Weaning Ways

Weaning can be an exciting time for you to introduce your young horse to new things without his dam by his side. You get to watch his personality and intellect develop, while catching a glimpse of his potential for future athletic endeavors. But for the weanling, it might just be one of the most stressful times in his life. To help make this critical period in a young horse’s life go smoothly, Amanda Adams, PhD, assistant research professor at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center, and Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, professor of nutritional science in Rutgers University’s Department of Animal Science, share their weaning tips.

When and How to Wean

Selecting the appropriate weaning time for each foal is very important; you can’t just pick a convenient date on the calendar for the split. Our sources suggest weaning no earlier than four months of age, to allow the foal ample time to grow and develop a strong immune system before leaving mom’s side. “Based on research conducted in swine/bovine, early weaning has deleterious effects on weight gain and immune function, and this is likely the case if foals are weaned too early,” Adams says.

Source: TheHorse