Foal IgG test gives quantitative results in 6 minutes

At the time of foaling, keep track of these figures!

Photo: Larva-Jussila

Spring is the time of foaling, which means that a roughly 11-month pregnancy comes to an end for many horse mares.

There are a few figures related to newborn foals that horse owners want to keep track of.

– A newborn foal usually gets up within 1 hour and starts nursing within 1-3 hours of birth.
–  A healthy foal will nurse several times per hour.
–  The foal’s small intestine will only absorb antibodies during the first 12-24 hours after birth.

Foals are born with no infection-fighting antibodies in their blood. Therefore, foals must consume colostrum to receive the antibodies they need (passive transfer). It is recommended that the IgG levels of newborn foals are monitored.

– Measure the foal’s Ig (IgG, specifically) levels between 18 and 24 hours of life to ensure sufficient passive transfer has been achieved.
– An adequate level of IgG is 800 mg/dL of IgG or greater. Levels less than 400 mg/dL indicate inadequate passive transfer.

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Foal IgG Kit