In general, weaning translates into a decrease in the growth rate of the foal. To prevent this breakdown, it must be ensured that the foal ingests a sufficient amount of dry matter to meet its nutritional needs. The monitoring of the food plan and growth, at this stage, should be rigorous, and overfeeding is also not desirable.
after weaning
After weaning, the foal's food management must remain strict. Between 12 and 15 months of age the foal will reach around 90% in height at withers, 95% in bone growth and around 70% in adult weight. The remaining growth will occur gradually later, with significant differences in the remaining growth time depending on the breed.
An adequate diet that avoids periods of stress continues to be essential, with regularity of growth being preferred to growth spurts. Nutritional deficiencies, excesses or imbalances have been associated with developmental orthopedic diseases (DODs), and as such are undesirable.
choice of food
When choosing the feed, priority should be given to a good quality forage component (hay and/or pasture) and a specific compound feed for foals, with good digestibility and which favors an adequate supply of lysine, vitamins, macrominerals (such as calcium and phosphorus) and microminerals (such as zinc, copper) necessary for proper bone and joint development.
