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The most controversial aspect of weaning is “when,” and


the second most controversial aspect is “how.” There are a variety of methods and combinations of methods. Some are considered less stressful; some are more time consuming and labor intensive. The facility (size, layout and resources), avail- able man-power and the time schedule are all factors which may influence which method of weaning works best. The immediate separation or “cold turkey” method of


Younger foals nurse more frequently than older foals. This youngster is so anxious to nurse he won’t even let his mother finish her nap—he would be quite upset to be weaned now!


There are other types of creep feeders, such as actual


structures with smaller doorways that only allow the foal to enter and exit on his own with mom nearby, so that the foal can eat his special feed safely on his own.


Preparing to Wean A foal should be eating feed and forage on his own before he is weaned. Depending on the age of the foal, most foals will have already been vaccinated prior to weaning, and all foals should already be on a de-worming program. Due to the stress that weaning can cause the foal, this is not the time to introduce feed for the first time and it is also not a good time to vaccinate your foal or de-worm him for the first time. Stress can contribute to colic or the development of gastric ulcers, so it is best to aim to keep the foal’s stressors to a mini- mum during weaning. Many experts also recommend significantly reducing the amount fed to the mare a few days prior to wean- ing, to help her body reduce milk production (referred to as “drying up”.) This is more important when weaning a younger foal rather than an older foal, because the mare’s milk production will have reduced significantly on its own by the time the foal is six or seven months old. It is also important to monitor the mare after weaning as some mares may develop mastitis, which is a serious infection of the mammary gland. The best preventative measure for mastitis in broodmares is for them to dry up as quickly as possible after weaning, which is why cutting their feed is often recommended.


Weaning Methods First, it’s important to review the area to be used for wean- ing: stall, paddock or pasture. Is it safe and sturdy? Foals that become anxious when they are separated from their moth- ers may crawl under fences, crash through fences, or jump over fences or stall doors to return to their mothers. Decrepit fencing and/or stabling could increase the odds of injury should a foal decide to escape, and fences or stall doors which are too low could encourage unwanted jumping.


60 November/December 2014


weaning is one of the most common approaches to weaning. Some experts believe this to be the most stressful method of weaning, especially for younger foals. However, the stress of “cold turkey” weaning can be mitigated significantly by waiting until the foal is a month or two older or by weaning him cold turkey with a buddy (such as another foal, a friendly gelding or a retired broodmare.) Tashlin Jeffries breeds Friesians and Friesian Sporthorses


at her farm Kendall Park in Australia. She uses the immedi- ate separation method, but is careful to wait until she feels the foal is ready for weaning. “I watch the foals and judge when they are independent enough, a good size and good health, etc., and by this stage they are generally not really fussed when their mother is taken away,” she says. When she removes the foal from the mare she puts him in a small safe paddock with a buddy or two. “I’ve never had an issue weaning if done with familiar friends and feed. The most a young foal may call is a few hours in the first evening, and that’s about it. They don’t lose their appetite because they see their friend eating so they are still competitive and don’t want to miss out on the food.” Pasture (group) weaning is another of the most com-


mon approaches. This method is used for groups of mares and foals who already share a pasture together. Mares will be removed one at a time, eventually leaving the foals with only each other for company. This method of weaning is a sort of variation on the “immediate separation with a buddy” method. Tricia Veley uses this method when weaning foals at her


First Flight Farm in Texas. She hosts annual Holsteiner and Oldenburg GOV inspections and likes to wait to wean her foals until after the last inspection. “I like to wean them all at the same time,” she remarks. “By waiting until after the in- spections it is usually mid September and the foals are already five months old or older on average, and by then they’re mostly on their own anyhow except for occasional nursing.” When it comes time to wean, Tricia will remove the mares and put them in a different pasture, not adjoining their foals. She watches the foals carefully when they are first weaned and will remove one and put him in a stall if he seems agi- tated, but observes that this method mostly works well for her. “The biggest challenge has been some of the jumper- bred foals who think the 5-foot fence is nothing, so if they jump out or look like they might, I’ll put them in a stall with a neighbor until they settle down.” Interval weaning involves separating the mare and foal


for a period of time, and then reuniting them. The intervals when they are apart will gradually increase over the course of


Courtesy Kendall Park in Australia


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