Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1969

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Animal Science

Abstract

A condition known as “foal heat" scours often develops in young foals during the mare's first estrum, which usually commences at nine days post-partum. Although death due to this affliction is rare, the results such as loss or hair around the anus, unthriftiness of the foals, foul odor in the stable area, and unsight1iness or the foals causes more than minor concern among horsemen. Severa1 causes for "foal heat" scours have been proposed by those familiar with the condition Among these theories are (1) changes in the composition of the milk, (2) overloading of the foal's digestive tract, (3) ingestion of genita1 discharge from the mare, and (4) others among which include contamination of the milk in the udder by bacteria. To date there have been no studies directed toward finding the cause or causes of 11foal heat" scours. While some investigations or mare's milk have been conducted, none were designed to study a possible relationship between the mare's nine day estrum and changes which might occur in the milk. This research was initiated to study possible changes in mares' milk composition at the nine day period and perhaps establish a milk composition change with respect to the “foa1 heat" scours condition.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Mares
Horses -- Diseases

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

50

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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