| Author |
Message |
    
Lyn (24.147.238.224)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 04, 2002 - 11:17 am: | 
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My mare is 347 days in foal. I was thinking about using the milk check test, but I can't get anything out when I try to milk her. Is there a special way to "milk" a mare? Is it normal to not get anything? |
Marylou (65.219.102.152)
| | Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 11:13 pm: |
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Yes I also would like to know how to milk a mare.My mare has been somewhat bagged for 3 weeks.And as of last night its full and I can`t get no milk out.So how do you milk a mare??
Marylou |
K. Jones (24.164.117.88)
| | Posted on Monday, May 13, 2002 - 04:12 pm: |
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When you try to get milk from your mare do you push up into the bag(gently)before pulling down on the teat.This fills the teat with fluid. My mare is 321 days and it will squirt out like a cow if I'm not really careful. Hope this helps. |
Marylou (65.219.102.248)
| | Posted on Monday, May 13, 2002 - 10:44 pm: |
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No I`ve not tried that but I will now.Thank you so much for the info.I have asked alot of people but no one ever knew.So I will try this as her bag is so tight its got to have some milk or something.
Marylou |
Sandy (64.157.20.189)
| | Posted on Monday, May 13, 2002 - 11:37 pm: |
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Sometimes it is very hard to get any fluid out. I have had occassions where I couldn't get anything out of a mare clear up to 2 days before she foaled. And then I have another mare that I can milk her like a cow even when she isn't pregnant!
It really just takes a lot of practice. It is kinda frustrating, but once you have it down, you usually can get something.
Just follow K.Jones' advice, push up into the bag gently and pinch off the teat right at the base of the bag and kinda squeeze. You don't want to "whittle" the teat as that can cause chafing. Just keep trying that procedure, and like I said, it gets easier with practice.
Good Luck! |
Marylou (65.219.102.164)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 08:19 am: |
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Well I tried and it did not work.I guess shes just full of air....lol |
Marylou (65.219.102.246)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 09:26 pm: |
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Well now I can milk her and its white and sticky.She also has long wax on her teats.I think tonight may be the night!!!! |
Marylou (65.219.102.227)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 16, 2002 - 09:11 am: |
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Yep I was right! She foaled at 11:20PM Tuesday night.Its a big filly! |
Sandy (64.157.20.77)
| | Posted on Friday, May 17, 2002 - 12:09 am: |
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Marylou,
Contrats! I tell ya, the milk changing is the best predictor there is. |
Len (209.240.222.131)
| | Posted on Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 10:36 pm: |
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In all the yrs we been foaling out mares we never need to mess with the utter or milk a mare. When you are milking a mare before she foals there is the chance that infection can set in. Bacteria can get into the milk cannal and up into the utter. There is no need to milk a mare to try to see when she will foal. Mares foal when they are darn good and ready. Thats that and thats that. |
Jos (142.177.94.203)
| | Posted on Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 11:19 pm: |
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Not so. More foals are lost - and mares too - as a result of there being nobody in attendance at the foaling than will ever be lost as a result of an infected udder.
Not checking to see if the mare is getting close to foaling borders on negligence. |
Anonymous (204.116.59.189)
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 - 09:07 pm: |
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I have heard of too much "milking" causing the colostrum level to decrease and thereby be dangerous to foal as it has to have that right after it is born. One can look for waxing without milking. Also look for relaxation in muscle tissue on each side and down from the "root" of the tail. This shows the physical changes taking place in preperation for the birthing process. Or at least it worked with our mare. |
Jos (142.177.95.198)
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 - 10:54 pm: |
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1: When checking for the change in milk composition pre-parturition, you are milking literally 2 or 3 drops a day;
2: "Waxing" is completely and totally useless as a predictor of impending parturition and should not be used unless you know that particular mare's repeated pre-foaling habits extremely well - and even then it can prove unreliable. More foalings that are being watched for are missed, or owners time wasted, as a result of the misguided reliance on waxing as an indicator, than any other supposed indicator. Some mares may wax as much as 3 weeks prior to foaling; others will not wax at all.
3: Relaxation of the tail is a fair guide, but one that must be used in conjunction with other indicators - it is not reliable enough to use as a sole indicator.
Checking the milk still remains the most reliable method of predicting impending parturition. "Click" here for the article on this site on the subject. |
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