[blueribbonpanel]

I have two mares who are due now, and one has absolutely NO bag at all (she's had 2 previous foals), and one was due a few days ago, and still has a tiny and undeveloped bag although there is something there at least.

How often does it happen that a mare foals but does not develop a milk bag?

[alliekat]

Are you sure they have not grazed on Fescue hay? That would have me concerned.

[eyesontheground]

I hate to ask this but...how sure are you she is bred? Is it possible she aborted at some point?

[Hillside H Ranch]

If you've ruled out fescue and both are indeed pregnant then you are probably just falling into the late end of normal. Average gestation is 320-370 days, with healthy/normal foals being born much, much later than that. Also, mares that are due earlier in the year often carry longer than those that are due late spring/summer; this is even more true if the mares have not been under lights for the winter.

[RyTimMick]

I agree with Hillside. Nothing to worry yet. One of our mares foals at 352 days every year. She has very little milk and no bag until after she foals. 20 seconds later her bag starts to fill up. Fescue is probably not a problem considering where you live, but check your hay. If they are maiden I wouldn't worry at all. They don't follow any rules.

Tim

[cagey22]

I'm in the same boat!
Vet assures me that Fescue is not a problem in upstate NY - anyone able to tell me differently?

Hay is supposedly Timothy/Alfalfa mix and I've not found any fescue in the pieces I've checked

My mare is a maiden, at day 340 this last weekend. Showing all other good signs that we're getting closer, but very little to speak of in the udder department. I know I may just need to be a bit more patient, but if there's something else I'm missing, I'd rather know about it now.

Thanks

[cloverlone]

5-10 days Equidone might be safer than just waiting.

gail

www.cloverlone.com - reproduction facility and sport horse breeding

[talloaks]

Many years ago, perhaps 30 years ago, when we were breeding TBs and live cover, my maiden mare went full term, was huge, no bag!! She had twins and of course neither survived. They were both full term and beautiful, extremely sad day---it was Mother's Day too!! Of course that was before sonograms. My mare did survive and went on to produce many other foals.
The point is, she was huge and had no bag at all when she foaled.

[Sugarbrook]

I had two mares last year that were about 340 days with NO BAG at all. Two days before they foaled the bag started coming on. Right after they foaled the milk let down with no problem. I would not worry yet.

[Kyzteke]

How "overdue" is she?

And I would have to go with the most obvious reason -- maybe she isn't pregnant anymore.

When was the last time you had her checked?

I've never had a mare foal with NO bag at all, but I had two maidens foal with very little bag, and no fluid being expressed. When from 0-60 in hours. Both foalings were normal (as far as I knew -- I actually missed both and found the foals afew hours after being born) and were healthy with no problems.

[VirginiaBred]

[quote: blueribbonpanel]I have two mares who are due now, and one has absolutely NO bag at all (she's had 2 previous foals), and one was due a few days ago, and still has a tiny and undeveloped bag although there is something there at least. quote]

Regarding the first mare: Did you own her when she had the two other foals? Did she live where she does now? Was she on time with them?

Knowing that would make answering your question easier. If you did own her and this is different behavior and not what she did in the past, then I would be concerned.

[YankeeLawyer]

One of my mares, a maiden, barely bagged up before foaling this year, but had milk when the foal arrived (Day 339). Just the day before she foaled she looked like she had another week to go.