Foaling Watch Update: April 5, 2025
🔹 Quick Status Overview 🔹
🐴 My Audubon – Day 338 – Milk calcium has started to climb, now just above 50 ppm, but pH remains well over 7.0. These numbers suggest we’re still more than 24 hours out, but things are moving in the right direction. Audi remains comfortable and is resting well overnight. Edema in her hind legs continues and was treated with cold hosing today.
🧪 Audi’s Milk Chemistry: A Subtle Shift
Today’s milk test revealed a slight but encouraging change in Audi’s body:
Calcium: Just over 50 ppm
pH: Still above 7.0
This means foaling is not expected in the next 24 hours, but her body is continuing to prepare.
📸 The image above shows a side-by-side comparison of Audi’s milk test on Day 336 (left) and today, Day 338 (right). You can clearly see the calcium shift: the Day 338 sample has turned blue, indicating it reached the reaction point in the calcium titration test. The number of drops used to reach that blue color correlates to the ppm (parts per million) of calcium in her milk.
🟣 Meanwhile, the pH strip still reads above 7.0, which is consistent with mares who are not yet within the 12–24 hour pre-foaling window.
📌 Quick refresher for new members:
Calcium typically climbs above 200 ppm just before foaling, and
pH drops below 6.4 as the body prepares for labor.
Audi isn’t quite there yet, but she’s trending in the right direction.
💤 Overnight Report: Still Comfortable
The overnight watch team observed no major changes. Their note from last night (April 4 into 5) read:
“She laid down the same amount as the previous night, still nice and comfortable! No concerns to report. I’m signing off now.”
It’s exactly what we like to hear—comfort, consistency, and rest as she nears her due date.
🧊 Managing Edema
Audi continues to carry significant edema in her hind legs, which is very common in late pregnancy due to increased pressure and circulatory changes. The team provided some relief today with gentle cold hosing, helping reduce inflammation and encourage drainage.
🌧️ Rain, Rain... Enough Already
The unrelenting rain in Central Kentucky has made it hard to maintain outdoor routines for the foals. The HHS team joked today that they’re about one downpour away from building an ark.
The forecast calls for rain through Sunday, then finally a break—but with it comes a new challenge: temperatures dropping below freezing on Monday and Tuesday nights. While not dangerous for the mares, these cold snaps can complicate turnout plans and recovery time for young foals like Ditto.
The team continues to adapt schedules daily to balance turnout, respiratory health, and foal comfort.
