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.

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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!

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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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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

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