Mare producing milk

[Mel]

Does anyone out there know how long a mare should produce milk after she has a foal? My mare is nine and has had three babies. I think she had her last one about a year and a half ago? (I'm not positive exactly because I have only owned her since Christmas.) Her milk has still not dried up! I am getting conflicting answers from people around the barn. Someone told me that was perfectly normal that she still has some milk, and someone else told me that she should be dried up by now and that she can get a serious infection from still producing the milk?? Anyone-Anyone??

[olympicprincess]

I'd call and ask your vet. She'll tell you if she needs to come out and take a look. I have no idea on the exact amount of time.

[Farm_Girl5]

I've heard of a mare with her foal and her foal was still nursing at one year and was told this was normal...?
Not sure if this helps?

Kristy

[Allie]

I think you should call your vet and ask. I would think that she must have an infection, because she couldn't continually be producing milk, as there is no foal to drink it, so where would it go? I didn't phrase that very well, hopefully you know what I mean.

We have two mares at the ranch where I board who both get an infection in their udders in the spring- the udders appear to be full as they normally would in a pregnant mare, but they are not pregnant. One is the daughter of the other, so it must be genetic. I don't own either of these mares, and their owners don't do anything about it and it goes away by fall. I don't know if the vet told them not to worry about though, or if they are just cheap.

The upshot of all this is that if they were my horses I would call the vet and atleast describe it over the phone and see what she says.

Allie

[Mel]

Thanks guys--I will definately call the vet tomorrow. I am probably worried over nothing but you know how that goes!!