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

The health of the horses’ respiratory tract is a performance variable that is often overlooked in today’s intensive stabling and travelling practices.  Healthy respiratory function is essential for athletic performance and endurance, and respiratory disease is currently one of the major causes of lost training days and horse wastage, both in Australia and internationally. 

One of the greatest causes of respiratory disease is Ammonia, the potent respiratory tract irritant that is found at high levels in stables, horse floats and trucks. Ammonia is a small molecule with a characteristic strong and unpleasant odour, formed by urea, a nitrogen rich molecule found in urine and faeces.  While urea in its pure form is odourless and non-toxic, once it has been excreted it rapidly changes into the highly potent ammonia that is extremely irritating to the mucous membranes that line the mouth, eyes and respiratory tract of the horse. 

Continued exposure to high environmental ammonia levels may lead to Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD), a respiratory infection which narrows the airways and causes mucous to accumulate, significantly reducing the respiratory function and therefore the athletic ability of the horse.  IAD is characterised by coughing during exercise and decreased endurance during training and competition.

While there are a number of antibiotic based treatments available for IAD, recent studies have recommended that antibiotics are over prescribed when treating coughing horses in Australia, suggesting that, when treating respiratory infections, improved stable environment management practices may reduce the need for high-cost medications.

Prevention is better than cure - reducing the level of moisture and ammonia in barns is a big step towards reducing the risk of respiratory disease!

ePro® Stable Xtra is a natural and safe alternative to traditional ammonia absorbing substances such as lime.  Made from extra fine Crystalline Alumino-Silicate, an ancient mineral that is highly efficient at trapping moisture and ammonia within tiny micro-channels, ePro® Stable Xtra can absorb up to 50 times its own mass in toxic gasses and moisture. 

Designed to be used with existing bedding, ePro® Stable Xtra is an innovative stable management solution with a great range of applications.

Facts about ePro® Stable Xtra:

• 100% safe – ePro® Stable Xtra is non-toxic and does not irritate the skin, mucous membranes or respiratory system.
• Does not dry or crack hooves.
• Reduces stable cleaning time and volume of bedding used.
• Cost effective – save $ on bedding and vet bills!
• Can be used to safely absorb ammonia and excess moisture in chicken pens, cat litter trays, dog kennels and high traffic areas.
• Excellent fertiliser – place used ePro® Stable Xtra on garden beds as a slow release fertiliser.

 

How can ePro® Stable Xtra help your horse?

Stables & Barns

Horses that are continuously stabled are at much greater risk of IAD than non-stabled horses.  Studies have shown that ammonia levels in barns can be in excess of 200 parts per million (ppm), given that safe levels of exposure to ammonia gasses for humans have been set at 35ppm for a maximum of 15 mins, it is clear that the respiratory systems of stabled horses are exposed to excessive and unhealthy levels of toxic ammonia gasses. 

Measurements of ammonia gas within different areas of the barn have shown ammonia levels are highest near barn and stable floors, which is where all the manure and urine accumulates.  Even if solid material is removed, the liquid remaining is rich in urea ready to be converted to ammonia gas and contaminate the barn. 

To reduce the risk of respiratory infection in stabled horses:

• Use 200 g - 1kg/m2 of ePro® Stable Xtra under the bedding to absorb ammonia and moisture from urine and faeces.
• Use 200 - 1kg/m2 of ePro® Stable Xtra in high traffic areas, tie-up stalls and walkways.
• Provide proper stable ventilation - open windows and doors, use fans or install rotary ventilators.
• Do not allow horses to eat directly from the floor, always use hay bags and feed bins to provide feed.
• Clean stables regularly and keep surrounding facilities clean and dry.
• Allow horses as much time out of the stable as possible.  Injured horses especially are often stabled 24/7, check with your vet how much movement the horse is allowed and ensure that he is given as much fresh air as possible.

Float, Truck and Air Transport

Medium to long distance transport of horses, can result in acute respiratory tract disease (ARTD) and travel sickness, in fact, during the 2000 Sydney Olympics one of the greatest issues relating to long distance transportation of horses was respiratory tract dysfunction.

 While ATRD or travel sickness is rarely fatal, suffering from either may rule horses out of competition for several weeks and may have significant consequences for future athletic performance, even after recovery.  Excluding individual horses response to travel, the greatest factor contributing to the onset of ATRD or travel sickness is the environmental conditions inside the truck or trailer, which can significantly decline during travel depending on the number of animals, type and quality of bedding and forage, amount of urine produced, air filtration rate and humidity of the air inside the transport unit.

To reduce the risk of travel sickness and respiratory infection during transport:

• Use 1kg/m2 of ePro® Stable Xtra directly on the floor under the bedding to absorb ammonia and moisture from urine and faeces.
• Improve ventilation and airflow during transport by opening windows and top panels in floats and trucks and installing rotary ventilators.

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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.

ePro® minipacks are a super ecominical way to test your horses’ response to the supplement before committing to a full size and full price product.

Does the supplement work?
Assess how well the supplement is working by setting performance goals within a realistic time frame. Take before and after photos, measure recovery time or whatever parameter of performance that is relevant to your discipline in order to physically assess the efficacy of the supplement. 

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.

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