EQUIVET AUSTRAILA - COLOSTRUM AND GAMMAGLOBULINS

Foals are born with practically no antibodies (immunoglobins or IgG) as opposed to children and even most other farm animals. They acquire all their antibodies from their mother's colostrum. Most infections of newborn foals are due to inadequate transfer of antibodies from the mare to the foal in her colostrum.

Foals which get no antibodies from the mares colostrum require up to 500cc (or 10 bottles) of the commercial Equine Gamma Globulin injection to achieve adequate levels of antibody in their serum (8gm/litre).

Normal colostrum contains 60 gm per litre of antibodies and foals require approximately 3 litres of this to achieve adequate antibody levels. This should preferably be ingested in the first eight (8) hours or twelve (12) hours maximum. Foals which do not ingest this much good quality colostrum in the first twelve (12) hours will be susceptible to infection and must be supplemented with the commercial equine gammaglobulin or be given plasma transfusions from suitable donor mares. (The StudBook's Blood Typing laboratory can usually identify suitable mares for donation plasma- universal donors).

With the high cost of commercial gamma-globulin injections, I do not believe we should abandon the old practice of accumulating colostrum banks. Mares secrete colostrum for 24 hours and foals can only absorb it for 12 hours. It is quite acceptable to collect excess colostrum after the mares own foal has suckled at least twice, or from mares which are dribbling colostrum prior to foaling. Most mares begin to concentrate antibodies in their milk 3 weeks before foaling.

Colostrum can be fairly easily identified by its sticky feel and yellowish colour. Normal mare's milk will have a bluish to white colour and is not sticky to touch.

Obviously with expensive foals, such estimations are not sufficient and nothing should be left to chance. Foals serum can be tested to determine its level of antibody and the amount, if any, of additional antibody required can be calculated. Similarly, it is possible to test banked colostrum to determine its level of antibodies. Where both levels are known it is possible to calculate the amount of additional antibody required eg. Where a foal is known not to have received colostrum from the mare, it is possible to calculate the amount of banked colostrum it should be given. Similarly, where it is suspected that a foal has not received sufficient colostrum, a test of its serum at 12 hours will allow you to determine the amount of commercial gamma-globulin it will require.

These tests are not expensive relative to the cost of losing, or treating for infection, a valuable foal.

COMMERCIAL COLOSTRUM REPLACERS ARE AVAILABLE THIS YEAR
MARES SECRETE COLOSTRUM FOR 24 HOURS AND FOALS CAN ONLY ABSORB ANTIBODIES FROM IT FOR 12 HOURS

It is quite acceptable to collect excess colostrum after the mare's own foal has suckled at least twice, or from mares which are dribbling colostrum prior to foaling. This colostrum can be stored frozen for up to two (2) years. Frozen colostrum should be labelled with the name of the donor mare, date and time after foaling of collection.

STORED COLOSTRUM CAN BE EASILY AND CHEAPLY TESTED AT THE LABORATORY TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS SUFFICIENT ANTIBODY LEVELS

Simply collect approximately five (5) millilitres into a labelled yellow capped bottle and we can give you a result within twenty-four hours. It has been conclusively proven that foals, which do not get enough colostrum (antibodies), are much more susceptible to infection and are more likely to die in the first week of life. Such foals should be given commercial available colostrum replacer to achieve adequate levels of antibody or routine antibiotic cover for the first three to five days of live.

BLOOD COLLECTED FROM FOALS AT 12-24 HOURS OF AGE CAN BE SIMPLY AND CHEAPLY TESTED FOR ANTIBODY LEVELS ON THE FARM (BY YOU) OR IN THE LABORATORY

This will allow you to identify problem foals for closer observation or use of preventative plasma or antibiotics.