Foaling season - let's re-hash the plasma issue

[Pav]

Now that it's foaling season, I wanted to get peoples' opinions on the administration of plasma to newborn foals to prevent rhodococcus pneumonia. It seems like common practice at CA farms, and I presume elsewhere too. However, I see there different farms have different policies... for example, some farms do it twice (once after birth and another time at about 1 month), and I've also seen guidlines for a single administration (at 1 month). I thought newborn foals receive their immunity from the mare's colostrum, so I not quite clear why you would administer it at birth. After doing some recent research on the issue, I am starting to question the efficacy of plasma administration, and whether there are better, more cost-effective approaches to addressing the rhodococcus issue. Here's a link to a research paper on the topic:

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=13809

Does anyone opinion's change if you foal out at stud farm, but board your horses at your own place? In this case, it seems like you can better track the health of your foal and any complications that may arise. Also, what about if you foal early in the season when dust is not as big of an issue?

By the way, when did it become standard practice to administer plasma to foals (my family bred horses over 20 years ago and I don't believe anyone did it back then)?

Any and all thoughts are appreciated.

Thx,
Pav

[griff]

I have the stallion station Vet administer a bag of plasma within the first week of birth and again at one month.. That does not guarantee the foal will not get rhodococus but if they do it will be a mild case..

I have a good friend that says the plasma is too expensive and he almost always has one or more to come down with rhodococus and the teatment is always more expensive than a bag of plasma.. Some, with treatment, do recover but he has a yearling filly that still has diarrhia and the Vet says some horses that experence rhodococus never get rid of the diarrhea. Not only that but I wonder if even the ones that recover might suffer some permanant damage..

In addition, I also vaccinate my mares for rodovirus at the 8th, 9th and 10th month of gestation as that is a another foal killer.

I pay about $300 for the Vet to admiister a bag of plasma and I adminsiter the rotovirus vaccine myself and believe it is good insurance when I consider mare care, stud fees, tranportation, foaling fees ets,; i.e., stud fees are due when a foal stands and nurses and then dies of rhodococus or rotovirus and most insurance only covers a foal AFTER the first month.

griff

[TrueColours]

I only administer plasma if the IgG score is less than 800 and in all cases - even if it is something close like 780 - the foal gets the plasma

When the scores are VERY low - like 400 - we plan on giving 2 bags instead over the course of a couple of days and then re-test the IgG levels after each bag

So far - *touch wood* - this method has worked well for us ...

[Sysonby]

I know the farm I board at in California administers plasma as a matter of course on the theory that it is cheap insurance. I've had several foals and have never--knock on wood--had a problem so I agree with their policy.

[drewsbadboy]

Our colt did not pass his IGg test (he only received a partial transfer) so we had the plasma administered when he was a day and a half old. Knock on wood he's been super healthy...this is our first foal and it surprised that as much as he nursed (and the mare did not seem to be leaking a lot of milk or colostrum before the birth) he did not pass the snap test. Guess his body did not absorb the colostrum like it should have. I'm happy we did the plasma though.

[tinners way]

Since we began using organic iodine as a supplement in the feed five years ago we have not had another case of pnuemonia. It is inexpensive and used to be a common additive in all feeds (not for human consumption). We have saved thousands.

[majxmom]

In 2008 I had 2 foals at different farms in CA. One did not have plasma, and was healthy when I picked him up. The other did have plasma, at a cost of $600, and was sick when I picked her up. The sick filly then gave the crud to the healthy colt. I gave them both SMZ. The colt got over it within days, and it did not recur. The filly that had received the plasma took months before she didn't have any snot. I think it is an utter waste of money and messing with nature. I can't demand that it not be given, because it is the farm's policy that ALL foals must receive it, since they have so many sick foals. I wish they would step back and think about the efficacy, but I'm afraid it is a money maker now.

[Pav]

I am actually of the understanding that it is policy (and "highly recommended"), but not required at the farm I am at. I should doublecheck.

Pav

[tinners way]

Once a farm has horses with rhodococcus pneumonia on it, they virtually have to plasma all the foals. Our farm has not had it, and where we foal our mares out has not had it, but I am convinced it is the result of the organic iodine present in the feed. Ask an older or retired vet about it. They will not confirm it works, but they will also not discourage the use.

This has only become a huge problem (and a huge money maker) since the addition of iodine was stopped as an feed ingredient.

[griff]

where do you get organic iodine?/

And was there a reason given for it ceasing to be an additie in horse
feed?/

Don't think I would skip the first bag of plasma but might feel better about skipping the second bag with something like this

griff

[tinners way]

We normally get it from Jeffers (jefferslivestock.com). I have read a couple of differing reports on why it was discontinued with the common reason that it was not good to be passed when animals were being raised for slaughter. Not sure why they took it out of horse feed, but you can make the assumption.

We add a little bit to the feed using corn oil, but I know a couple of farms that are having it added to their custom feed now as well. We keep the mares and foals on it for approximately 90 days.