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Once your mare is in-foal you'll note several important milestones over the course of the 11-month gestation, including important action items to discuss with your veterinarian.
Monitor progestogen concentrations in mares experiencing abnormal clinical signs including unexplained colic, premature udder development or systemic illness and in mares with a history of unexplained pregnancy loss.
Contact your veterinarian if your mare demonstrates vaginal discharge and/or premature udder development or begins leaking milk well before her due date, as these can be warning signs of placental disease and a compromised pregnancy.
During the first and second trimesters, feed your pregnant mare at a maintenance rate with her total daily feed intake at 1.5 to 3 percent of body weight. Your mare should maintain a body condition score of 5 to 6.5. During the last trimester, you should focus on a slowly rising plane of nutrition. Your mare's increasing caloric needs most likely require a change in feeding program to supply calories in a more concentrated form, such as a change from a vitamin/mineral supplement to a concentrate feed, or an increase in feed provided.
Once the mare foals, she will produce, on average, up to 3 percent of her body weight in milk per day during early lactation and consume 2 to 3 percent of her body weight in total feed (concentrate plus hay) daily. Underfeeding during early lactation can lead to weight loss that can negatively affect reproductive efficiency, conception rates, and growth and development of the suckling foal.
Consult your veterinarian for specific information regarding your mare's nutritional needs.