Spring is a time for new beginnings. For horse owners, spring brings new beginnings with the arrival of the foaling season. It is a magical time of year watching a new foal discover the wonders and power of its own body. Every foal is a clean slate, every one a new story. How the story turns out, and how each foal reaches its full genetic potential, is overwhelmingly dependant upon the care and management each foal receives during its formative months.

 

At this early point in life, a foal has one job to do and that is to grow. In fact, the period from birth to 4 months of age is one of the most critical periods in its development. Foals will gain as much as 4lbs per day during their first 30 days, which calculates to roughly a doubling of their birth weight. Although weight gain slows a little, foals will continue to grow at a rate, which will again double their 30 day weight by the time they are 4 months old.

 

Long bone growth is equally dramatic. At birth, foals are about 60% of their mature wither height. However, they easily will grow at least another 10 inches by the time they are 4 months old, which bumps this up to 80%.

 

To reach 50% of its mature weight and 80% of its mature height by 4 months of age, the foal needs to consume, and be able to utilize, significant quantities of protein, energy, and minerals. Most of the weight gain to 4 months is attributable to muscular development. This fact, compounded by the importance of protein to long bone growth, makes protein, the first limiting nutrient for normal development.

Initially, the foal is heavily dependant upon its mother’s milk for protein as well as for energy and at least some of the minerals. Its digestive system is geared to make the most of this one nutrient source. However, partially because most mares are not good milkers, and partially because the nutrient profile of mare’s milk is not sufficient to meet the nutrient demands of the rapid growth of modern horses even if the mare is a good milker, the foal must have access, and more importantly be able to utilize, alternate nutrient sources as soon as is possible.

 

Within hours of birth, you will notice your foal nibbling at everything within its reach. Although all babies explore their environment in this way, in horses, this process is critical. Foals are essentially born notobiotic, which simply means bacteria free. This includes a total absence of the essential bacteria that live in the large intestine. Without these bacteria, the foal is unable to utilize fully other dietary sources of the essential nutrients needed during this critical phase of development.

 

During the foal’s oral adventure, bacteria shed by the mare in feces as well as other sources in its environment, will be ingested and begin populating the gut. The faster this happens, the sooner the foal will be able to use other nutrient sources such as creep feed, pasture or hay to supplement its mother’s milk, supplementation that we have already seen to be essential to performance.

 

There have been numerous documented observations from horse owners and veterinarians around the country concerning the positive impact a product marketed under the name “ReStore™” had on a foal’s weight gain and body condition. This product is designed to stimulate the growth rates and efficiencies of the large bowel bacterial populations. By increasing numbers of these bacteria, the manufacturer of ReStore™ reports that feed utilization in foals is improved and amino acid availability (the building blocks for bone and muscle) increased. Weight gain and body condition are simply an expression of this fact.

 

After three years of field and clinical observations with nursing foals born, the conclusions are consistent - significant improvements in growth rates, and “bloom” in foals. This growth can be best characterized as primarily frame and muscle growth, the kind of growth that results in sound and useful horses when they mature. This foal response to ReStore™ is further validation that the future of successful equine management lies with the rediscovery of how and why the horse functions as it does. Technologies such as ReStore™ that enhance the normal digestive process are a step forward in the right direction.

 

As a result of these findings, ReStore™ should be an essential component in foal nutritional management.

 

 

 

  

 

The digestive system of the horse is designed for frequent, light meals. Yet, today many owners — for their own convenience or to provide extra energy for show or performance horses — feed a large meal once or twice a day. These meals are usually grain-based concentrates, rich in starch and simple sugars.

This type of program sets up a feeding/fasting cycle that often triggers a domino effect of metabolic and hormonal changes. There are no short cuts to natural metabolic pathways.

Research suggests a link between concentrate feeding and a number of metabolic diseases. These problems and others have been termed by veterinarians as Equine Dietary Distress Syndrome, or DDS.

Dr. R. M. Hoffman, in a study of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Horses, says “…the common practice of feeding starch-rich cereal grains in two meals a day may promote insulin resistance in horses.” Insulin resistance has been associated with obesity, and laminitis. It has also been linked with colic, exertional rhadomyolysis and osteochondrosis.

Dr. John Reagor, of the Texas Medical Diagnostic Lab, says, “The number one cause of deaths from colic is starch oerload due to feeding mismanagement.”

A further concern of carbohydrate overload is Developmental Orthopedic Disease (DOD) in foals. Studies have linked high-energy intake as a risk factor that may increase DOD in foals. (The acronym DOD is used to cover all limb problems associated with bone growth and development in foals.)

 

The glycemic index (G. I.) reflects the plasma glucose and insulin response to a feed. It’s important because it’s used to rank carbohydrate-based foods; and it predicts the rate at which ingested feed will increase blood sugar levels.

The glycemic index of a feed can have a positive or negative impact on the health, performance and temperament of your horse. In recent years observation and experiments have linked the starch overload of high glycemic index feeds to serious digestive and metabolic disorders, and “hot” behavior. At the same time, researchers found low glycemic index feeds eliminated or mitigated many problems while they improved health, performance, and temperament.

In feeding programs, the higher the glycemic index the more likely the meal will cause a spike in blood plasma glucose. Glucose occurs widely in most plant and animal tissues. It’s the principal circulating sugar in blood and the major energy source for the horse’s body. But sudden elevations in glucose levels can trigger a host of problems.

The glycemic index scale was developed to reflect the plasma glucose and insulin response to a meal: The higher the index, the more likely the meal will cause a spike in glucose levels.

In 2004, Biovance Life Sciences introduced Revolution™prescription diet, fortified with ReStore™. It offers horse owners a low glycemic index feed as a safe alternative to grain-based diets. The product is not yet available in all markets, but ReStore™, which is available in all areas, can be used to fortify other low glycemic index feeds as well as to reduce the risk associated with feeding diets rich in soluble starch and sugars.

 

Even with low glycemic feeds, many factors can still cause carbohydrate overload and dietary distress. For example, the type of forage consumed can vary widely in the amount of hydrolyzable carbohydrates. Without constant monitoring, there’s no assurance that the forage may not upset your carefully balanced supplementation.

If you don’t actually feed the horse yourself, there’s always the risk your directives are misdirected. Jessica Jahiel, in her excellent book The Horse Behavior Problem Solver, cites a personal experience: She was boarding a mare that suddenly became spooky. When she investigated, she found the person who normally fed her horse had been replaced. The new stable hand was feeding her mare ten pounds of alfalfa and five pounds of sweet feed instead of her usual ration. Once back on her regular ration, the mare regained her calm disposition.

Professional barrel racer Tandi Rider competing on Pocahontas Dawn, aka “Cricket,” at the Logandale Fair.

Sometimes your personal management decision to push energy to get a competitive edge pushes your horse over that edge. Champion barrel racer Tandi Rider, discussing feeding programs, echoes the dilemma of many when she says, “…we find ourselves pushing their minds and bodies to that fine line.”

It is a fine line and it’s easy to go too far, trigger DDS, and erase the edge you sought to gain.

True, low glycemic feeds can improve your feeding program, but they do not totally eliminate the risk factor. Some research has shown additional fat may lower the negative impact of a feed high on the glycemic index scale. However, not all researchers agree. What’s more, some easy keepers may simply store the added fat as adipose tissue.

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As witnessed by the frequency of dietary related illnesses, the delicate balance of the equine digestive system is easily disrupted. Every effort within the bounds of practical management must be made, not only to stabilize the digestive system, but also to enhance its efficiency.

Until recent years the few nutritionists who addressed the implications of hindgut fermentation — providing substrates to nourish microbial populations, and establishing homeostasis to avoid dietary distress — were like voices in the wilderness. Now those pioneers are being heard.

It has been 16 years since the National Research Council (NRC) issued feeding guidelines for equines. Perhaps its new feeding recommendations now under consideration will address the role of hindgut fermentation in more detail.

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1. It’s old advice, but good advice: Make any dietary changes gradually.

2. When evaluating any feed, feeding program or nutritional supplement, don’t rely solely on anecdotal evidence. Anecdotal evidence can be selective. Ask to see the scientific data that support the product or program.

3. Discuss ReStore™ with your veterinarian and nutritionist, or contact Biovance Life Sciences toll-free at 877-246-7500, e-mail to info@biovance.com, or visit www.biovance.com.

ReStore™, an oral nutritional supplement from Biovance Life Sciences, was developed by veterinarians to enhance the natural digestive processes of the horse.

It has proven its efficacy for prevention of DDS. It has proven its efficacy as therapy for many maladies. And, it has proven its efficacy as a performance enhancer.

“ReStore™,” says equine veterinarian Gerry Huff, of Las Vegas, “is an idea whose time has come. It should be part of every preventive wellness and management program.”

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