Pre-Foaling Colostrum Leakage
Many mares will squirt a bit of milk prior to foaling. This is fairly normal. However, if the mare begins to stream milk for more than a minute or two, it is wise to milk the mare and relieve some of the pressure in her udder. This may need to be repeated several times a day for several days until she foals. In some cases, where there is great pressure in the udder and continuous streaming occurs, it may be best to milk the udder all the way out. This milk (i.e. colostrum) should be placed into a plastic container and frozen immediately. It can then be administered to the foal within twelve hours post-parturition. To ensure the integrity of the colostrum that was frozen, it is highly suggested that an equine veterinarian test a portion of it for antibody quality after collection. This will allow the horse breeder the opportunity to locate another source of colostrum if what was collected and frozen from the mare is of poor antibody quality.
The National Colostrum Network was founded at the
University of Minnesota-College of Veterinary Medicine.