By: Dr Rosie Alcorn BVSc PG Cert VPS Cert AVP MRCVS
A practical, UK-focused guide to feeding orphaned foals - covering milk replacers, creep feed, and growth tips for healthy development from birth to 12 weeks.
Foal Milk Replacers:
Mare’s Milk Replacer (e.g. Mare-Lac by Dodson & Horrell, Nanut Foal by Ark Equine)
Creep Feeds:
Foal Creep Pellets (Nurture or Nurture Pro)
Forage:
High-quality hay or haylage
Access to clean, safe pasture
Supplements:
Vitamin and mineral balancer (e.g. Pegavite) if creep feed is not fully fortified
Essential for passive immunity transfer
If mare’s colostrum is unavailable, consider:
Commercial colostrum replacers (e.g. Ark Equine Colostrum)
Plasma transfusion (Duggan Vets now offer this service ✔)
Donor colostrum (some studs freeze surplus colostrum from other mares)
Administer 2–3 litres within the first 6 hours, divided into multiple feeds
Consult your vet regarding plasma administration – strongly recommended
Milk Replacer Only
Feed warmed mare’s milk replacer (37–38°C)
Use a bottle with a rubber teat – foals may prefer different types
Allow free access to forage
Age | % Body Weight (milk/day) | Est. Body Weight (kg) | Milk Volume/Day (L) | Feeds/Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0–3 days | 10–15% | 50–55 | 5–7.5 L | 12 |
4–7 days | 15–20% | 50 kg | 7.5–11 L | 10 |
2 weeks | 20-22% | 55-60 | 11-13 | 8 |
3 weeks | 20-22% | 60-65 | 12-14.3 | 6-8 |
4 weeks | 20% | 65-70 | 13-14 | 6 |
5-6 weeks | 18-20% | 70-80 | 13-16 | 4-6 |
7-8 weeks | 15-18% | 80-90 | 12-16 | 4 |
9-10 weeks | 12-15% | 90-100 | 11-15 | 3-4 |
11-12 weeks | 10-12% | 100-110 | 10-13 | 3 |
Milk Replacer: 8 feeds/day
Creep Feed: Hand-offer small amounts of pelleted creep feed
Forage: Introduce soft hay or haylage
Water: Fresh water should be available at all times
Probiotic: Add to milk or feed as needed
Milk Replacer: 6–8 feeds/day
Creep Feed: Gradually increase to 250–500g/day
Weight Monitoring: Target 1–1.5 kg/day growth
Continue forage provision
Milk Replacer: Reduce to 4–5 feeds/day (6–8L/day total)
Creep Feed: Increase to 0.5–1 kg/day based on size/appetite
Forage: Plays a more significant digestive role
Milk Replacer: Taper to 2–3 feeds/day, discontinuing entirely by week 10–12
Creep Feed: Maintain at 1–1.5 kg/day
Forage: Increase turnout time if available
Milk Weaning: Fully weaned off milk by week 12
Creep Feed: 1.5–2 kg/day
Supplementation: Add vitamin/mineral balancer if not included in feed
Growth Monitoring: Use weight tape or scale regularly
High-quality forage and pasture turnout remain essential
Nurture Pro is a brilliant option for foals, the low sugar and starch ensures that optimal growth rates are maintained whilst grass is abundant.
Sterilised milk buckets with teats (lamb/goat feeders work well; calf teats may be too large)
Feeding schedule should be clearly posted to avoid over/under-feeding
Clean thoroughly after each feed to prevent scours – baby sterilising solutions like Milton are effective
Body Condition & Weight Gain: Track for nutritional adequacy
Scours: Most common issue; requires immediate response
Hydration Status: Monitor closely
Socialisation: Provide a companion (e.g. a goat or calm pony) where possible for emotional development
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