At NRS only about 60 % of the foals are on the ground by 1 Dec. Dec tends to be the busiest foaling time at NRS... indicating how many mares are served in January. That's in a early year. We were foaling upwards of 50 mares in January. When I started I was told that January foals always had problems and it would be a busy month nursing sick foals and diificult deliveries. I guess the numbers of problematic ones are not really higher but they can be more intense. I put it down to the mare more than anything. with serving to come after that most seasons. even after the stallions had gone back north..[/QUOTE]
There does seem to be a trend to finish earlier and earlier each season. The problem we find with January & later foals is not so much sick foals but increase in incidence of contracted tendons which often leads to dystocia (difficult deliveries), and more time spent on getting such foals to be self sufficient ( splinting, drugs, confining, assistance standing and nursing). So that has something to do with the earlier finish. I also wonder if it's due in part to the cost of employing foaling staff to watch fewer foalings over a longer season being less economically viable. Hope that makes sense