Collecting Colostrum from a Mare

Newborn foals need to ingest colostrum, the antibody-laden “first milk” produced by mares, within the first 24 hours after birth. Foals that miss out on colostrum are at risk of infection from a host of environmental microbes, so getting this vital fluid into a neonate is extremely important.

It’s a good idea to have some frozen colostrum on hand before a mare gives birth. In the event that the mare dies, the foal is too weak to nurse on its own, or another unexpected problem crops up, this stored supply might be a life-saver. It might even be used when both mare and foal are healthy, but the mare for some reason refuses to let the foal nurse.

Most mares produce enough colostrum to allow a foal to nurse and to have extra available for collection. After selecting a mare that is healthy and her newborn foal that is suckling well, allow the foal to nurse several times and then wait until the baby is resting several hours after the birth. To collect from a mare, have a handler hold her head. Wash your hands and then clean the mare’s udder with warm water. Use a clean bowl or other wide, shallow container to collect the colostrum. With the container held under her udder, hold one teat with your thumb and forefinger. Push up to simulate the foal butting at the teat and then gently squeeze and pull down on the teat. Continue this action, alternating teats occasionally, until you have collected about eight ounces (one cup, or 240 ml) of colostrum. You can repeat the collection once more in a few hours, but don’t strip the mare dry at any point.

It goes without saying that not every mare will take kindly to being milked. It may be wise to choose a gentle older mare rather than a first-time mom. The handler who holds the mare’s head and the person doing the milking should stay alert to the mare’s mood and actions and be ready to back off if she’s not interested in sharing.

Though colostrum is sterile in the mare’s udder, it may pick up dirt or hair as it is collected. You can remove some of this material (though not bacteria) by straining the colostrum through clean cheesecloth. After straining, put the liquid in a clean container (double-seal plastic freezer bags work well), label with the date and mare’s name, leave a little air space when you close the container, and place it in a freezer. The frozen colostrum will be good for at least two years.

When you need to thaw the colostrum, don’t put it in a microwave, but defrost it at room temperature, or run cool or slightly warm (not hot) water over the container, shaking it from time to time. Colostrum can be bottle-fed to foals and is effective at providing antibodies during the foal’s first day of life. After this period of time, the antibodies will not be absorbed by the foal’s gastrointestinal tract. Having an immediately available supply of frozen colostrum may be the difference between life and death for a future foal.

If you think you may need colostrum but don’t have a mare to collect from, ask your veterinarian about alternatives such as bovine colostrum products. Your foal may need additional antibodies or a plasma transfusion, even if some colostrum is supplied, and your veterinarian can test the foal’s antibody level and discuss options to raise it if necessary.

Any newborn foal that is suspected of illness should be examined as soon as possible by a veterinarian. Healthy foal checks and measurement of serum antibody concentration can be performed at 12-24 hours of age.