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Feeding
for Laminitis and Weight Control With fields full of grass it is important to keep an eye on your horse’s waistline, particularly if he or she is prone to laminitis. Here we take a look at some feeds and supplements suitable for the ‘good doer’ and those prone to laminitis. Mollichaff HoofKind Complete
Equine America Lamigard TRT
Mollichaff HoofKind Complete is made from a balanced blend of high quality oat straw, dried alfalfa and fibre pellets and soya oil with added vitamins and minerals, trace elements, including magnesium and natural plant-based antioxidants, as well as added biotin. It is low in starch and sugar, high in fibre and does not contain any cereals. It provides a low level but high quality protein and restricted calories to give limited, controlled energy from high quality digestible fibre and oil-based ingredients, making it an excellent feed for good doers as well as those prone to laminitis. Mollichaff HoofKind Complete can be used as the sole bucket feed when fed at the recommended levels as it contains a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement. www.horsehage.co.uk
Lamigard TRT is a highly effective supplement for horses and ponies and can be used at high levels in the short term, and at a maintenance level for long term health. Lamigard TRT will help your horse’s feet stay healthy all year round and will complement a careful feeding regime. It can also be fed to the in-foal and lactating mare. www.equine-america.co.uk
Rowen Barbary Forage ‘n’ Fibre For horses in low levels of work and good doers who are often put on restricted grazing Forage ‘n’ Fibre is ideal to use to balance the forage given supplying all the essential vitamins and minerals whilst keeping energy and calories to a minimum. Forage ‘n’ Fibre contains a natural blend of forages and fibres providing the horse with all the necessary nutrients required for overall health and vitality whilst keeping energy levels low. With high fibre levels this helps ensure slow rates of digestion throughout the hind gut and helps to maintain gut health. As it contains no cereals and is very low in starch and sugars it is well suited to horses and ponies that are prone to laminitis. www.rowenbarbary.co.uk
TopSpec Antilam TopSpec AntiLam is a pelleted multi-supplement designed to provide 5-way nutritional support for those prone to, being treated for, or recovering from laminitis. AntiLam is used and recommended by nutritionists, vets and farriers. AntiLam is a brilliant formulation combining several supplements with a high-fibre, very low-calorie carrier to make it palatable. The formula is very low in sugar and starch and cereal-grain-free, making it ‘Non-Heating.’ Long-term trials at Middle Park Laminitis Research Unit have shown that horses and ponies on restricted/poor grazing do not gain any weight when fed AntiLam. It can also be used very successfully as part of a calorie-controlled diet when weight loss is required. AntiLam should be fed on its own with forage. The forage can be in the form of latecut, low-sugar, hay and/or unmolassed chops e.g. TopChop Lite, or controlled grazing, or a combination of these, depending on the individual circumstances. It includes high levels of a pure, protected yeast to help maintain near-neutral (normal and healthy) conditions in the hindgut. Additional MOS (mannan oligosaccharides) to support the yeast and boost the immune system. Plus, generous levels of anti-oxidants including vitamins A, C and E plus selenium neutralise the excess free-radicals that have been increased by stress. www.topspec.com
Hilton Herbs Insu-Lite
The Lifeforce Range from Alltech
Insu-Lite is a dry herbal feed supplement containing herbs such as psyllium, garlic, and ginger, and formulated to help horses and ponies classed as “good do-ers”. Insu-Lite can be used for animals that struggle to maintain a healthy bodyweight, by helping to maintain normal blood glucose and levels of circulating hormones such as insulin. Insu-Lite should be used in conjunction with an appropriate diet and exercise programme. www.hiltonherbs.com
The equine digestive system is an incredibly complex structure that can easily be disrupted, causing digestive upset which can have a knock-on effect on overall wellbeing, energy, efficiency of the immune system and performance in competition horses. There are a number of factors implicated in causing this unbalance to the digestive system, many of which can easily be rectified with good management. The most common causes include insufficient fibre, excess starch in the diet, stress and age. The Lifeforce Range of all-natural, daily digestive aid supplements from Alltech is designed to benefit horses of every stage of life, from breeding stock to pleasure and performance animals. www.lifeforcehorse.co.uk
Gastric Supplements
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