Re: Nutrition question

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Good Lord, for starters, reduce the amount of grain you're feeding him.
Twelve pounds a day is WAY too much grain for a nine month old colt, and I
can pretty much guarentee that's the majority of the source of the
epiphysitis.  What's happening is that you're feeding him enough energy
(read "calories") that he can put on body weight quickly, but you're not
feeding enough minerals that quality bone growth can keep up with it.  Thus
the epiphysitis.

Frankly, there are so many things wrong with this diet for a nine-month old,
it boggles the mind---sorry, don't mean to sound like a drama queen, but
you're absolutely right to be concerned about your colt.  The
calcium-phosphorus ratios are wrong, the protein is deficient, copper and
zinc are probably deficient.  Eek.

If the barn manager isn't willing to accomodate you, then I'd ask that they
not feed him any of the 'house' grain at all.  Nada, none, zero.  Give him
free choice grass hay, and when you're at the barn mid-day, give him about 4
pounds of a grain mix that is ***specifically*** formulated for broodmares
and growing foals.  Purina Omolene 300 would be a good choice, or whatever
is regionally available in your area.  Don't just pick up a bag of whatever,
make sure the formulation is for foals.  The mineral ratios and levels are
different for babies than they are for adults and you need to get it right.

Now, the label may say to feed more than 4 pounds a day, but if you're only
there at the barn once a day, 4 pounds is the max you should feed him at any
one meal.  Plus, I want to slow down his rate of growth and give his bones a
chance to catch up.  This is even more important if he's pudgy---he should
have a little cover over his ribs, but if he looks ready to walk into most
halter rings, he's way too fat for his own good.  Once he's a little older
( as in 12 months minimum) and a little more grain is justified, then you
can "dilute" the grain by mixing it with Equine Junior, which is basically a
bag of hay that's been balanced vitamin and mineral-wise, so you can safely
feed him a fair amount of that.  Better yet, see if you can't split the
grain into two meals, put a few pounds into big zip-loc baggies, put those
into a metal trashcan outside his stall and convince the barn manager that
those are his "supplements" and all she has to do is open up a baggie and
dump it into the manger.  If she's willing to do that, then you can go up to
six pounds of Omolene 300 TOTAL, in two equal meals---3 pounds at mid day
and 3 pounds either in the morning or at night.  For now, stick with four
pounds a day, plus free choice grass hay.

Absolutely, positively resist the temptation to feed more than 4 pounds a
day right now, or more than 6 pounds after he's a yearling.  He doesn't need
it, he WILL mature to be just as big, and I guarentee he will mature alot
healthier and sounder than if you bury him in grain.  If you keep feeding
him twelve pounds of any grain a day, I would bet big money that you will
have soundness problems for the rest of his life.  Seriously.

If you want, there are some old lecture notes on DOD (developmental
orthopedic disease) on my website at
http://www.shady-acres.com/susan/10.html that you might find interesting.
For right now, ignore the grain recommendations on there---you need to be
feeding less grain to give his bones a chance to catch up to his body.

You can email me privately if you have any other questions.  Good luck!

Susan G

----- Original Message -----
From: <guest@endurance.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2001 5:48 PM
Subject: RC: Nutrition question


> Jodie Slakkie@aol.com
> I was directed to you because you are so good on nutrition questions and
> so I am going to ask a question.
>
> I have a 9 month old Paint colt, he started to show signs of epithisitis
> so we backed his protein content down to 10% (and the barn I moved him to
> fed that as their norm) but now my vet has recommended putting him on
> Equine Junior.
>
> The problem is that my barn owner refuses to give him *special feed* barns
> in my area are either too expensive or have waiting lists and while I will
> look for a new barn I need a solution for the here and now.
>
> She has agreed to feed a supplement or I can give him a midday snack when
> I go to work him.
>
> What would any of you suggest to give him the added protein he needs.  He
> also gets a very nice quality grass hay as well as 12 pounds of 10% sweet
> feed.
>
> I appreciate any advice!!! Jodie
>
>
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