Nutritional Management For Breeding & Youngstock
The Stud range of products from Saracen Horse Feeds is formulated to support young horses as they grow and develop, to provide appropriate nutrition to pregnant and lactating mares, and to working breeding stallions.
The feeds are produced to a fixed formulation giving consistent nutritional quality and are fully fortified with vitamins and significant minerals.
FEEDING THE BROODMARE
A broodmare’s feeding programme should be divided up into three separate stages:
- Early Pregnancy - from conception through to seven months of pregnancy
- The last trimester of pregnancy, from seven months of pregnancy through to foaling
- Lactation, which generally lasts five or six months after foaling
The most common mistakes made in feeding broodmares are overfeeding during early pregnancy and underfeeding during lactation.
MARE-CARE is a specifically formulated diet for broodmares during late pregnancy and lactation. It contains elevated Levels of Vitamin E which may positively affect fertility. It also provides a properly balanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are necessary for the production and distribution of hormone-like substances which increase the chances of a successful pregnancy. These fatty acids can be passed from the dam to the foal through milk, to produce richer colostrum
FEEDING YOUNGSTOCK
Research suggests a relationship between the glycaemic nature of feed and the incidence of skeletal disorders, such as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in young horses. High-glycaemic feeds are those that produce a large blood glucose response post feeding, such as cereal grains and molasses. It appears that the normal bone formation processes in young horses are being disrupted by the elevated blood insulin (hyperinsulinemia) concentrations following the consumption of a diet rich in starch and sugars.
LEVEL-GROW™ MIX and CUBES have been formulated to be fed like a conventional stud feed and uses unique carefully selected, low glycaemic ingredients, such as alfalfa, sugar beet and soya hulls. High levels of soluble carbohydrates have been replaced by fats and “Super-fibres” as alternative energy sources. Stamm 30® is included to provide nutrient continuity.
FEEDING THE STALLION
Breeding stallions are often the most frustrating horses on a stud farm to maintain optimal body condition. Some become too lean at the height of the breeding season, while others remain heavy no matter what. By providing a carefully balanced diet alongside an appropriate exercise plan and monitoring weight regularly, a stallion can be kept trim all year long.
MANAGING THE OVERWEIGHT STALLION
Obesity presents a wealth of threats to the stallion. It predisposes them to laminitis, insulin resistance and soundness problems. Obesity can even possibly cause heart attacks via aortal rupture. Extremely overweight stallions are also thought to have a lowered libido impacting fertility efficiency.
If body weight is a problem, stallions should have restricted access to pasture, especially in the spring, and only enough feed to ensure the stallion's vitamin and mineral requirements are being met.
A Stud balancer such as STAMM 30® can be fed to provide a consistent, high quality dense source of nutrients, with a low-calorie content. During the off-season, stallions can be maintained on STAMM 30® and high-quality forage alone if they are good doers. We suggest you seek the advice of an Equine Nutritionist if this is the case, to help you to get to and maintain the correct body condition.
STAMM 30® is a highly concentrated source of essential proteins, vitamins, minerals, and yeasts designed to supplement all classes of horses that require additional nutritional support. It can be fed alone when additional calories (energy) are not called for, or to top dress the ration to upgrade the nutrient specification of the ration. Stamm 30® utilizes bioplex minerals required for correct skeletal development and maintenance of the horse. A specifically designed yeast culture has been incorporated for normal microbial activity, which promotes more efficient fibre digestion and maintains favourable digestively related bacteria counts in the hindgut.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
If you have a young, growing horse, broodmare or breeding stallion that is likely to gain excess weight if fed the recommended quantity of a stud feed, using Stamm 30®, our high specification stud balancer, will allow feed quantities to be reduced, whilst ensuring micronutrient levels are not compromised.
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