How should a broodmare be fed and managed during the breeding period to be more reasonable?
In recent years, donkey farming has been a fairly popular breeding project, and if you want to save costs, raising broodmares is also a good choice. In the process of raising broodmares, the breeding period is very critical, so how should they be fed and managed at this stage to be more reasonable?
1. What stage does a broodmare refer to?
A broodmare refers to a female donkey that can reproduce offspring normally; they generally have the dual tasks of work and breeding. The signs of raising broodmares well are: medium body condition, empty broodmares coming into heat on schedule, normal estrous cycles, and conceiving easily when bred; after pregnancy, the fetus develops normally and there is no miscarriage; after giving birth, lactation is strong.
2. How should broodmares be fed and managed during the breeding period to be more reasonable?
1. Feeding and management of empty broodmares
The feeding level should be raised 1-2 months before the start of breeding that year, feeding sufficient protein, mineral and vitamin feed; appropriately reduce the intensity of work; for broodmares that are too fat, reduce concentrated feed and feed more high-quality hay and succulent feed, and increase exercise, so that the broodmares maintain medium body condition. One month before breeding, empty broodmares should be examined, and those found to have reproductive diseases should be treated promptly.
2. Feeding and management of pregnant broodmares
Within the first month after a broodmare conceives, the embryo is still in a free state in the uterus, and when it encounters adverse stimulation, it is very easy for it to die and be absorbed, so it is best to stop working it. After 1 month of pregnancy, it can work as usual. During the 6 months after pregnancy, the fetus actually gains weight very slowly; from 7 months onward, fetal weight gain becomes noticeably faster, and 80% of fetal body weight is completed in the last 3 months. Therefore, after a broodmare has been pregnant for 6 months, work should be reduced, nutrition should be strengthened, the amount of protein feed should be increased, and high-quality roughage should be selected, to ensure the nutritional needs of fetal development and the broodmare's weight gain. If grazing conditions are available, graze as much as possible, which both increases exercise and allows intake of various needed nutrients. In the later stages of pregnancy, due to a lack of green feed and poor-quality forage, if there is too little concentrated feed and the variety is simple, plus no work and no exercise, it often leads to liver dysfunction, forming high blood lipids and fatty liver, and the toxic metabolites produced cannot be excreted, resulting in pregnancy toxemia, manifested as not eating before giving birth, with a fairly high mortality rate. To prevent this disease, starting from the second half of pregnancy, the ration should be adjusted early according to the large amounts of protein, minerals and vitamins needed for fetal development, requiring diverse varieties, supplementing green and succulent feed, reducing energy feed such as corn, and feeding feed that is easy to digest, has a mild laxative effect, and is soft in texture. A few days before giving birth, the total amount of forage should be reduced by 1/3, more warm water should be drunk, and the animal should be led out for a walk every day.
Throughout the entire pregnancy of a broodmare, management must place great importance on protecting the fetus and preventing miscarriage. Early miscarriage in broodmares mostly occurs in the busy autumn harvest season when farm work is heavy; later miscarriage is mostly caused by the cold of winter and spring, eating frosted grass, drinking ice water, mechanical injury, the driver cracking a cold whip, hitting the head, or the donkey eating moldy and spoiled feed. One month before giving birth, even more attention should be paid to protection and observation. Small-framed broodmares also have a small pelvic cavity, and when carrying a mule foal, dystocia is even more likely, so veterinary assistance for delivery is needed. Therefore, when signs before giving birth are first noticed, it is best to send them to a nearby veterinary hospital to await delivery.
3. Management of broodmares during delivery
After a broodmare gives birth, she mostly does not lick the slime off the newborn foal. After the delivery staff cut the umbilical cord and disinfect the cut area, they should wipe off the slime, and after the foal stands, assist it in taking colostrum. Welcome to follow: Contemporary Donkey Industry, WeChat public account. If it is a mule foal, to prevent possible mule foal hemolytic disease, when no veterinarian is present, it is best to temporarily stop feeding colostrum, squeeze out the colostrum, and let the young foal nurse a few days later when the udder secretes regular milk. During the period when colostrum is forbidden, the young foal can be supplemented with sugar water and milk powder.
After giving birth, the broodmare is physically weak, thirsty and hungry, and her appetite increases; at this time, if she eats too much, it easily causes indigestion; if stimulated by cold wind and dampness, she easily becomes ill. After giving birth, the broodmare should first be given some warm bran water or millet soup, which both quenches thirst and has a milk-promoting effect. Within 1 week to 2 weeks after giving birth, the amount of forage and feed fed should be controlled, and then gradually increased later, returning to normal in about 10 days. The stable should be dry and warm, with sufficient sunlight; 3-5 days after giving birth, if the weather is good, the broodmare and foal can be put in a sheltered outdoor place to move freely. At first, a few hours a day, then gradually increase the time of activity outside the stable. Stop working them within one month after giving birth.