Happy Thursday!
We have an exciting post for you today. Dr. Ernie Martinez has written a piece detailing the steps taken at Lane’s End in preparation for foaling. It’s a great example of how Lane’s End leaves nothing to chance. You can follow Dr. Martinez on twitter at @emartinezdvm.
Alys also sent us some great photos of Zenyatta’s first colt playing in the snow.
Enjoy!
-Team Z
Enjoying Late Pregnancy & Preparing for Foaling
By Ernie Martinez II. DVM from Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
As Zenyatta approaches the end of her second pregnancy, we begin to prepare for the arrival of Little 13Z. Very little will change from her daily routine. She will continue to be fed and checked by farm staff twice a day. They will begin to closely monitor her for any signs of premature labor. These might include early udder development or an abnormal vaginal discharge. Thankfully, Queen Z has strided through this pregnancy like a champ and everything has been very routine.
In the last trimester we vaccinate her with a three shot series of vaccinations for Rotaviral diarrhea. This can be a very life threatening diarrhea when acquired in the neonatal stage, and we do all we can try to prevent this disease or at best minimize the severity of any clinical signs. All farm mares receive this series of vaccinations, and we have had very healthy newborn foal crops for some time.
When Queen Z has one month to go we will give her annual series of booster vaccinations. This serves two purposes. First, we provide Queen Z with her annual booster of vaccinations for protection against Equine Herpes Virus 4&1, Eastern-Western Encephalitides, West Nile, Influenza, Rabies & Botulism. Second, and most importantly, by vaccinating her one month before to foaling we will booster the volume and quality of antibodies in her colostrum. Newborn foals are born immunologically naive and must consume and absorb the antibodies from colostrum for their initial immune protection. When 13Z is born we will test her colostrum to insure it is of high quality. If it were to be low, we will give the new foal a pint of colostrum from our colostrum bank. When 13Z is between ten to twelve hours old we will test a blood sample to determine the IgG, or antibody, level. We want all our foals to be above 800 mg/dL. Greater than 1200 mg/dL would be off the charts and even better!
As the foaling date draws nearer, Zenyatta will be brought up to the foaling barn where she will stay until she foals. In the foaling barn she will be under 24 hour surveillance as we patiently wait for her to foal. As she gets closer to foaling, or parturition, her udder will start to develop and the teats will fill. The classic sign that foaling is near is the production of wax or “waxing up.” This is a sebaceous-like pre-colostral secretion that in most cases means foaling is imminent.
Two weeks before Queen Z’s due date we will sample and test her blood for neonatal isoerythrolysis, or NI. We call it an NI Screen. NI occurs when the foal ingests colostrum from the mare with antibodies that react with the foals red blood cells (RBCs). The antibodies are produced by the mare due to transplacental hemorrhage in late gestation. The mare’s immune system identifies the RBCs as foreign because they contain stallion DNA. If the foal were to consume NI antibodies in the colostrum the foal’s RBCs would be coated in the maternal antibodies and cleared by the foal’s immune system, causing a hemolytic anemia. The foal would crash in respiratory distress as it would have no RBCs to carry oxygen. Thankfully, the NI screen allows us to detect NI positive mares. In a positive case we would muzzle the foal and supplement it with tested negative colostrum until the antibodies were cleared from the mares milk. This normally takes 10–12 hours.
So when she draws close to foaling time we will have done all we can do to insure that her colostrum will be top quality, we will have screened her colostrum for NI and we’ve made an easier pathway for the birth of 13Z. Now all we can do is wait.
See you at the Foaling Barn!
Lisa in Colorado
Beautiful pictures and great information. Thank you so much.
Mary - Lynchburg, Virginia
I love seeing those ears. You know who 12Z belongs to….so cute. Thank you for the great post….very interesting. Now as you say….we wait. Thanks once again to Ann and Jerry for sharing Z and her colt with us. You are the best owners ever!!! I cannot wait to see the pictures of you all with Z, 12Z, and 13Z. I love seeing Ann with Zenyatta…..the bond between them is heart warming.
Linda Shull
Great Information. Can hardly wait for the birthing. Will the Moss’s be at this one as well???
Kathy
Thank you Dr. Martinez for educating us. Thank you all of Lane’s End for taking such magnificent care of our precious Zenny. Wonderful pictures, Alys!
Jan S. / Houston
Thanks Dr. Martinez for the very interesting information. And Ayls, your pictures as always are exquisite. 12 Z looks wonderful & I love that bum. ;-);-)
Yes, let the pacing begin. Love & Kisses coming your way Zenny.
xoxo.
Allen
12Z is just like Zenny, always has his eye on the camera and those ears. Should be about two weeks before 13Z makes his or her entrance. Thanks for the great information and pictures. As always Thanks to Jerry, Ann, and Team Z for the great care and attention given to our Queen, and for allowing us to be a part of it. Hope you have a great day Zenny.
Louise Castello
Thank you for the interesting information Dr. Martinez and the beautiful pictures Alys. Z12 looks so good! He is just gorgeous. Pacing for days!
Jeanne Sutton
Dr Martinez, thanks so much! Wow, that was really interesting!!!
Mandy
Let’s see how do i know which is Zenyatta’s son……………could it be the ears!!!!
♥ Love Auntie Judy aka JAG / So. Calif.
♥ p.s. Zenny, I’m hoping for a pink blanket :-) – on a gray filly would be just TOO CUTE
Love, Auntie Judy
Mary in Boone
Thank you, Dr. Martinez, for the excellent information presented in such an understandable format. Thank you, Alys, for the great pictures of our Prinz. I still say, I could pick those ears out of any line-up. He looks so healthy, happy, and scampish. Thank you Team Lane’s End for the loving care you give our Queen. Last, but certainly not least, thank you Team Zenyatta for letting all us godmother and godfathers be a part of it all.
Let the physical pacing begin. My mental pacing began in February.
Take care, Zenyatta. We love you so. May you feel our love and prayers surround you, Z13, and Our Prinz Z12.
Love to all,
Mary
Shari Voltz / Ohio
Wow that is all very amazing and educational. I did not realize all that goes into foaling. I am so glad Zenyatta is there where she will have the best care. Thank you for the pictures of Baby Z. I know that he is not a Baby anymore but that is how the children know him. God Bless our Queen, BabyZ and all of you at Lane’s End. Love Mrs. Voltz and Homeroom 215-217
Perky Green
In your article you referred to Z13 as a she I hope you are so right on. I would love to see a beautiful gray filly. The photos of Z12 are fabuloso, I swear I can see sparks in his eyes. What a guy he is going to be.
judy berube from Rhode Island
Dear Lane’s End Team and Z Team:
Thank you so much for these wonderful photos of The Prince and for the informative commentary on preparations for foaling. It’s great to know how much loving care Z is getting at LE. Thank you for that and for letting us be a part of it all. Hugs, JB
beaglelady
I just love these posts–thank you!
Long Time Z Supporter
Hope we will see videos and pics of The Mosses again with Zenny. Last time, I was sent an email when Z12 was born. So excited! Thank you for this great info.
Sue Fredrick- Starting to pace
Wow, our EARnie is one handsome “Dude” isn’t he. I think he is the leader of the pack and that bodes well for his racing career. What a treat it is to have the Mosses, the Z team and Lanes End sharing info on our glorious “Zenny”, this is unprecedented in the racing world, to get information like this on retired broodmares! We are eternally GRATEFUL to you all for letting us share her life.
I’m rooting for March 24th, Zenny, I’d love to share a birthday with your newest baby, I missed EARNie by 16 days.
Love you big Mama and that feisty big guy too, also sweet #13. Auntie Sue
Karen Forehand
Still anxiously waiting to hear what 12z papered name will be. Great info on the preparation for 13z to arrive. I lost a 2week old colt to botulism. He was born in the midst of the West Niles epidemic and our vet was overloaded with calls(2 friends lost horses to West Niles). He totally forgot to remind us about the botulism vaccine. Horrible disease that I never want to live thru again.
Thank you Jerry and Ann for continuing to share Zenyatta and her babies with us.
judy berube from Rhode Island
Dear Karen:
Sorry you lost your little two week old foal. Terrible disease. Hugs, JB
Perky Green
As I look at Z12 I can’t help but wonder, does he still make the squeeling sounds he made when he was younger. He would run around just making these sweet little squeeling sounds. Maybe Ayls could help me with this one. At any rate Thank-you in advance
Barbara Wood (Texas)
Just loved those. I will never forget his bucking and snorting like a little piggy. Too cute.
Paula Higgins
Dr. Martinez and Lane’s End thank you so much for a very informative entry! Really excellent and I sure didn’t know that it was as involved as this. Clearly, the Queen is getting top notch care.
Amy
Thanks for the update. Can’t wait to see if the Queen has a filly or colt this year. Sure am hoping for a grey baby too with Tapit as the daddy.
Beverly
Great information and thanks so much. Love Zenny so much….
Delrene in Carlsbad, Ca
Thanks to all at Lane’s End for all this interesting information on the foaling experience and preventative care. Zenyatta is in the very best of care.
Wonderful photos this morning of Z-12. Maybe on his birthday we will get the surprise we have all been waiting for…… His official thoroughbred name. I can wish, can’t I?
Always so thrilled to be part of the Z-experience.
Thanks to all.
sharon in seattle
a year already!! holy cow!! and now it’s time for Z13! Alys’ pictures are gorgeous – what a treat to see Z12 rompin’ and stompin’ — he must be quite the character!! Here’s to happy foaling and happy, healthy foals to ALL.
Abigail_1849
Good afternoon Dumplings!
It’s a cold, colourless day here in Montreal but finding a new post here at Zenny’s Place brought out the sunshine in my heart. Can’t quite get over how much Z-12 looks like his mama! Like Auntie Judy, I scanned the photos thinking it was Zenny until I realized that there was no tummy and that Z-12 plays rough.
Thank you Alys, Team LE and especially Dr. Martinez for this fabulous article — readable and clear and written in the discourse of a TRUE Zen fan, i.e. “Queen Z.” I learned things that I honestly didn’t know before and found the whole text absolutely fascinating.
I can hardly wait to hear about the arrival of Z-13 and loved the wishful thinking of one Dumpling (above) that she might wait until April 1st! That really was TOO CUTE. Nor did I catch Dr. Martinez’s use of “she” in reference to our new arrival, as another Dumpling did. And will “she” be a grey? That will be exciting to observe, unless “she’s” born grey which, as I understand it, is unlikely unless Zenny were grey as well.
Did you (all) realize that ALL grey thoroughbreds can be traced back to a single ancestor? I learned about that when I was writing an early article for THE VAULT about Black Tie Affair. Here’s an abbreviated version:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2296131.stm
And although many “Emeritus Dumplings” already read it, here’s the article on Black Tie Affair that includes a more detailed look at the grey thoroughbred, including what governs whether or not an offspring will be a grey, as well as a look at one of my HUGE favourites, The Tetrarch:
http://thevaulthorseracing.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/black-tie-affair-for-michael-blowen/
And here’s another shorter bit on The Tetrarch:
http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument?id=854
Hoping some of the above is fun stuff, sending kisses to my Big Girl and the Prince, as well as love & hugs to all…..
judy berube from Rhode Island
Dear Abigail:
Thanks for this great post and links. Hugs, JB
Celeste_in_TX
Still love to read your blog on The Tetrarch and Black Tie Affair. Thank you for bringing it back to us!!
Karen Lawrence
I believe the “her” they were referring to was Zenyatta’s colostrum not 13Z’s.
Thanks for the Up-Date, can’t believe the time is drawing near. Prayers that all goes well for Z and 13Z and we can watch him/her grow up just like 12Z. Thank you.
PatB from NM
That’s what I thought too!
Brenda S., Fort Erie, Canada
Many thanks for this update on Zenny and 12Z, it’s a treat to know that they both enjoy playing in the snow. I wonder if Mr and Mrs Moss have their bags packed yet and are ready to head off to Kentucky. I think that this year they should order all their meals delivered and wait until 13Z is on the ground before they go out to eat.
Abigail_1849
Brenda! How ARE you????? Miss our chats but wanted you to know it’s been a rough year for me. I lost another close friend to cancer in January and still another has had an absolutely terrible stroke. But I’ll write you soon. Sending you love & hugs.
Ingrid Arnone
Thank you so much for the info, the photos of 12z are beautiful like always! From now on pace pace and paceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!
The Kennedys in San Diego
Thank you for the very informative piece. And what a thrill to see The Prince playing in the snow — a truly gorgeous boy.
sue and tony
Dr. Martinez, thank you for a very detailed description of what happens in the time right before foaling. We grinned from ear to ear reading how you refer to our Zenny asThe Queen. Indeed she is and we love how everyone sees her as royalty.
Alys, the pictures are fabulous. And, to the Mosses, you have us spoiled and very grateful for giving us this site so we can continue to follow our beloved Zenny and her offspring.