Providing early creep feed stimulates foal’s growth
as much as 44pc and nutrients such as protein, calcium, phosphorous and Vitamin A will be in particularly high demand.
During the first three months of lactation, a mare will give 3pc of her body weight daily in milk production so, for example, a mare of 454kg will produce in the region of 13.6kgs of milk per day.
Not providing the mare with enough feed at this stage will reduce milk production and quality and compromise reproductive efficiency, which could eventually affect the foal’s health and growth rate.
For those who maintain condition during lactation on grass/forage alone, the additional source of vitamins and minerals provided by a low-calorie stud balancer is ideal.
Mares who require additional calories, however, are best suited to a stud/mare & youngstock mix or cube, containing 15-16pc crude protein and fed little and often to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
The composition of mare’s milk changes rapidly during the first days of lactation, with further gradual changes thereafter. Within the first 12 hours after birth, the mare must pass adequate passive protection to her foal via the colostrum.
At this point the foal’s small intestine is permeable to large protein molecules, such as the antibodies contained in colostrum, which will help build up its own immune system. Ideally, the foal needs to be suckling within the first two hours after birth, as the antibody content of the colostrum is at its highest during this period.
If the mare has not received a balanced and energy-dense ration, her milk is likely to be of a poor quality or she may not produce enough milk to support the foal’s growth. The foal’s diet will need to be supplemented with a milk-based creep feed to provide the extra calories and other nutrients.
Three to five weeks into lactation, the mineral levels in the mare’s milk drop naturally by 40-60pc and at this time a creep feed is ideal to help counteract any short falls.