XL Vets equine factsheets

With many new born animals, for example dairy calves, it would be common for them to be bucket reared on artificial milk powder. Orphan foals however benefit hugely from being reared by a foster mare, both in terms of behaviour and social development, as well as meeting their nutritional needs. In the early weeks of life foals feed very frequently and bucket, or bottle rearing a foal is very time consuming. In contrast, fostered foals can live a more normal life with their new mother; they benefit from feeding when they need to and being able to be turned out as part of a herd.