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Feed and Supplement Correctly

Body Condition

Senior Horse - Why is it so difficult to maintain body condition?

In recent years there has been an increase in the average life expectancy of horses. This increase was due, in part, to the abandonment of the use of the horse as a working animal and increasing use in sport and leisure, as well as the provision of better health care and greater knowledge regarding the species in general.

With this increase in age, new challenges have emerged, namely in maintaining an adequate body condition. There are several factors that condition the maintenance of an adequate body condition in the senior horse.

digestive efficiency 

In general, we see a decrease in digestive efficiency in senior horses. Absorptive capacity is limited by age-related changes in the intestinal epithelium, which limit the passage of nutrients into the bloodstream.

The production of the enzyme amylase, necessary for the digestion of starch, is also reduced, impairing its pre-cecal digestion and enhancing the arrival of starch in the large intestine and a consequent intestinal acidosis ? that makes the horse more predisposed to ?colics? and laminitis. Protein digestion and absorption is also particularly affected in the senior horse, which contributes to muscle breakdown.

For these reasons, a gastric supplement and/or a concentrated feed “grain free”, may ensure or supplement the senior horse's diet.

GASTROBALANCE

PRO SPEND

bad teething

Wear and/or tooth loss associated with age are detrimental to prehension, mastication and salivation. Insufficient chewing and salivation promotes the arrival of larger particles to the intestinal lumen, hindering enzymatic and microbiota action, which compromises digestive efficiency.

Complementary forage and concentrated feeds may ensure or complement the senior horse's diet.

ALFABEET

NATURE MASH

stress / Illness

factors of stress such as temperature can have a significant impact on a senior horse. Low temperatures particularly affect senior horses because internal heat-producing mechanisms, such as intestinal fiber fermentation, may be limited. Low temperatures can also limit the horse's water intake, increasing the risk of dehydration and associated problems.

Also changes in management can have an impact on body condition. For example, in the transition to an extensive herd regime, the hierarchies that are established can limit intake.  

Chronic weight loss and consequent decrease in body condition may also be related to disease states and/or chronic pain. Infectious problems, arthritis, kidney dysfunction, allergic or tumor conditions, among other conditions, can justify loss of body condition.

 

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Feed and Supplement Correctly

Body Condition

Mares - Does body condition affect reproductive efficiency?

The body condition (BC) of mares can undoubtedly affect their reproductive efficiency, so to achieve maximum efficiency, mares must be kept in an adequate body condition (score of 5 to 6 on the Henneke Scale - scale of 1 to 9, where 1 is thin / very insufficient CC, and 9 obese / excessive CC).

Scientific research has shown that mares kept in proper body condition ovulate earlier and have shorter calving/conception intervals.

skinny mares

Mares that enter the reproductive phase thin, regardless of whether or not they are being fed with enough energy to gain weight, are less reproductively efficient compared to those that are in an adequate body condition.

fat mares

At the opposite extreme, mares with excessive body condition are shown to remain efficient from a reproductive point of view. Which does not invalidate that it is undesirable, given the reduction of the intrauterine space, which does not favor the development of the fetus, as well as the metabolic problems associated with obesity (common to all horses).

Group dynamics

Since breeding mares are usually found in a group context, assessing group dynamics may be relevant. More submissive mares may find it difficult to feed themselves, given the pressure exerted by the dominant elements of the group. If excessive dominance is noticeable, it may be better to separate some mares to ensure that the thinner ones are able to feed properly.

Like any other horse, a thin mare that does not improve her body condition, being fed for that purpose, should be evaluated by the veterinarian, as there may be an underlying health problem that conditions the weight gain.

 

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Feed and Supplement Correctly

Body Condition

Horse - How to increase body condition?

When we verify that a horse is thin, with a less than desirable body condition, there are some factors to evaluate.

Make sure the horse is healthy

Certain health issues make gaining weight challenging, even under the best of circumstances.

A veterinarian should examine the horse's mouth to ensure that there are no dental abnormalities that cause the horse pain, which can make gripping and grinding food painful, limiting food intake.

A fecal egg count will determine if there is a significant parasite load in the gastrointestinal tract consuming essential nutrients for the horse. An endoscopic examination of the stomach will reveal the presence of gastric ulcers, a situation with high prevalence in sport horses.

Food

forage value

Providing good quality forage is perhaps the first factor to take into account in lean horses. Evaluating the forage that is provided is essential to know its nutritional value and make appropriate decisions regarding the use of that same forage or not (looking for a more suitable alternative).

If there is pasture, putting the animals on excellent quality pasture remains a great strategy for a horse to gain weight. When placing a horse on quality pasture the transition should be slow.

If good quality pasture is not available, you can supplement the grass hay with a good early maturing legume hay with pliable stems and plenty of leaves, which generally contains more energy than a good quality grass hay. Quality hay should ideally be constantly available to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract. 

ALFALFA INTACOL

Opt for a concentrated food with a high energy content

To increase a horse's weight, you should choose a concentrated feed with a high energy content and, preferably, one that provides energy from sources such as starch, fat and fermentable fiber. Ensuring a complete vitamin and mineral profile is also essential.

In the case of horses with high sporting performance, they must be supplemented with food suitable for competition.

PALATIN

POWER UP

In the case of senior horses, with dental difficulties, preference should be given to a feed in the form of "porridge", enriched with linseed oil.

NATURE MASH

In the case of young horses, feed suitable for growing horses should be provided and fed according to their needs, avoiding energy excesses, as excesses may contribute to growth problems.

YOUNG

Pregnant mares, on the other hand, should have access to a different compound feed in the last third of pregnancy, as well as throughout the lactation period, as their needs increase.

EPOLDRIN

Complementation

High-calorie foods can be added to the concentrate feed in order to increase the energy density. For example, corn oil provides energy but offers a lot of omega 6 fatty acids, especially when combined with a cereal-rich diet. Flax oil and fish oil are two interesting alternatives to increase calories, these are rich in omega 3.

Certain cases may also benefit from a supplement that favors gastrointestinal performance, with substances that act as a buffer helping to reduce gastric acidity and which, by providing probiotics and prebiotics, favor the intestinal microbiota and digestive efficiency.

GASTROBALANCE

It is necessary to be patient

The effects of a dietary management for weight gain and improvement of body condition will be revealed over time and not immediately. Thus, one should think about continuity and not the immediate.

 

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Feed and Supplement Correctly

Body Condition

Horse - Why doesn't it gain weight?

Does your horse eat continuously without seeing improvements in its body condition? What could be happening? There are several factors to evaluate when we intend to increase the horse's body condition.

Assess the horse's health 

Marked body condition losses, or constant difficulty in maintaining a horse's body condition, are reasons to perform a complete medical examination and find out if there are any health problems that prevent normal weight gain.

Dental problems are often the cause of loss of body condition or responsible for difficulty in gaining weight. Horses must chew food carefully, so if dental care is neglected and oral discomfort occurs, intake may be compromised.

Gastric ulcers can also be a cause of inappetence. A recent study revealed that over 58% of horses, across multiple sporting disciplines, have gastric ulcers. 

The ingestion of large amounts of cereals or foods with cereals not subjected to heat treatment is associated with a decrease in the digestive efficiency of starch and, consequently, the passage of undigested starch to the large intestine. This situation enhances subclinical intestinal acidosis, which can result in inappetence, mild colic of unknown origin, poor feeding efficiency with weight loss, behavior change and reduced performance. 

Internal parasites will compete with the horse for nutrients in the feed, reducing the horse's absorption of these nutrients. A correct health prophylaxis is essential for maintaining health and body condition. The horse owner can ask the veterinarian to assess the parasite load (through fecal egg counts) and institute a good individual deworming program. 

Proper food? quality and quantity

forage food

Equine diets must be based on high quality forages. Providing good quality forage in adequate amounts is the best way to support healthy digestion and maintenance of proper body condition. The forage component gains even greater prominence if the horse has problems such as gastric ulcers or acidosis. Legume fodder (lucerne or clover) is richer in protein and energy than grass fodder, so this factor must be considered.

ALFALFA INTACOL

Low quality fodder or fodder in poor condition from a conservation point of view, with obvious signs of dust, fermentation or mold, should be avoided as it can lead to significant health problems. Poor quality feed and forage with low levels of nutrients can lead to deficiencies, especially in more demanding horses or those subjected to more intense physical activity.

compound feed

Whenever there is weight loss/difficulty in maintaining body condition, dietary management should be carefully analyzed. Compound feed must consist of quality raw materials, duly processed, balanced in energy, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Compound feed is an ally in maintaining the body condition and meeting the nutrient requirements that the horse has, considering the stage it is in (pregnancy or lactation) or physical activity (more or less intense) that it performs.

INTACOL FOODS

We can add ingredients to the established diet in order to increase the caloric density of the food provided or improve its digestibility. For this we can include:

-Sources of fat (linseed oil or fish oil), which have a significantly higher energy density than other foods, and are a source of omega 3;

-Super fibers that are fermented in the large intestine and constitute an extra caloric intake;

ALFABEET

-Probiotics and prebiotics, which support digestion and ensure that the horse gets the most out of its food;

GASTROBALANCE

-Others.

Environmental factors and group dynamics

If the horse is in good health and its diet is adequate, the next factor to consider is the environment, a factor that can confer stress to the animal and consequent weight loss.

If the horse is part of a group, check the hierarchical dynamics between the different elements (dominant elements can prevent it from feeding properly). If it is confined, will this confinement be the cause of stress? All these factors must be evaluated.

Keeping animals relaxed is essential for encouraging them to eat and for efficient digestive performance.

 

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