Question

I have a six-month-old Thoroughbred that was recently weaned. It refuses to eat the majority of its home-mixed concentrate, which consists of oats, steam-flaked corn, beet pulp, and carrots. She picks out the carrots and eats them. What are some causes of poor appetite in recently weaned foals? How can I help this filly?

Answer

Poor appetite in just-weaned foals can be the result of several things. Weaning is a stressful time for foals, and most do well if they have companionship at this time. A companion can come in all forms—perhaps another weanling, or a mare-foal pair that the weanling is familiar with, or maybe a docile gelding or retired broodmare. Companionship nearly always relaxes a stressed foal. Watching another horse eat quietly might entice the weanling to do so as well.

The feed should be palatable. Most commercial feeds contain some molasses to make them appealing, but home-mixed rations often do not contain it. The weanling might find just one ingredient of the feed disagreeable. You can test this by taking out each ingredient  individually and recording if there’s a response in its appetite. For instance, a weanling might take some time to get used to a feed that includes beet pulp.

Adding milk replacer will often help palatability, and the powder is usually a good source of essential amino acids. As mentioned previously, a bit more molasses might help, too. Backing off feed is one reason nutritionists recommend that foals become accustomed to the postweaning feed while they are still nursing their dams. This reduces the dietary changes involved in weaning and likely staves off post-weaning growth slumps.

Gastric ulcers are a common problem in weanlings, and they can be treated with omeprazole pastes. Once the ulcers are healed, a daily preventive can be given. Feeding ad libitum lucerne (alfalfa) will also keep ulcers from forming. Be sure to work with a nutritionist to make sure the remainder of the diet is balanced for this type of forage.

Though parasites usually do not affect appetite, you should review your deworming program with a veterinarian. A deworming treatment for a 250-kg (550-lb) horse would be appropriate at this time if it’s time for the foal to be dewormed.

Some diseases have no other outward signs. The one that comes to mind is rattles or Rhodococcus lung infection. A blood test or chest scan can help diagnose this subclinical condition.

These are but a few recommendations. By working with your veterinarian and nutritionist, I feel confident you can get this filly back on track.