Mare milk is the primary source of nutrients for neonatal foals and contains various carbohydrates. The primary carbohydrate is lactose, which is an important source of calories for foals. Milk also contains carbohydrates referred to as oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides are chemically and structurally more complex than lactose and are believed to be important in the gastrointestinal development of neonates. While it is known that these milk carbohydrates are important, we still do not fully understand how a mare’s diet affects the production of these carbohydrates or how the concentration of oligosaccharides in milk changes over time. To answer these questions, mares were fed either a high-sugar and starch feed or a low-sugar and starch feed in addition to hay and pasture. Milk samples were collected, and their carbohydrate content was measured during the first 3 wk after foaling. The highest concentrations of oligosaccharides in mare milk were observed on the first day after foaling and then decreased by 1 wk after foaling. The mares fed the high sugar and starch feed produced more milk and their milk was higher in carbohydrates compared with mares fed the low sugar and starch feed, demonstrating the importance of the diet for mare milk composition.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.