Feeding a Foal

Knowing just when and how much to feed a foal can make a massive difference on how they turn out. If you get it right, then you will have a stronger, healthier foal all round. Anybody who decides to breed must get a basic knowledge of how to deal with their young stock when the mares’ milk production starts to drop, which is normally in the third month of lactation. The mares’ milk drops but the foals’ nutritional needs keep increasing.

Foals and young stock need a nutrient dense diet. This is due to the size of their digestive system. Their diet must provide adequate energy, protein, vitamins and minerals to allow for them to grow properly.

You may also find that your mare is not milking properly, in which case you will need to supplement the foals’ nutritional needs earlier on in their lives. The best way to introduce the feed to foals is to introduce a method called ‘creep feeding’.

You need to plan out the way you go about it and decide on which creep feed you need. For instance, if you are dealing with a thoroughbred, you will need a different creep feed for your foal than if the foal is a native breed or other. Dodson & Horrell have formulated some marvellous creep feeds for foals which are very well balanced with all the right nutrients.

They have a high calcium and copper content to help with that all important bone formation. They also produce some fantastic pellets which are ideal for orphan foals or dams that are just not producing enough milk first off. These pellets can be fed as early as two weeks to the foals right through to the weaning age.

The whole point in creep feeding foals at the age of three months is to encourage the foals’ system to create the enzymes needed for them to digest more complex nutrients that are contained in grains as well supplementing the dams’ milk. It normally takes around three weeks for this to occur but if you start your creep feeding before the three months you prevent the chances of a slump in their growth, which is why it is always worth considering starting the supplement of feed earlier.

When you first start creep feeding your foals, you should always ensure that you place the feed where the dam normally goes. Like this you will be encouraging the foal to access the feed voluntarily as it follows its dam. Many people prefer pellet creep feeds as foals cannot sort through the various ingredients that mixes offer them. It is always a good idea to offer foals creep feeds at the same time as you feed the dams.