| Protein | 24% |
| Fat | 12% |
| Ash | 5% |
| Moisture | 4% |
| Energy (ME) | 17 MJ/kg |
Use Horse Milk Replacer for hand-rearing orphan foals or as a supplement when mare's milk is limited. Newborns that did not receive colostrum from the mare may benefit from feeding about 500g of Impact Colostrum Supplement, preferably in the first 24 hours after birth.
To make 10 litres of milk: Mix 1.1kg of powder with 9 litres of warm water.
Add half the water first and mix to a paste. Then make up to 10 litres with remaining water and mix thoroughly. Water is preboiled to ensure that it is sterilised. If the water is too hot it can cause the milk to curdle. If it is too cold then it will be difficult to disperse the powder. An electric whisk can be used for mixing. Milk can be stored in the fridge for a day or can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
Warm milk to about 35°C and feed every two hours for the first week, reducing this to every 4 hours by week 2 and every 6 hours by week four. Foals may initially be fed from a bottle and lamb's teat, however they can be trained to drink from a bucket. If leaving milk out for self-feeding offer it cold to reduce bacterial contamination. Always have clean drinking water available. Consult a veterinarian or experienced breeder for particular advice about husbandry of foals.
Different breeds of horses have different birth weights and growth rates. A typical light breed foal has a birth weight of around 50kg and weight gain of about 1.5kg per day during the hand-rearing period. However it may be difficult to monitor body weight, so feed volumes can be estimated by age. Proper nutrition is essential during this time as skeletal deformities can occur weight gains are excessive. Over feeding can cause diarrhoea, so large deviations from the suggested feed volumes are not advised.
When the foal is about 8 weeks old it should begin to show interest in solid food. Introduce a commercial starter feed into the diet and slowly reduce the volume of milk fed. At this time the foal should be exercised in a paddock and have access to both hay and pasture. Carers tend to wean foals quickly, but ideally they should not be weaned before 6 months of age.
