For information on pasture management, see your local Extension agent. Many producers have tried to dilute the effects of fescue by overseeding with clover and feeding grain. However, a study at Clemson University reported a high rate of foal deaths when mares on fescue pasture were receiving 50 percent of their energy from supplemental feed. Mares only produce the antibody rich colostrum during the first 24-48 hours after foaling. If the mare has no milk or little milk with little or no colostrum, the foal must have colostrum collected from another mare or a plasma transfusion.
Time is critical.
However, they are only accurate 18-24 hours after birth. To guard against FPT, collect colostrum from mares that have normal births and adequate colostrum. Six to eight ounces of colostrum can be collected from a mare and frozen in locking plastic bags. When the colostrum is needed, it should be defrosted slowly in a warm water bath. These solutions increase the cost of raising horses for many producers, but, if endophyte infections are present, they must be considered.