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For further information on this article, check out: Cyberfoal Casey Creek Alberta Equestrian Federation |
Every breeder knows the importance of colostrum. It’s the first milk a mare produces after foaling, which transfers the mare’s antibodies - the immune system’s protection against viruses and bacteria - to the newborn foal. When things go right, the birthing is normal, the healthy foal stands soon after, searches for an udder, and latches on for his first feeding - the colostrum is transferred naturally, mother nature’s way. But what happens when things go wrong? Distressing complications, even an event as traumatic as the mare's death, can mean that the foal can't nurse as it's supposed to, and the precious colostrum is not transferred. At two o’clock in the morning, things can seem dire indeed. Many times, this is when Peter Hurst receives a call. Hurst, with financial support from the Alberta Equestrian Federation, operates the Alberta Nursemare and Colostrum Registry. This registry today offers the Alberta breeding industry the opportunity to locate mares and colostrum 24 hours a day throughout the province, a free service with Hurst himself answering the many calls from concerned owners. It’s important to note the Registry is not a colostrum bank; the responsibility for collecting and storing colostrum lies with the breeders. There are three nurse mare registries in Canada, including Alberta’s. The others are provided by the National Standardbred Association of Ontario and the most recent British Columbia Nurse Mare and Colostrum Registry. Alberta’s Registry started as an initiative of Hurst’s when he was a director of the now-disbanded Alberta Equine Industry Development Council. Hurst says the idea of the Registry “received much support within the breeding community. In the first two years of the Registry it was recognized that other provinces were also interested in accessing this free service; my wife and I began investigating how we could initiate a similar concept via the internet.” The result, in 1997, was the birth of the Cyberfoal website at www.cyberfoal.com. Hurst has had a lifelong involvement with horses. Born in England, he left school to pursue a career with horses. Starting out as a stable hand and lesson instructor near Richmond Park in South London, he soon moved on to a riding career with The Old Berkeley Hunt, riding to hounds, schooling hunters and training steeple chasers. After many years of riding professionally, Hurst says, “I changed vocation to a stud farm, learning stallion management and foaling before emigrating to Canada to work at the birthplace of Northern Dancer on Windfield Farms in Oshawa, Ontario.” After moving west to manage two breeding farms in Alberta, he is now at his present position managing Clayborne Farm at Calgary, where he has been for the past twelve years. Along with Paramount Oil & Gas Ltd., Riddle’s Clayborne Farm has been major supporters of Cyberfoal’s internet launch. “With this support thousands of breeders each year receive the help and information their foals deserve,” says Hurst. “Today Cyberfoal is the most recognized service offered to breeders worldwide.” Breeders can access the site to post listings for wanted or available colostrum, nurse mares, or orphan foals. Breeders may offer services for free or for a fee at their discretion, but Hurst recognizes that “the Cyberfoal success continues because of the support, compassion and generosity breeders hold when new born foals of any breed are in crisis.” After a summer of forest fires in B.C. and California, Cyberfoal also made available an equine evacuation registration page to help locate safe refuges for horses fleeing disaster areas, and they encourage all who might have available space to list their accommodation. It’s important to note that Cyberfoal does not support unethical nursemare farms, which are mainly used by the racing industry in Kentucky. These farms breed their mares and foal them out, then remove the mare’s own foal and replace it with an orphan from another breeding farm so that the orphan foal does not require human nursing. Casey Creek (www.homestead.com) is one of the few organizations dedicated to rescuing and finding homes for the resulting unwanted foals. Hurst believes strongly in taking responsibility for the foals that we breed, as does any responsible breeder. However, he has a few tips that many breeders may not be aware of. Colostrum can be collected and stored in frozen form from mares whose foals are healthy, for use in time of need. While he recognizes that some orphan foals will need to be hand-raised, due to a lack of a nurse mare, Hurst says,”There is no reason why foals should be denied colostrum anywhere at any time.” Since colostrum can only be absorbed by the foal before it is 24 hours old, it is critically important to have access to emergency colostrum. After 24 hours, plasma transfers may need to be used to transfer the precious antibodies. The Cyberfoal website posts the following procedure for collecting colostrum: Collecting: Wash the mare’s udder with warm water. Do not take colostrum from the mare until the foal has had its first nursing. Take a one litre container such as a margarine or cool whip container. Approach the mare from the left side (near side), holding the container in your left hand and placing it under the udder. Place your right thumb and forefinger on each side of the mare’s teat. Squeeze and pull down gently, filling the container until the udder is relieved of pressure. Depending on the supply, two collections are sufficient. The colostrum texture should feel very sticky. Do not attempt this process on maiden mares without professional attendance. Filtering: Filter the collected colostrum through a kitchen filter or cheese cloth. Write the date and year collected on container or freezer bag to be stored. Colostrum can be frozen for two years. Defrosting: Defrost at room temperature or by cold water only. DO NOT microwave or place in warm water as this will destroy the antibodies. You can also check Cyberfoal’s Handy Hints page for tips from other breeders who have had a nurse mare or orphan foal. Tips include how often to milk a mare to keep her milk supply viable for a foal, and how to place orphan’s bottle under the crook of your arm, to stimulate looking for a mare’s udder. This method also places the foal’s head in a natural position for nursing, minimizing the chances of milk going into the lungs. It only takes a few minutes and may save the life of a future champion! |
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