OklahomaHorses Magazine Nov/Dec 2020

8 OklahomaHorses • November/December 2020 A s the days grow shorter, and pastures begin to go dormant, the changing of the season may mean it is time to wean this year’s crop of foals. But weaning foals means more than just shifting them from reliance on their dam’s milk to more traditional horse feeds. The foals are also transitioning into forming new social structures, eliminating old social bonds and perhaps moving into new environments. All of these abrupt changes can be a tremendous upheaval and an extremely stressful period in the foal’s life. This stress can be seen through frantic movement or pacing, increased whinnying and decreased feed intake. Beyond the easily visible signs of stress, weaning can increase cortisol—a main stress hormone—reduce weight gain or even result in weight loss. These factors together may suppress the foal’s immune system, making him or her more susceptible to diseases, respiratory diseases in particular. However, researchers have learned much in the past 30 years to suggest methods to reduce this stress and get the young weanlings off to a better start for life on their own. In nature, weaning is a process that occurs on its own. Mares typically will not wean their foals until almost a year of age, or essentially when the mare is going to give birth to the next generation. She will begin gradually pushing the young horse away, decreasing the foal’s reliance on her for food and security. Mares that have not been rebred may have youngsters at their side as long as two years. However, for modern management systems, this is fairly impractical and may result in an overly bonded young horse that may be difficult to remove from its dam in the future. Horse owners should work to make this process as stress free as possible. One stressor that is more immediately under the manager’s control is adapting the foal to its future diet. Foals should readily be consuming the concentrate and forage that will comprise their diet prior to weaning. While a foal will readily eat from its dam’s feeder, it may be appropriate to use creep feeders, if only to prevent the mare from overeating and give the foal a chance to completely consume its own meal. A consistent feed supply will help prevent significant weight loss with weaning. Early & Late Weaning Many traditional weaning programs began as early as 3 to 4 months of age, and foals may have been weaned individually into box stalls. Isolated foals may be frantic to get back to their dam, making the possibility of injuries more likely. Foals that are weaned abruptly into isolation are also at a higher risk of developing stereotypies, such as cribbing behaviors. Many early weaned foals would acquire a pot-bellied appearance that many used to attribute to a heavy worm burden, but it may actually have corresponded with early weaning. Anecdotally, even waiting a few months, until the foal is 5 to 6 months of age, may result in a more robust foal. As an added bonus to delaying until closer to 6 months of age, foals will have already achieved greater independence and are not as heavily dependent on the mare for social comfort in addition to a source of nutrition. Waiting a bit longer to wean foals may be helpful, but owners should still consider the method of weaning to reduce stress. Think about each stressor the young animal may experience and if any of these stressors can be removed or modified. For example, if a group of foals are to be weaned, removing the mares singularly or in pairs, leaving the foals in the same environment with their same peer group, can greatly minimize the social stress which may occur with weaning. Foals weaned in this method have continued familiarity with their environment and their social group. By the time the last foals are weaned, the rest of the foals are quite calm, which can help modify the behavior of others in the group. In a fun research note, foals weaned with this method continue to hang out with the foals of their mothers’ preferred friends or herd mates. Weaning a Single Foal But what if you only have one foal? If possible, have a second adult horse living with the mare and foal which can remain behind when the mare is removed. Foals weaned in the presence of other adult horses have been shown to have less vocalizations, movement and cortisol than foals weaned only in the presence of other foals. The second adult should not be overly bonded to the mare, which may result in both a frantic baby and adult. Instead, look for a companion that has a pretty steady, calm attitude toward life. Foals reared without the ability to interact with other horses may lose the ability to correctly interpret horse social behavior, which may create issues with group housing later in life. Is isolation ever an option? Perhaps, as foals weaned in isolation are typically more inclined to interact with humans as they represent their only social contact. This may, in part, support the use of stalling Reducing Stress of WRITTEN BY: Dr. Kris Hiney Equine Extension Specialist | Oklahoma State University Weaning Foals