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March 17, 2009
Gestation Time for Mule and Donkey Foals
So your mare or jennet is bred to the best jack around, and you are eagerly awaiting the arrival of that precious baby soon. Momma's belly is getting as wide as a barge. But when will she have her baby?
If you know the date your mare or jennet was bred, it's a little easier to calculate. Mares have an average gestation time of 340 days or approximately 11 months, though some people have reported that when a mare is carrying a mule foal she may go a week or two longer.
Here is a handy charge for calculating when your mare should be due:
Horse Mare Gestation Calculation Chart
| Date Bred | Date Due (Next Year) | Date Bred | Date Due | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | December 6 | July 9 | June 13 | |
| January 10 | December 15 | July 18 | June 22 | |
| January 19 | December 24 | July 27 | July 1 | |
| January 28 | January 2 | August 5 | July 10 | |
| February 6 | January 11 | August 14 | July 19 | |
| February 15 | January 20 | August 23 | July 28 | |
| February 24 | January 29 | September 1 | August 6 | |
| March 5 | February 7 | September 10 | August 15 | |
| March 14 | February 16 | September 19 | August 24 | |
| March 23 | February 25 | September 27 | September 1 | |
| April 1 | March 6 | October 4 | September 8 | |
| April 10 | March 15 | October 9 | September 13 | |
| April 19 | March 24 | October 16 | September 20 | |
| April 28 | April 2 | October 25 | September 29 | |
| May 7 | April 11 | November 3 | October 8 | |
| May 16 | April 20 | November 12 | October 17 | |
| May 25 | April 29 | November 21 | October 26 | |
| June 3 | May 8 | November 30 | November 4 | |
| June 12 | May 17 | December 9 | November 13 | |
| June 21 | May 26 | December 18 | November 22 | |
| June 30 | June 4 | December 27 | December 1 |
Donkey jennets have an average gestation of 365 days or 12 months, though there have been occasional cases of a donkey giving birth to a healthy foal as early as 10 1/2 months or as late as 14 1/2 months from her last breeding date. That makes it easy to calculate the jennet's due date - just write down what date she was bred, then look for a new baby the same time next year (give or take a week or two).
If your mare or jennet goes more than 2 or 3 weeks overdue, it is good to consult your vet, and maybe have him check her to make sure things are still going as they should.
And always keep a close eye on them when they are nearing their due date. If at all possible, you want to be able to monitor the mare or jennet when she goes into labor, so that you can get help fast if she has complications and needs assistance to get her baby out.
Kristie Jorgensen
LongearsMall.com
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Posted by Kristie Jorgensen at March 17, 2009 06:02 AM