Nutritional Support of the Neonate
The healthy, full-term neonate is born with enough body fat and glycogen reserves to provide energy supply for approximately 12
■ TABLE 50.1
Milk Intake Requirements for a 50-kg Foal
| Body Weight in Milk/Day | Liters/Day | mL/2-Hour Feedings |
| 5% | 2.5 | 208 |
| 10% | 5 | 420 |
| 15% | 7.5 | 630 |
hours.
Premature or systemically compromised neonates (such as in-utero sepsis) may lack these minimal reserves, making them at increased risk for hypoglycemia, hypothermia, and organ dysfunction.While a healthy, normal foal ingests approximately 15% of its body weight in milk per day during the first few weeks of life (increasing to as much as 30% during the first month), the metabolic demand of a sick, recumbent neonate is likely closer to 5% to 10% (50 to 100 kcal/kg/day).23 Ten percent body weight in milk/day is typically adequate for growth and activity in neonatal calves. Neonatal small ruminants typically ingest between 10% and 15% of their body weight in milk per day. An example of a feeding schedule and volumes for a 50-kg foal can be found in Table 50.1.
A healthy average-size foal (50 kg) is expected to gain between 0.5 and 1 kg/day. Failure to gain weight can be a sign of an uncontrolled illness (such as a focus of infection) or the result of insufficient nutritional support.