This message is from: "Beaver Dam Farm" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hello Everybody from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia
On the 6th day of the 6th month of 2006, Holly had her foal -- We've named
him BDF XAVIER after the proud university in our hometown of Antigonish.
I've been keeping Holly out in the pasture as much as possible, and putting
her in the foaling stall just before dark. -- When I went out on Tuesday,
I didn't see her right away, and had a feeling she'd foaled. -- Then I
found them way over to the side of the pasture near the woods. -- His head
was clear, but the back legs still inside, so I left them alone and went
into the house to tell the interns and to call Kelly from her loft apartment
next to the big barn.
By the time we all got back to the pasture, he was trying to stand up, but
because he was on a hillside, and the grass was wet and slippery, he kept
tumbling further down the hill. We didn't want to interfere, so let him
keep trying, but eventually he tumbled into a pile of brush and rocks, and
by this time, it was pretty dark. Kelly then called Warrn up thinking that
big, strong, and young Warren could carry the foal back to the stable. But,
the colt was still to wet and slippery to accomplish that. So, then we got
a wool blanket and rolled him into it, and three interns strategically
placed on each side of the blanket (to prevent him spilling out) carried him
to the foaling box. -- Once inside he had much more success standing. ---
Holly had passed the placenta, and the colt had passed the meconium, now if
he would only nurse, we could all go to bed. But, this was a problem as
well. The colt fumbled around in all the wrong places and never could seem
to get it right. Holly was very patient, and kept nudging the little guy to
the teat, but the poor little bugger was just worn out. So, down he
flopped, and by now we were worried about him not getting the colostrum. We
milked about a cup of colostrum from Holly into a rubbermaid, and then used
a turkey baster to get it inside the baby. -- Xaveier didn't care for the
hard plastic turkey baster, so Kelly let him suck her fingers at the same
time inserting and squeezing the turkey baster. That way, he drank it all
down, and all of us went to bed.
By morning all was normal and fine. Xavier ("X") was nursing up a storm and
mother and baby were happy and well.
This morning (his second day) the weather was cold and rainy, about 50
degrees. -- I thought about leaving Holly and X in, but she wanted out in
the worst way, so they're out, and the colt is galloping circles around his
dam. -- What a joy, but I'm rather glad we're only having one this
ear. -- Next year will be a different story.
Best Regards, Carol Rivoire
Beaver Dam Farm Fjords II, Ltd.
Phone: 902-386-2304 Fax: 902-386-2149
URL: www.beaverdamfarm.com
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Raised by the Sea in Health and Tranquility"
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