From Conception to Birth: Feeding for Success

You’ve chosen the stallion, covered the vet bills, and now it’s a waiting game until your foal arrives. But there’s one crucial factor that can make all the difference in your mare’s health and your foal’s development: nutrition.

A well-planned feeding program not only supports your foal’s growth to its full potential, but also helps ensure your mare stays in condition to produce healthy foals for years to come.

Laying the Foundations: Before Conception

Preparation starts months before mating. Aim for a body condition score (CS) of 3–4 out of 5. The dietary needs of a dry mare are vastly different from those of a lactating mare being bred again, so knowing which category your mare falls into is key.

For mares in fair condition with good pasture, a concentrated feed such as Barastoc KER Stud Balancer may suffice. For lactating mares needing extra calories and nutrients, a complete feed like Barastoc Breed N Grow is better suited.

Feeding the Dry Mare: Trimesters Matter

A “dry mare” in early pregnancy can be fed much like another horse of equal weight at maintenance level, with the goal of maintaining condition. If pasture is plentiful, a vitamin and mineral supplement may be all that’s needed. Poor pasture, however, calls for a supplementary feed of 2–5kg/day to maintain nutritional balance.

Third Trimester: The Growth Surge

In the final three months of pregnancy, the foal’s weight doubles. The mare’s nutrient needs rise sharply:

Energy: +10–20%

Protein: +20–30%

Calcium: +70–80%

Phosphorus: +80–90%

Simply feeding “more” of the same ration won’t necessarily meet these increased demands, particularly for protein and minerals. Shortfalls can affect foal development, increase the risk of growth disorders like Developmental Orthopaedic Disease (DOD), and impact the mare’s future fertility.

Early Lactation: Feeding for Two

Once your foal is on the ground, your mare becomes a milk machine — producing up to 20 litres a day to fuel a foal growing 1–2kg daily. Her needs skyrocket:

Energy: 175% of maintenance

Protein: 220%

Calcium & Phosphorus: 270–280%

It’s almost impossible for her to eat enough to meet these requirements entirely, so she will draw on body reserves. This is why keeping her in good condition (CS 3.5–4) during late pregnancy is so important.

If you plan to rebreed her, excellent nutrition and good body condition can improve the odds of conceiving on the first cycle. Studies even show that nutrients like selenium can boost conception rates and stallion fertility.

Late Lactation: Stepping Down, But Not Too Far

From about three months post‑foaling until weaning, nutrient requirements remain elevated — around 150% of maintenance for energy and 160% for protein, calcium, and phosphorus. While these needs are lower than in early lactation, they’re still significantly higher than for a dry mare.

Separating wet and dry mares makes it easier to feed each group according to their specific needs, rather than averaging out rations — a practice that risks underfeeding one group and overfeeding the other.

A Long-term Investment

Feeding your pregnant and lactating mares correctly is more than just good management — it’s an investment in the health and performance of your future horses.

Working with an equine nutritionist to design a year‑round feeding program can help ensure every horse on your property gets the nutrients they need. This plan should consider your pasture quality and seasonal changes, the categories of horses in your care, and the most economical, practical ways to meet their requirements.

When it comes to breeding success, there’s no substitute for good nutrition — from conception right through to the moment your foal takes its first wobbly steps.

The information provided in this article is intended as a guide only. Information contained in this article has been provided by the manufacturer/ You should not rely on the information in this article, and it should not be considered advice. You should seek professional advice regarding relevant factors specific to your situation. This article does not take into account variable conditions that may impact performance. Always read and follow label directions before using any product in this article. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Combined Rural Traders Pty Limited and its related associated entities will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by any person arising out of any reliance on any information contained in this article.