Loper said:
appendixqh, I am very sorry to hear of your lost colt!!!! How very sad. I don't do much with babies being born, but I would be willing to donate a little to help you get one started.
Paso and Loper...Thank you for your offer of support!
Here is what it entails...I just purchased a mare milking kit, storage bottles, and will be purchasing a colostrum analyzer. From everything I have read, done in the past, and been told, an average mare will produce approximately 5 liters of colostrum in the first 12 to 24 hours after foaling. If the mare is producing good colostrum, it is safe to extract 1 pint approximately 2 hours after foaling, provided the foal has already stood and had 1 good nursing. If this has happened, while the foal in on its second nursing, this is the ideal time to pump the colostrum from the opposite teet that the foal is nursing from. The mare should let down easily and it will take approximately 10 minutes to milk her with relatively no discomfort to the mare using the pump. I will then analyze, lable, and freeze the colostrum which will be good for 2 to 3 years. It will take 2 pints (1 liter) to bank enough for 1 foal that has low IGG numbers. So if we can extract good colostrum from 8 mares a year, we bank enough for 4 foals. I will be glad to help, cover all start up cost and maintain everything!
Here is baby "Retro" that passed away this year, he had incredible breeding, and cute to boot!