 7.5
Broodmares are typically maintained in the condition score range of five to seven, with some individuals obviously falling below or above that range. Mares should be kept at a body condition score between 6 and 7.5 leading up to breeding season and through the duration of their pregnancy.
What happens when a mare aborts?
When an EHV abortion occurs, the fetus, placenta and placental fluids are heavily contaminated with virus and can act as a source of spread of infection to other pregnant mares. The foal and placenta should be sent to an experienced equine pathology laboratory without delay for a detailed postmortem examination.
What other extra feeding management is needed for pregnant mares?
Dry mares in early gestation can basically be fed like any other mature, idle horse. Good quality pasture or hay along with a supplement such as Purina® Free Balance 12:12 vitamin/mineral supplement or Enrich Plus® Ration Balancing horse feed may be all that is necessary to meet these mares’ nutritional requirements.
Why do broodmares need a higher body condition score?
All broodmares should have their body condition assessed regularly, as mares in good body condition have a reservoir of stored fat that can be used during cold winter weather. Good body condition helps barren and maiden mares establish normal cycles sooner in the breeding season and results in higher conception rates.
How do you score a horse’s body condition?
Horse body score chart
- 0 = Emaciated. No fatty tissue can be felt – skin tight over bones.
- 1 = Very thin. Barely any fatty tissue – shape of bones visible.
- 2 = Very lean. Very thin layer of fat under the skin.
- 3 = Healthy weight. Thin layer of fat under the skin.
- 4 = Fat. Muscles hard to determine.
- 5 = Obese.
What is the ideal body condition score of a horse?
The recommendation is for horses to be maintained between a 4 to 6 BCS. Breeding mares should range between 6 to 7 and stallions have the best success with scores between 5 to 6. Performance horses typically have a BCS of 4 to 5.
Why do mares miscarry?
Abortions. Causes of abortion in mares include viral diseases, ingestion of poisonous plants, mycotoxins, bacterial infections, stress of either the mare or the fetus, gene mutations, mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS), and lack of sufficient nutrients to support the fetus, especially in the case of twins [32, 33].
What does it mean when a mare slipped?
Older mares are over-represented as are those mares with a history of reproductive loss. While many mares will simply ‘slip’ their foal early in gestation, leaving the owner to find the foetus in the paddock, mares aborting later in their pregnancy may need assistance.
How do I know if my mare is producing enough milk?
A bright, active and alert foal is the best indication they’re receiving adequate milk to meet their daily energy and nutrition requirements. However, if you observe unusual suckling behaviour, or your foal seems lethargic or unwell, consult your veterinarian.
How can I get my pregnant horse to gain weight?
In addition to a more suitable feed, fat supplements such as vegetable oil or stabilized rice bran can be top-dressed onto the feed to boost energy intake.
Should you be able to feel a horses spine?
Fat covering the withers and backbone (the spinous processes of the spine). There should be barely any – you should be able to feel the bones underneath a supple covering of skin. Fat will build up either side of the spine until it is higher than the spine itself creating a ‘gutter’.
What is the Ker scale for body conditioning horses?
The Henneke horse body condition scoring system is a numerical scale used to evaluate the amount of fat on a horse’s body. It was developed in the early 1980s by Don Henneke at Texas A&M University with the goal of creating a universal scale to assess horses’ bodyweight, and was first published in 1983.
Why is body condition score important?
Body condition score at breeding is crucial because it impacts the female’s ability to get pregnant. Often, we look for heifers to come into the breeding season with more condition than cows (BCS closer to a 7), knowing that she will have more demands on her reserves for growth, lactation, and pregnancy maintenance.
What do you feed a skinny horse?
If your horse is thin without any underlying health issues, and simply needs more calories, you can fix the problem by:
- Allowing 24/7 access to pasture or hay (or as much forage as possible).
- If increased amounts of hay aren’t enough, try offering a higher quality hay such as alfalfa or an immature grass hay.
Can a horse have a miscarriage?
It is not uncommon for horses to experience spontaneous abortions (miscarriages). A variety of medical reasons can cause this reaction, many of which depend on the gestational stage of the horse.
What does it mean to slip a foal?
What causes placentitis in mares?
A major cause of placentitis is due to bacterial or fungal infection that enters via the vagina and breaches the cervical barrier, a process known as ascending placentitis. Aspiration of air and faeces into the vagina can occur in mares with poor conformation or injury to the cervix or vulvar opening .
How can I get my mare to produce more milk?
Mares need energy and high-quality protein for milk production (14% crude protein grain mix). Generally an increase in grain volume will supply more energy. 2. Low lactating mares consuming fescue pasture or hay may benefit from a veterinary-prescribed paste marketed as Equi-tox to increase milk production.
How long can foals go without nursing?
If the newborn foal does not stand and nurse by two hours after birth, you should consider it abnormal, and you should consult your veterinarian as soon as possible. It is important to remember that a high-risk newborn foal may look relatively normal for several hours after birth.