The best way to give cloned foals a leg up is to make sure that an experienced veterinary team is present when the mare gives birth, according to a recent study.

Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, and her colleagues recently reviewed the medical records of cloned foals born between 2005 and 2008. They found that most foals did pretty well: Of 14 foals, 12 developed normally.

"We found that the foals did not suffer from the same problems seen in cloned calves or lambs, that is, they did not have problems with oversize, abnormal placentas or heart, lung, and kidney problems," said Hinrichs of Texas A&M University.

However, about half of the cloned foals had some difficulties at birth, including being weak or having crooked front legs or a large umbilicus. Two foals died, one of pneumonia and one after an anesthetic complication. The problems resolved with veterinary care in the rest of the sick foals, and they developed normally