The foal's diet is a fundamental factor for its development and for preventing diseases. Only with a balanced diet can we ensure that the foal's growth and development correspond to its genetic potential.
The foal's nutrition begins in the uterus (feeding the fetus), and it is important for the foetus that the mare has a balanced diet throughout the gestation period, and that the increased nutritional needs, especially in the last trimester, are respected.
After birth
After birth, the newborn foal performs activities that consume energy. Since its endogenous energy reserves are limited, it is through colostrum that it obtains the nutrients necessary to perform these activities.
Colostrum is therefore the foal's first food and its early ingestion is essential from a nutritional, immunological and intestinal point of view (laxative effect).
Until approximately three months of age, the nutritional needs of the lactating foal are met by maternal milk, the composition of which varies throughout lactation, after which the foal must supplement its milk intake with pasture and/or specific compound feed.
creep-feeding
Supplementation of the lactating foal with specific compound feed supplied selectively to the foal (through selective feeders or areas dedicated to feeding foals) is called creep-feeding. This practice promotes habituation to solid food, promoting the foal's food autonomy and reducing the effects of stress from weaning.
It should only be noted that the introduction of the practice of creep feeding should be done from eight weeks onwards, gradually, and the amount of specific compound feed provided should vary according to age, breed and composition of the feed (for example: for a foal under four months old, the amount of compound feed provided should vary between 0.5-1.0 kg for every 100 kg of the foal's BW).
compound feed
When choosing compound feed, it should be specifically formulated for foals (or for mares and foals), prioritizing a high-quality protein (rich in lysine, the limiting amino acid) and presenting an adequate mineral content with regard to calcium, phosphorus, copper and zinc.
YOUNG
EPOLDRIN
With regard to orphans, the importance of colostrum intake in the first hours of life remains, and can later be transitioned to artificial feeding through a bottle or bucket, or breastfeeding by an adoptive mother can be attempted (if a mare is available who lost her foal at birth).
For orphaned foals that have not been adopted, solid food can be provided from two weeks of age (using a specific compound feed and good quality hay), as a complement to the replacement milk. In these cases, weaning should occur between 14 and 16 weeks.