Foal pellet: feeding advice for growing foals

It is very important for foals to grow in a responsible way. Growing too little is not good, but growing too fast is not good either. When the feed contains a high level of energy and proteins, the foal will grow faster, which does not benefit the quality of the bones. Therefore, the quality of the feed is of great importance for the development of the foal, which is why we advise feeding foals special foal pellets.

Growth of a foal

An optimum health is a requirement for proper growth. If the foal is not healthy, it will not be able to convert energy into growth. In the first two weeks of their lives, foals often suffer from scouring. When the foal is lively, does not have a fever and nurses sufficiently, there is no reason for concern and the problem will usually disappear within a few days. If the foal keeps scouring, or you have any doubts about the health of your foal, it is wise to consult your vet.

Feeding the foal

During the first three months, the foals takes in its building blocks primarily from the mare’s milk, even though the foal will already copy the mare in the first or second week and try to eat what its mother is eating. In this way, the foal will eat some grass and hay. Sometimes, foals will eat fresh manure from the mare. That is not a bad thing and even important for a proper development of microorganisms in the intestines that ensure the digestion of roughage. Make sure though that you deworm your foal in good time.

Pavo foal pellet

Once the foal is used to eating some pellets together with the mare, you can start feeding it the Pavo Foal feed Pavo PodoStart from three weeks onwards. The reason is that after six weeks the mare’s milk no longer contains sufficient nutrients for the rapidly growing foal and by feeding it Pavo foal pellets, you make sure that your foal takes in all the necessary nutrients. In addition, a foal that has learnt to eat small portions of concentrate feed at an early age, will have less problems with the lack of milk after weaning. Another advantage is that, by feeding the foal, it will nurse less from the mare, which relieves the mare if she loses weight.

What if the foal takes too much from the mare?

When the foal grows very rapidly and the nursing mare loses a lot of weight due to the lactation, it is clear that the foal takes too much from the mare. In that case, you can change the mare’s feed to Pavo EnergyControl. The mare will maintain a good condition and the foal will not grow too fast. Healthier for both!

Weaning the foal

From the age of four months, a foal can be weaned; however, it is better to do this one or two months later. It is important that the foal eats sufficient foal pellets at the time of weaning, otherwise its condition could drop a lot. But don’t be tempted to give too much concentrates during the weaning period. An irregular growth or a too rapid growth can have a disadvantageous impact on the bone quality. In addition to hereditary factors, exercise and feed also affect the occurrence of OC or OCD. Foal pellets with the correct tailored nutrients, such as amino acids, minerals, trace elements and vitamins are strongly recommended. After weaning the foal, it can be moved to the foal-raising programme.