Horse Protein Natural Supplements, Foal Milk Replacers, Feeding Horses, Orphan Foals

The old sailors saying ‘water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink’ rings too true after the devastation of the recent floods in Queensland and Northern New South Wales.  While we usually welcome the rain to fill dams and water pastures and crops, too much water can severely compromise the availability and quality of food and water resources and have detrimental effects on equine health.   The following information will help you to decrease your horses’ risk of post-flood disease and loss of condition.

Drinking water
Dams, ponds and water troughs that were submerged during the floods may be contaminated with chemical run-off, agricultural toxins and debris.  Check your horses’ water sources thoroughly to make sure that they are safe before allowing horses to drink from them.  Muddy, brackish water and water containing debris, especially old chemical containers, should be avoided and fresh drinking water should be provided in clean buckets until the original water source has been cleared for animal consumption.

Pasture Availability & Quality
After flooding and being churned up with debris, pastures are often not suitable for grazing for quite some time.  Additionally, grasses growing on flooded pasture have often been leached of essential nutrients, making them significantly less nutritious than they previously were.  This may leave you relying on hay and premixed feeds to supply the bulk feed and nutrition that your horse requires and can be quite costly.   Supplementing your horses’ diet with protein and vitamin concentrates will help to prevent loss of condition and will promote recovery from stress and injury that may have occurred during the floods.  ePro® Topline Xtra  contains essential amino acids and omega-3 & 6 fatty acids to support  cellular repair and immune function.

Debris
One of the most devastating effects of the floods is the homes, properties and natural resources that have been destroyed from the force and volume of the water.  As a result of this, many pastures have been littered with rubbish, chemical waste containers, trees and wreckage that can be extremely dangerous for your horse.  Chewing on plastic bags and other waste can cause colic, while the wreckage of destroyed buildings can litter paddocks with nails, large splinters and glass which can easily cause hoof punctures and body wounds.  It is essential to check your paddock and clear it of all debris.  If the area is too large, clear it in stages, fencing horses off from unclean areas.

Hooves
With many wet days prior to the floods and the time taken for flood waters to recede, horses in QLD & NSW have been standing on wet or damp ground for quite a long time.  This significantly increases the risk of hoof and foot infections such as white line disease and greasy heel, while the softening of hooves in the wet conditions makes them much more susceptible to bruising of the sole which may lead to abscesses.  Using a high quality protein supplement such as ePro® Total Performance Xtra will encourage healthy hoof growth, strengthening the walls and soles and helping to grow out damaged hooves .

Parasites
The pooling of water in usually dry areas significantly increases the breeding habitats for mosquitoes.  After flooding there is often a steep rise in the mosquito populations, causing serious discomfort and irritation to horses and exacerbating Queensland Itch.   To help your horse repel the mosquitoes and repair damaged skin, without having to use harsh and sometimes painful and burning external treatments, add 15 – 30 grams of ePro® Garlic Xtra to his feed each day.

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the flooding.  ePro® Equine Professional is committed to improving your horses health and performance and we encourage you to contact us if you need any information on helping your horse to recover.

  

Garlic, Allium sativum, is one of the few herbs that are internationally recognised for their medicinal properties.  Garlic is a member of the onion family and is one of nature’s most versatile plants, when included in the horses’ diet it can have a huge range of beneficial effects including: internal and external parasite control, improved immune function, reduced joint pain and inflammation and improved appetite.

The 2 active components in garlic are Allicin and Aloene.  Allicin is the component responsible for giving garlic its potent characteristic smell, it is an enzyme that assists in attacking and destroying bacteria and viruses, in fact the antibiotic and anti-viral action of one medium sized clove of garlic can equal the antibacterial action of a 1% penicillin solution.  Allicin also stimulates the horses’ natural immune system by increasing the activity of T-helper cells which are central to the activity of the entire immune system.  Aloene promotes the production of detoxifying enzymes in the liver, helping to destroy environmental toxins and thinning the blood to reduce blood pressure and bruising.  Aloene also assists in reducing fat levels in the blood, making it very useful in the treatment of Hyperlipidaemia.

Garlic is also a rich source of: vitamins A & C and selenium - powerful anti-oxidants which protect cell membranes and DNA from free-radical damage; B complex vitamins – essential for energy production; and sulphur – repels insects and is a major component in the formation of cartilage, tendons and ligaments which aids in making cells more flexible, removing toxins and increasing nutrient supply.

Garlic is effective in controlling internal and external parasites through two different actions.  In the gastrointestinal tract, the sulphur in garlic can block the receptor sites on the mucous membrane surface so that the parasite is unable to attach to it and is flushed out of the body.  On the skin surface, the potent smelling Allicin which is released through the horses sweat repels flying and biting insects, reducing skin irritation from bites and assisting in the treatment of insect related dermatitis such as Queensland Itch.

When feeding garlic there are two major factors that must be taken into consideration.

1. The active ingredient Allicin only becomes active on contact with air.  This means that freeze dried garlic granules are not the most potent form of garlic available.  Using a garlic additive that includes pure garlic oil, such as ePro® Garlic Xtra, ensures the highest levels of Allicin strongest health benefits.
2. Excessive use of garlic in the horses’ diet may stress the liver and cause anaemia (low blood iron levels), therefore recommended dosage rates should never be exceeded.

Garlic is truly one of natures all round power herbs and its multitude of health promoting properties make it a beneficial inclusion in the diet of all horses.

ePro® Garlic Xtra minpacks are usually 2 for $10, now you get 3 for  $10, giving a small horse (under 500kg) 48 days and a large horse 24 days dosage!

With the huge range of equine dietary supplements on the market today how can you make sure that you are using the right supplement for you and your horses’ needs?   When choosing a supplement it is essential to consider the following factors:

What do you want the supplement to do?
Think clearly about what you want to achieve from your horse.  Do you want to build muscle, improve coat condition, increase energy, improve joint health or improve the temperament?  Do you want to do all of these things or only a few?  Different supplements provide unique nutrient combinations that work on specific body systems, by being clear about what you want to achieve you are better able to select the supplement with the right nutrient profile to get the results you desire.

How is the supplement used?
Always read the instructions on the supplement packaging before you buy it.  Check the manufacturer recommendation for feeding the supplement and consider how this suits your feeding regime and your horse.  Is the supplement added into feed or syringed over the tongue?  Must it be fed directly before or after exercise?  Should it be used continuously or over a treatment interval?  All of these things must be considered when choosing a supplement in order to ensure maximum supplement efficacy and value for money.

Will your horse accept the new supplement?
A new taste or smell in the diet can sometimes cause a horse to go ‘off’ his feed.  While it may only take a few days for your horse to get used to the new ingredient, some horses will steadfastly refuse to eat if they detect a foreign taste or smell on the feed.   Set a 3 day trial period and include the supplement in the diet as recommended.  If the horse eats the new supplement immediately you know he will accept this supplement as an everyday part of his diet.  If he does not eat it straight away try mixing a little molasses into the feed to encourage eating, slowly reduce the amount of molasses over the 3 days to see if your horse is accepting the new supplement.  If your horse still refuses to eat the feed with the supplement mixed in you may need to look for another more palatable supplement or consider alternative methods of dosing such as syringing the supplement over the tongue.

Educate, educate, educate!
Educate yourself about your horse!  You do not need to know the nutritional requirements of every horse in the world but you do need to know about your own!  There is a fantastic range of resources online and in print, a copy of RIRDC's ‘Feeding Horses in Australia’ should be in every horse owners bookshelf.  Understanding your horse, the nutrients he needs and why is essential for keeping your horse happy, healthy and looking and performing his best.

The nutritional requirements of the equine athlete vary hugely with the type and intensity of work being performed. However, regardless of the type of work, the biggest factor affecting sound muscle development, healthy nerve function and coat and body conditioning is the type and quality of protein that your horse is receiving from his diet.

Increased protein intake in performance horses will support muscle development, reduce muscle damage, support joints and connective tissue and increase recovery rate.  A high quality protein intake from 0 - 24 months of age is essential for strong and correct bone development. Pregnant and lactating mares have a significantly higher requirement for dietary protein due to the huge protein demand of growing a foal in-utero or producing up to 20 litres of milk each day for a feeding foal.

Protein is made up of over 20 different essential amino acids; these are the building blocks of healthy muscle, skin, hooves and hair. Each animal species requires specific amino acids in order to grow, develop and reproduce and these are known as essential amino acids. In horses these essential amino acids are Leucine, Lysine and Arginine. Dietary protein for horses is usually supplied in the form of Soybean meal, Copra meal, Rice Bran or skim milk powder.

While all of these are good sources of bulk protein they do not always contain the type and amount of essential amino acids required for optimum muscle development in the horse and can also have a very high fat content.

Download a copy of this article from Equine News December 2010.

Recently, studies into the body building benefits of concentrated protein supplements derived from Whey, a by-product of cheese making, and Soy have shown that these concentrates contain very high levels of the equine essential amino acids Leucine, Lysine and Arginine. Supplementing the performance horses diet with high quality Whey and Soy protein concentrates and isolates, such as those found in the  ePro® Equine Professional muscle building product range, ensures that the essential amino acids required for optimum muscle development and recovery are readily available from the feed. This gives the horse the best possible building blocks to repair and grow muscle, resulting in stronger, bigger body and topline muscle; shorter post- exercise recovery time and lower risk of tying up.

Bio-John Animal Health, the 'One Stop Shop' for the Western Australia Performance, Racing and Harness Industries is now a proud retail and wholesale distributor of the full ePro® Equine Professional product range.

Bio-John has been trading for over 20 years has resulted in it being the major supplier to the Race Horse Trainers in WA.  As well as the retail outlet in Belmont, Bio-John distribute horse products to retailers serving the horse industry throughout WA.

 Bio-John are the only WA retailer to carry the entire range of ePro® products!

     

   



Check out the Product Training Guide to see what gives ePro® its Protein Power performance!

In addition to carbohydrates, protein and fat are the two other important macronutrients in the diet of the horse. Protein and fat are an excellent energy source for the horse and contain essential building blocks for numerous body functions. All horses, no matter what age, have to be supplied with an adequate amount of essential amino acids and fatty acids to support healthy body functions.

Protein

• building and repairing of body tissues
• regulation of body processes
• formation of enzymes and hormones
• forms antibodies and haemoglobin

Fat

• production of some hormones and steroids
• insulating of body organs
• regulation of body temperature
• absorption and transport of some vitamins and maintains healthy skin and hair
  
  Read more about feeding your horse fat and protein

Successfully rearing a foal requires lots of time, patience, and work. Immediate attention to the newborn will increase its chance for survival and development into a healthy foal.

•  Colostrum is essential to the health of the newborn foal. The immunoglobulins found in colostrum provide early protection from many diseases. Foals should consume at least 10-12 feedings of colostrum from the mare during the first 48  hours of life. Immunoglobulins are taken up by special cells in the epithelium of the small intestine of the foal. The first hours post-partum the uptake is most effective and declines in efficiency after 12hrs and after 48 there is no uptake of most  immunoglobulins.  Although the uptake of some immunoglobulins are not effective anymore after 48hrs you can  feed colostrum during the first 3 days to provide some protection from pathogens in the intestinal tract.
• Follow feeding instructions carefully and feed at regular hours each day.
• Clean, fresh water should be available at all times, starting immediately after birth.
• Foals must be protected from the weather. Make sure the stable stays clean and the mare and foal have dry bedding and plenty of fresh air, free from drafts.
• At two week of age the foal will try to nibble grass or feedstuffs from his dam. From this moment on foals can be offered some soft hay and creep feed to complement the milk diet of the foal. Provide  your foal  with a high quality creep feed (15-20% protein) and feed small amounts twice a day.  Offer your foal good quality forage free of dust and moulds.
• Exercise is important for new foals. After the first week, the mare and foal should have access to good, clean pasture ground.
• Establish a health program with your veterinarian regarding all vaccinations and deworming as well as any antibiotic treatment.

Tips for bottle and bucket feeding

Strong, healthy foals will usually accept bottle feeding readily.Some foals will drink from a bucket once their muzzle has been introduced into the milk/milk replacer. Gradually start the foal on milk replacer to avoid digestive upsets. Patience is essential during this process.

Feeding Suggestions

• Place a small amount of milk/milk replacer on the foal’s nose and into its mouth to help get the foal started. With clean hands, insert your index finger into the foal’s mouth to help stimulate suckling. For bottle feeding, immediately place the nipple into the foal’s mouth. For bucket feeding, introduce the foal’s muzzle into the milk/milk replacer.
• Baby bottles with nipples or other bottles with lamb nipples may be used to feed the very young foal. Calf nipples are usually too hard and stiff for foals to use.
• Older foals may be trained to drink from shallow pans or buckets. Foals generally do not like to put their heads into deep buckets. Shallow bucket-feeders should be tilted at a slight angle and placed toward the centre of the stable.
• Bottles and buckets should be positioned at the shoulder height of the foal.
• Wash the feeding equipment after every feeding in hot soapy water. Rinse thoroughly with hot water and allow to drain and dry before the next feeding.
• There may be some hair loss around the foal’s muzzle during milk replacer feeding. The hair will return normally after weaning.
•  Older foals will not usually accept bottle or bucket feeding as readily as younger foals.

There is a great interest in the use of herbs in horse feeds. Herbs and botanicals can contain unique components that may benefit the health of the horse. The majority of herbs and botanicals are used in feeds of horses to improve flavour, enhance the nutritive levels (fibre, vitamins, minerals) and are added with the intention to prevent and treat various diseases.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is one of those herbs that is added to both human and animal foods on a general basis. Garlic is a perennial and is closely related to the onion, leek and chive.  It originally came from central Asia and is now globally cultivated for both culinary and medicinal purposes.  It appears that garlic has been fed to horses since the Roman times and was frequently supplied to horses in the early 18th century.  Garlic is used in horse feeds for its flavour and potential health benefits.

ePro® Garlic Xtra is the combination of garlic and selected natural herbs all in one blend. Garlic can assist with minimising unpleasant odours and is a natural alternative to assist with improving appetite for fussy eaters.