Milk and water intakes of foals sucking grazing mares

Abstract

Summary Intakes of milk and milk nutrients were determined for 8 foals at 11–18 days of age and for 10 foals at 30–44 days and 60–74 days of age while sucking grazing mares. Water intakes (sources other than milk) of the foals were determined at 30–44 days and 60–74 days of age. Five of the 10 mares were fed a protein supplement (24% crude protein) in addition to grazing during the stud season. The protein supplement did not influence foal intakes of milk and milk nutrients, milk composition, weight gains of the mares or the growth rate of the foals. Foal milk intakes increased (P<0.05) from 16.9 kg/day at 11–18 days to 18.1 kg/day at 60–74 days of age. The water intakes of the foals increased (P<0.01) from 3.9 kg/day at 30–44 days to 5.5 kg/day at 60–74 days of age. Total fluid intakes per kg foal liveweight were 246, 202 and 172 g at 11–18, 30–44 and 60–74 days of age, respectively. For each kg of weight gain, foals consumed 12.8, 15.7 and 16.4 kg milk at 11–18, 30–44 and 60–74 days of age. Stage of lactation had a significant effect on the total solids, lactose and protein content of milk. The fat and gross energy content of milk remained constant.

Physicochemical properties, gross composition, energy value and nitrogen fractions of Haflinger nursing mare milk throughout 6 lactation months

“…The same happened, at least until the 5th lactation month, for the NPN index calculated with reference to non-casein N content (NPN × 100/NCN), whose values varied between 17.74% (d 4) and 24.28% (d 150). The NPN index trend is completely in accordance with what was reported by Neseni et al [32], Martin et al [29] and Mariani et al [28]. Other authors, instead, observed very limited variations, increasing [10,14,33], or having rather irregular variations [41].…”

“…Such variations are in agreement with the observations of Ullrey et al [42], Burns et al [8] and Mariani et al [28]. Analogous indications, but relative only to the first 2 months of lactation, have also been reported by Oftedal et al [34], Doreau et al [14] and Martin et al [29], while Doreau et al [15], in the same period, did not find any considerable variation.…”

“…2). Non-protein N variations of the milk from the early lactation phases are in agreement with those observed by other authors [10,14,28,29]. Storch [41], however, reported irregular variations for bulk milk samples; while other authors [33,34] did not find significant variations.…”

Mare milk nitrogen fractions during lactation and determination by reversed-phase HPLC of the major whey proteins

“…Non-protein N decrease of the milk from the early lactation phases (day 4 to day 60) was in substantial agreement with those observed by other authors (Doreau et al 1990;Martin et al 1992;Csapó-Kiss et al 1995). Other studies found no significant variations (Oftedal et al 1983;Oftedal and Jenness 1988) or an irregular trend.…”

“…The NPN index trend agrees with what reported by Neseni et al (1958), Martin et al (1992) and Mariani et al (1993). Other authors observed very limited variations, increasing (Oftedal and Jenness 1988;Doreau et al 1990;Csapó-Kiss et al 1995), or having rather irregular variations (Storch 1985).…”