oa SA Horseman - Feeding the brood mare - : management

Abstract

The brood mare goes through three phases of reproduction - early gestation, late gestation and lactation. The nutritional requirements of a pregnant mare depend mainly upon whether she has a foal at foot and is lactating, or whether she was previously barren and has only to satisfy the requirements of her maintenance. It also depends on the particular breed and whether the mare is a poor doer, or in some cases being ridden, these mares will need to be fed additional concentrate feed to ensure she can maintain their body condition.