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Keep broodmare resistance high for childbirth!

Did you know that foals are born with virtually no immune system? Only a small part of the necessary antibodies is already present before birth via the placenta to the foal. All other antibodies they need to be able to deal with viruses and bacteria are obtained from the mare's colostrum. That is the first milk produced immediately after birth.

Minerals

Rosehip

Vitamin E

6 March '23 • 4 min reading time

So colostrum is incredibly important for the foal! A foal that does not receive enough colostrum is very vulnerable and can deteriorate quickly. But the foal not only needs to drink enough colostrum, the quality of that colostrum is also very essential. The mare can only produce good colostrum when her own immune system is in good shape. And as an owner, you can help her with that.

Vitamins and minerals for resistance broodmare

A growing foal in the womb requires a lot of minerals, vitamins, as well as proteins and amino acids from the mare. This makes sense, as the foal needs to develop all its bones, muscles, organs, and other tissues, requiring many nutrients. The mare needs to provide those nutrients. Especially in the last three to four months of pregnancy, when the foal is rapidly growing in size, this can be quite a lot. The mare must obtain all those vitamins and minerals from her diet. Good quality roughage is important, but in addition, you will almost always need to provide some extra. There are special balancers for pregnant mares, containing calcium, magnesium, trace elements, amino acids, and proteins. Vitamin E is very important for the transfer of antibodies to the foal in the last month of pregnancy. If your mare is not grazing on fresh grass, supplementing with easily absorbable vitamin E is recommended. Vitamin C can also play a good role as an antioxidant. If your mare is not grazing on grass, or if the grass is still short, you can offer rosehip as part of a mineral buffet. It is tasty and rich in vitamin C.

Smooth delivery

Scientific research has long shown that the vitamin and mineral status of the mare can affect the delivery. A mare that has received the right nutrition in the months leading up to the foal's birth is more likely to have a smooth delivery. Both vitamin E and certain minerals (calcium, magnesium) directly affect delivery. When your mare receives enough vitamin E, the chances of a smooth delivery are higher. When the vitamins and minerals in the diet are in order, the chance of the mare, for example, 'retaining the placenta' is lower. This is an unpleasant complication that requires the intervention of a veterinarian. They may administer a oxytocin to induce contractions, or carefully remove the placenta with water. It is important that the entire placenta comes out of your mare, as any parts left behind can become infected and even cause the death of your mare! Therefore, always monitor your mare's temperature in the first days after giving birth. Not only vitamins and minerals play a role in this. Research has shown that in Friesian mares, the degree of inbreeding of the foal also has a significant impact on retaining the afterbirth. The lower the inbreeding, the lower the chance of this happening.

Best start

A healthy mare with a good immune system also provides good colostrum to her foal. Nowadays, veterinarians often perform an antibody test on foals a day after birth to check if the colostrum has done its job. If not, you can still intervene with artificial colostrum. For example, if the mare lost a lot of milk from her udder in the days leading up to birth, the foal may not have received enough colostrum. It is wise to check this.

Lactation period

During the suckling of the foal, it is important to provide your mare with enough minerals and vitamins. Because through the milk, she still provides the nutrients for your foal's development in the first few months. And that little one needs a lot of nutrition for the formation of a healthy skeleton and growth. In addition to magnesium and vitamin E, we also recommend providing the mare with easily absorbable silicon. This helps with the recovery of her connective tissue and ligaments because it stimulates collagen production. But it is also crucial - through the milk - for the development of cartilage, tendons, joints, muscles, and ligaments in the foal. In some cases, apart from liquid silicon, trace elements and minerals from ocean water can also be a good addition. For example, if your mare receives hay from poor soils.

Sources:

Mitsuo Ishii et al. 2002. Effects of vitamin E and selenium administration on pregnant, heavy draft mares on placental retention time and reproductive performance and on white muscle disease in their foals. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Volume 22, Issue 5, May 2002, Pages 213-220. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0737080602700361

Sevinga, M.; Barkema, H. W.; Hesselink, J. W. Retained placenta in Friesian mares: incidence, risk factors, therapy, and consequences. Pferdeheilkunde, 2001, 17.6: 619-622.

Mohd Mutalip SS, Ab-Rahim S, Rajikin MH. Vitamin E as an Antioxidant in Female Reproductive Health. Antioxidants (Basel). 2018;7(2):22. Published 2018 Jan 26. doi:10.3390/antiox7020022

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5836012/

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