Lactating mares require as much NUTRIENTS as a racehorse!!
| Length of pregnancy and lactation | 11 months pregnancy, 6 months lactation |
|---|---|
| **Requirement in different phases of pregnancy and lactation | |
| • DM, protein, and energy** | DM: maintenance 1-3% of BW → so above this for pregnancy & lactation |
• CP 16% (maintenance) → so above this→ maintenance 700g/day • lactation 1700g/day (92g lys)
• DE: 70 MJ (maintenance of500kg horse) , (0.14MJ x BW). • Higher demand during lactation • 0-4 months → 80MJ - CP 700g • 7th month → 80 MJ - CP 750g • 11th month → 100MJ - CP 1000g | | Feeds, daily amounts | Forages → 10-12kg Concentrates → 8-10kg • Lactating horse Water req 12-14L per 100 kg BW —>500kg horse 65L | | Forage to concentrate ratio | Light working horses = 65:35 Moderate work horses = 50:50 Heavy work horses = 35:65 (race horses need almost double of maintenance) | | Milk production | Foals consume 20-25% of bw | | Mare milk contents: at 1-4 weeks • DM, • protein, • sugar, • fat contents | DM: 10% Protein: 2.7% Lactose: 6.2% Energy: ** 58 kcal/100g** Fat: 1.8% | | BCS | Not higher than 6 when pregant Lactating not below 5 |
Basic rules of Broodmares:
Pregnant mares need → Maintenance req first. More as pregnancy develops…
Weight gain should be 12–16% (fetus and placenta)
3rd trimester ← Most fetal weight gain occurs in ⬆️increased nutrients needed
Mare milk slowly increases in production, unlike cows and after 1-2 months it will decline
As foals grow older they’ll need more forage, but at first they need no forage.
Mares are prone to insulin resistance towards the end of pregnancy which can be transferred to the fetus → problems in mare + developmental problems mediated by IGF and thyroid hormones
Lactating mare require as much as a racehorses !!
DM ~3% of BW
| 500kg mare | 0-4 months | 7th month | 11th month |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE | 80 MJ | 80MJ | 100MJ |
| CP | 700g | 750g | 1000g |