[pal-o-mino]

My mare has a firm udder, I guess you'd call it swollen, but it doesn't look unusual or inflammed or anything, just getting ready for baby. But no milk! She's due May 2. Where's the milk? LOL She's been that way for a week now. I have my testing kit all ready to go and I want to try it out. About when do they actually start making milk, are there any guidelines for this?

Has anyone tried the Mother Nature's milk testing kit? I got that this year instead of the predict-a-foal. They said it tests for equine specifications, calcium and ph. I'm going to get pool strips too anyway, because they were really acurate with my other mare, but was just curious what results others have had. Also got chemetrics just to be sure. lol

I just need some miiiiiiilk!!!

[Sunnydays]

I am a total failure getting milk from my mares, pre-foaling. Rothara just had her 2nd foal - big udder growing from day 300, no wax, no milk pre-foaling, and tons of colustrum (yellow, honey thick) and milk at foaling. She was the same last year. Contessa is about to deliver her 3rd, and, as per the other 2 , no milk or pin-wax. So, don't worry - except it would be nice to have milk to test.
Best wishes for the foaling.

[Edgewood]

I am a total failure getting milk from my mares, pre-foaling. Rothara just had her 2nd foal - big udder growing from day 300, no wax, no milk pre-foaling, and tons of colustrum (yellow, honey thick) and milk at foaling. She was the same last year. Contessa is about to deliver her 3rd, and, as per the other 2 , no milk or pin-wax. So, don't worry - except it would be nice to have milk to test.
Best wishes for the foaling.

So Kathleen, do you just stay up night after night watching them?

Milking is a bit of an art, getting used to how to do it. Some mares are harder than others because they have small teats. I always had trouble with my TB mare until just before she foaled (when I could get milk), but my ex-dairy farmer husband could get milk much earlier from her. My WB mares usually start getting the "yellow" milk about 3-4 weeks out. I have a mare due to foal end of April and her udder is like you describe except I can get the clear yellow secretion (at little bit right now, not enough to test with Chemetrics).

Some people swear by EZ Udder to help milk out a mare. Maybe you could purchase that to help. That being said, some mares are easier than others to milk.

[SSFLandon]

my friend told me to put a 60CC syringe with the needle end totally cut off, so it's open like the other end, and suck...kind of like a breast pump I guess