CenPAK Meeting (Central Pacific Al Khamsa) 20 September 1997 at Diane Lyons' in Dallas ELECTIONS!!

         Hi! Hope everyone had a good summer. We're all set to get started with meetings again, and elections will be held this meeting. Don't forget that CenPAK now has an annual dues of $10 which gives you a newsletters for the entire year AND you will have your name, address and a sentence about your breeding program on the Internet. That's right! CenPAK is now on the World Wide Web!! Special thanks go to Rosemary Doyle and Carol Lyons for all their work in getting this set up. We have some pictures of members showing at the recent Crabbet show, and a page listing all members, and you can have a link going to your own home page. If you would like to be a member of CenPAK, get your name on the Web, and continue to receive newsletters, please send $10 to Brian Osborn, our treasurer. Checks can be made out to "CenPAK or Brian Osborn". Brian's address is at the end of the newsletter. Check out Al Khamsa at: http://www.atanda.com/alkhamsa

         Information from the article: "Feeding Youngsters" by Karen Briggs, as published in 'The Horse, - Your Guide to Equine Health Care", May, 1997 (contributed by Carol Lyons)

         A few facts to consider: Colostrum - the first milk from the mare is the essential source of antibodies. The foal can only absorb colostrum within 12 to 16 hours after birth. (Breeders should keep several baby bottles of colostrum in the freezer. Do not thaw in the microwave! Thaw under warm running water.) Foals will take between 3 to 5 quarts of milk within the 1st 12 hours of life.

         Test for IgG (antibodies) when the foal is 6 to 18 hours old. The reading should be at least 400, and preferably 800. An IV IgG supplement can be given by your Vet if need be.

         Mares can produce up to 35 to 40 lb. (up to 4 gallons) of milk per day by 6 weeks post foaling, but some only produce half that amount. Quantity is based on the mare's inherited milk producing ability, whether or not it is a first foal, and on the nutrition she receives. Milk production peeks between 6 to 10 weeks, then declines in quantity and quality. The amount of trace minerals in the milk which are essential to foal growth drop by 50% between 1st and 3rd months post foaling.

         The unborn foal stores minerals in its liver: calcium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, iron and zinc, etc. They are essential to normal growth, but the supply lasts only about 4 to 10 weeks - depending on the mare's nutrition during the last few months of gestation. After the minerals are depleted, growth will be limited, even stunted without proper supplemental feed.

         Foals with steady growth rate AND correct mineral and adequate protein are less apt to develop bone & growth abnormalities -developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) - such as physitis, contracted tendons, some club feet, osteochondrosis, etc. which are largely nutritional.

         Foals can't completely digest plant fiber until about 3 months. Hay must be young, green, leafy and fine stemmed for growing foals. Milk-based protein supplements are better utilized by foals than plant based supplements such as alfalfa or soybean meal. Foals should be wormed on a monthly schedule until they are a year old. To be continued..... next time

         For Joan DeVour: a black-bay Blue Star colt by Mnahi Shoboni out of ASF Fashti named 'Sir Adandy' (pending)

         For Marge Smith: 2 chestnut colts by Pal Ara Sensation - each complete with flaxen manes. PalAra Ace High (pending) straight Davenport -out of Lady Luck, PalAra Teako (pending) 7/8 Arab by Sensation and a grey Davenport filly, named Pal Ara Lily, out of Gamblin Lady by Resolute CHF.

         Joan DeVour and Marge Smiths' Egyptian mare, Jamala Nasulla had a chestnut colt, Nabiels Flame, with flax mane by PalAra Sensation.

         Looks like Sensation is going to sire light chestnut Arabs with the flax manes & tails that allow for double registration in the Palomino registry.

         For Carol Lyons: Al Faid LD (pending) grey Davenport colt by Audobon x GH Janet, and Hala ElKrush LD (pending) a grey Davenport filly by Wotan out of Katy OKrush LD

         For Diane Lyons: Opal Stone DL (pending) grey Davenport filly by Sportin Life out of Sunstone, and an unnamed bay Davenport filly by Wotan out of Chrysalis DL

         For Carol Tummonds: DC Sweet Grace, bay filly by Frankinsence CF x Bathsheba LD

         For Harold & Joanne Jeans: colt by An Monsanto and a filly (no details were given to me)

         For Jackie Wilson: Gabriels Rodan, a liver chestnut colt (with possible flax mane & tail) out of Monsanto Glory by Juans Rulastra

         For Janet Chiesna: JV Qirfa Moniet (Ibn Amaana Moniet x HIA Serah) a beautiful gray Straight Egyptian filly born on Mother's Day. JV Black Knight (GC Sahar Zaraq x Echos Golden Song) a gorgeous jet black non Al Khamsa colt born June 26th. His only white is a tiny crown shaped "star", hence the name selection. Both are reluctantly for sale.

         The meeting will begin at 11 on Saturday the 20th, bring a dish for the pot luck lunch.

         Every one is welcome. You don't need to have an Al Khamsa horse - just be interested in learning more about them.

         For directions, contact Diane Lyons at DesrtLily@aol.com or Carol Lyons at CLyons@teleport.com

         Looking forward to meeting you!