Do you like it with the lights on or lights off?

Have had mares under lights for 6 weeks, rugged and feed well.
Is it really worth it? is having an early foal that much more of a benefit?

yes if your selling
we do it for mares coming off the track (the lights)

feeding is very important, rugging is either way - cold doesnt worry them too much if they have the feed

In theory I think it's a good idea to get an early jump...getting the dry mares PTIF and out of the way early in the year obviously gives you more time to spend on those foal at foot old bats that give you grief later in the season.
When those under lights mares foal down early though, I reckon it is a good idea to try & stable them, especially at night and definitely so in bad weather. I think you have to make sure that the resultant foal doesn't get exposed to the last licks of the Winter cold because if you get a sustained really cold/cold/very cool Spring...and that does happen from time to time and more often in some areas than others...then I think you've wasted your time. Your nice early foal will spend all the energy from the food it takes in for the first 4 -6-8 weeks of its life just trying to keep warm rather than growing.

+ the early start might give that extra breeding cycle that is the difference between a foal and empty

Thanks guy's, I just got the power back.

No good serving a mare till the grass seed's light's is mucking around with nature you can't serve until Oct any way so are you that far ahead

http://www.harnessracingforum.com/im...cons/icon3.png Do you like it with the lights on or lights off?

I cannot believe that nobody has commented about the original title of this thread . Had to look just to see what "justdoit" was talking about !

http://image.spreadshirt.com/image-s...lights-off.png http://img.oo.com.au/prod/HMHCGLSNOS/1t120.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Hando

No good serving a mare till the grass seed's light's is mucking around with nature you can't serve until Oct any way so are you that far ahead

Peppertree are sending semen out from the 14th of september.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mango

Peppertree are sending semen out from the 14th of september.

I saw the same thing in the promotional material. Is that for NZ breeders not Aus ? as I thought 1st October in Aus ?

I've been informed it's for Aus as well.