Colostrum Powder

Need help bottle feeding a foal, anyone know any tricks that work?

He is a day 1/2 old, mom developed mastitis and is not producing hardly any milk... he did get colostrum in a sufficient amount (tested this am by vet) but not enough milk to make it on her own feeding him. I am supposed to be bottle feeding him as a supplement diet but he's fighting me every time, it's tough to even get 4 ounces down him. Anyone have any tricks to get this little guy to eat, I'm rapidly getting exhausted and so is he! HELP!

Public Comments

1. make a home made one like for a rabbit but bigger get a jar and stretch a baby nipple over it and hang it in the stall so it wont fall .Good luck!
2. Take an old plastic soda bottle and put a lamb nipple on it. Either have someone at his hindquarters or back him into a corner. Place your palm under his chin and the nipple to his mouth. If he doesn't suck, gently push it into the corner of his mouth so he can get a taste of the milk. He should pick it up in no time flat. Remember, feed him at least every 4 hours with nice warm milk replacer.
3. http://www.merricks.com/healthyfoal.html#tips I know one thing people do often is keep the foal's head too high up- natural nursing is with the foal's head either parallel to the ground or slightly tilted down. Good luck!
4. try a rubber glove with pinholes in the fingertips. Standby because it only feels natural if they can bump it with their head to get the milk to drop.
5. I was thinking that maybe you could try to put something that tastes sweet on the tit of the bottle..something like maple syrup or molasses. He might like the sweet taste.