farmchick Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 $30 would buy a bag of feed that would last these poor girls a couple of days. :-? Imagine being this starving and still having to find something from within to feed the baby you will have with you for at least 6 months....... :evil: These poor mares are suffering because someone got too greedy. http://www.spca.org.nz/general/home.htm Thanks for looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danilada Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 GRRR that makes me angry :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I've never seen foals so small at this time of the year. Will contact the SPCA tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 That really sucks, but by the looks of it the place is pretty dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 That really sucks, but by the looks of it the place is pretty dry. It is very dry. The sad part is that some of these mares are at least 200kg underweight, feeding a foal AND are back in foal. The services fees for some of these babies would have been in the thousands but he cant afford to buy feed. The drought is hitting a lot of farmers very hard but care of your stock must be paramount. Either sell your stock to someone with the financial ability to keep them well fed or take the very hard stance of euthanasia. To me it would be the last resort but for the sake of the animals wellbeing, a bullet is quite often the best relief these poor horses could get. Nose down in a bucket of feed, they dont even know its coming. Im sure they would prefer this to living the life they currently are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted April 1, 2008 Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 As an experienced rider and past owner of mares in foal I know that if a mare is feeding a foal and in foal again, not only is her life at risk but also there will be some damage to the foal she is carrying. IMO you shouldn't have so much stock you can't feed them all in times of drought, you have to balance out the good years and the bad. Heavy stocking is no excuse and you certainly shouldn't be breeding horses if you don't have the grass and or the means to purchase adequate feed. Horses can survive on dry feed (grain etc) which may be expensive but you need to be prepared for it. (Right, now thats off my chest I'll move on!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted April 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Over 1/2 of these mares have now been euthanised due to their weak and compromised health. A few of the foals have also been put to rest as the lack of food and quaility milk have led to skeletal and structural deformities that wont allow a pain free existence. I hope they all now rest in peace and the few that have survived this mans greed find loving forever homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candy Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I sent them a couple of bags of feed and some hay. Hopefully others have aswell. Makes me sad to see this but glad the SPCA has now got it under controll. My 2 horses on the other hand could probaly do with a diet . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted April 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 good to hear Candy. I took a few bales of hay out there. None of my porkers will miss a couple. Mine have no idea what they have, stabled every night with a warm dinner, plenty of hay, a selection of rugs to choose from and feet done regularly. They occassionaly have to put up with the yucky tasting wormer but this is followed by treats and molasses! Its a shame, all people cant treat their animals as companions and friends and not just another fashionable appendage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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