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Message |
    
Lindros
Weanling
Username: Lindros
Post Number: 24
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, June 16, 2007 - 11:14 pm: | 
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Dear Jos,
I started using the 'milk test' (as I call it) this year and find it to be very helpful.
I usually start testing the mares milk (I am referring to the 'milk' on black plastic test) once the mare shows other signs of getting closer to foaling. I usually test the mare in the am and again in the pm. I have only tested about 10 mares so far. With some mares it has been very easy to determine if the liquid is opaque or not. I've had a few mares who went from the watery liquid with a slightly yellowish tinge in the am to opaque in the pm and they all foaled within 24 hrs or less. A couple of mares went from the watery fluid to a bit lighter than skim milk and then to opaque. Usually within 2 days.
Right now I am dealing with a mare who has been treated for placentitis (placenta was very thick and she was treated aggessively). She dripped a very small amount of milk when she was 289 days and also started waxing up then. She's had the just slightly ligher than skim mild fluid for 2 days now. I am expecting her to progress and turn opaque tomorrow. She's only 316 days today.
I guess the question I am trying to aks is: for how long mares can stay at that slightly lighter than skim milk stage? Also, would the placentitis affect 'the test' at all?
Sorry about the long question!.You probably can't imagine how exiting this 'milk test' is for me. It's an other great tool to have!! |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 1368
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Sunday, June 17, 2007 - 10:38 am: |
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They can be at the milky stage for weeks. It's the change from see-through to opaque that heralds the high likelihood of foaling within 24 hours. The presence of milk means little in itself with regards to more specific timing of foaling. |
Lindros
Weanling
Username: Lindros
Post Number: 25
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 17, 2007 - 02:54 pm: |
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Thanks for your quick reply!
So, is it unusual then for a mare to go from watery to opaque (with out the milky stage in between)?
Out of the approx. 10 mares I have done most of them went from watery to opaque. Two or three of them stayed at the milky stage for a couple of days. But so far I have yet to encounter one that stayed at the milky stage for more than a couple of days.
Thanks for your time! |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 1369
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Monday, June 18, 2007 - 05:37 pm: |
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As long as the watery stage is still milk-like then it would be common. I describe the differences during our lectures as going from skim milk to whipping cream  |
Lindros
Weanling
Username: Lindros
Post Number: 26
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 18, 2007 - 10:06 pm: |
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Sorry Jos, one more question. 
What about the apparence of the white granules in the liquid. How many days before foaling can you usually see them?
Thanks so much for your time! |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 1373
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 - 02:55 pm: |
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Anytime "close", so it's not a lot of use. Look for consistent opacity. |
Heather Cooke
Nursing Foal
Username: Hcvideo
Post Number: 16
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 - 06:46 pm: |
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Hi Lindros
You can't alway count on the color of the milk. Let me tell you about my maiden mare that foaled last week, she was a bit unusual. I used the milk test strip (pool test strips) on my mare with success. My mare had a very small hard bag, it was like getting blood out of a turnip to get a sample. The fluid was clear and yellowish, I tested it any way since she was at day 355+. The calcium gradually increased, the ph stayed right at 7.8 until about 5 hours before she foaled, then the ph dropped to 6.2. Her milk did not change until about an hour before she actually foaled at which time the fluid was a very watery skim milk looking. Her bag was still small and hard. Her teets were small and pinched up. Her milk did not fully come in until about 2 hours after the foal was born. I was able to milk out about 4 oz. with great difficulty and bottle fed the the baby it's first meal. The milk did look like real milk by this time, she just did not have much of it. I used a "UDDERLY EZ MILKER" to milk the mare, it took about 15 minutes to get the 4 oz., normally I can get 8 oz in about 90 seconds. Usually I milk my mares right after they foal and bottle feed the foal about 6 oz with a human baby bottle. They lay down and lap for about 40 minutes, then they pop up strong and have no problem balancing while they nurse from the mare. I see no reason to let the foal get exhausted trying to stand and nurse, give them that sugar jolt and they are good to go. Since I have been bottle feeding my foals their first meal I have not had to give any of them an enema, they passed the first poop with ease. Plus it's kind of fun to bottle feed a baby and it gives the mare a little time to recoop. Good luck with your mare. |
Lindros
Weanling
Username: Lindros
Post Number: 27
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 - 08:33 pm: |
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Hi Heather,
don't worry, I don't rely only on the milk test! Acutally I don't rely on anything!
You can't beat having a person watch the mare.
I just simply use the milk test as an other tool!
By the way, I bottle feed all my foals as well and for exactly the same reason. Aside from letting them struggle for no reason, I don't want them to ingest anything aside from colostrum while they still haven 'an open gut'.
You are right, bottle feeding is kinda fun! |
Lindros
Weanling
Username: Lindros
Post Number: 28
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - 08:41 pm: |
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Jos, I do have one more question after all.
How is it possible for a mare to have a different result from each nipple? This mare I have been testing during the last few days is very strange! The right nipple is kind of 'one step behind' the left one. For example: the liquid from the left one has been milky for a few days but the liquid from the right one has been watery. Now the left one finally turned opaque and the right one is just milky. Any idea? |
Jos
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 1379
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Thursday, June 21, 2007 - 11:21 am: |
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There are separate "tanks" (if you will), so you are not drawing from the same source on each side. Therefore there can potentially be differences in what you are drawing. |
