FEEDING BROODMARES

Over an 11-month gestation period, the mare faces varying nutritional needs. Overfeeding or underfeeding during the course of the reproductive cycle can impact foal development and reproductive efficiency. 

The objective of a feeding program for mares is to provide all required nutrients and keep the mare at a desired body condition. Mares should be moderately fleshy, but not fat, which means condition scores of 5-7.

Early Pregnancy

To feed the mare properly during pregnancy, it is important to understand how the fetus develops throughout the gestation period. Contrary to popular belief, the fetus does not grow at a constant rate throughout the entire eleven months of pregnancy.

As is plainly visible, the fetus is very small during the first five months of pregnancy. Even at seven months of pregnancy,  the fetus equals only about 20 percent of its weight at birth. At this stage in pregnancy the fetus equals less than two percent of the mare’s weight and its nutrient requirements are miniscule compared with the mare’s own maintenance requirements.Therefore, the mare can be fed essentially the same as if she were not pregnant at all.

All too often the well-meaning mare owner greatly increases feed intake after the mare is pronounced
in foal, reasoning that she is now “eating for two.” This is not only unnecessary, but may lead to obesity and problems at foaling time. This is particularly true where pregnant mares have access to high quality pasture during early pregnancy.

Late Pregnancy

During the last three months, the growth of the fetus increases nutrient requirements by up to 20% whilst at the same time the capacity of the mare to eat large quantities diminishes. For mares foaling in May and June, the required increase in nutrient density can be underpinned by good grass; but mares foaling between 30-40 per cent of the daily ration. (pony mares may not need the extra energy and protein)

Lactation

During early lactation, the mare's metabolism will produce milk at any cost. Any reduction in feed energy intake below requirement means that she will lose condition, as she will generally take it off her own back in order to generate energy for milk production; a situation that can be harmful if not addressed quickly. 

As with the late pregnant mare, the time of year dictates the feeding regime. Mares foaling between January and April, or those consuming hay or haylage diets, will require significant quantities of stud feeds (up to 60% of the daily ration) to provide the significantly increased requirements for milk production.

Mares foaling in May and June will benefit from the high quality of grass at this time, and will require less hard feed, with perhaps only a supplement for particularly good doers (easy keepers) to make good any shortfalls in the grass micro-nutrient levels.

Recommended supplements: