WATER-CONSUMPTION FOR DRINKING OF FOALS DURING WEANING

In nine six-month-old foals of the Kladruby Black horse, the foals' reaction to weaning was evaluated. The possibilities of dehydration and ion concentration changes were studied. During the first drinking of foals, 4 hours after weaning, the consumption of water was significantly lowered to mere 7 per cent of the normal consumption in other days of the evening drinking. The variability of consumption was three to four times higher (95.6 per cent) at the first drinking. The significantly lower consumption of water at first drinkling suggests that there was some relation with the type of nervous system of the foals. 16 hours post weaning, the drinking water consumption was normal again. Mean daily consumption was then 10.4 litres: 43.4 per cent being drunk in the morning, 19.4 per cent at midday and 37.2 per cent in the evening. At the average foal's weight of 280 kg, water consumption was 3.7 litres per 100 kg; this was less than in adult horses.