RE: [RC] Feeding Questions - Susan E. Garlinghouse, D.V.M.
>*Include
a dietary aid such as live yeast culture. Live yeast culture can improve feed
utilization and helps >stabilize
the environment in a horse's hind gut - where most of the dietary problems
arise. There are >supplements
on the market that contain a whole range of live bacteria and enzymes but these
can be >expensive.
Live yeast culture is available in a number of prepared feeds including
StableMaster Cool >Command,
Energise Plus and the supplement Groom.
Trish Dowling up north published a very
illuminating study which demonstrated that the viability of a lot of the live
microbial products is pretty compromised (read Dead) by the time it gets to the
horse. No aspersions on the manufacturers, more of a problem with hot
shipping containers, storage in hot warehouses and tack rooms, etc. The
best of the bunch was Pro-Bios, the stuff that comes in a blue and white syringe.
Can’t remember the manufacturer, but its not the product made by
ABC. Anyway, the conclusion was that if you wanted to get live microbials
into your horse, then the best method is probably to feed him some live culture
yogurt. That’s what I’ve been doing in practice for the
post-surgery colitis horses and it works pretty well.
*Use whole oats. There will never be a better whole
cereal for horses than oats. They are high in fibre, high in oil, very
palatable and the starch is predominantly digested in the small intestine. If
your horse can take oats - feed them whole and feed them often.
No arguments there, in reasonable amounts.
The article I found on increasing
appetite, claimed that a product called Ration Plus for Horses, which has some
sort of enzymes in it (a bacteria-based probiotic). http://store.longacresfarm.com/RP_horses1.aspx#Proof
Is this information accurate, Susan
G.? Is it possible that this supplement would really help a horse to gain
weight and actually have an increased appetite?
I’m not familiar with Ration Plus
other than anecdotally, and this particular website just had testimonials,
nothing about what’s in it, clinical trials, etc (which I tend to pay a
lot more attention to, and no, I don’t count Michael Plumb as a research
source). So it’s possible there are viable substances that help
with digestion and such, but couldn’t say at this point.
My mare has hay in front of her 24/7
(red oat, oat/wheat/barley, aflalfa), she just does not have the desire to eat
much. She doesn't even finish her mash of beet pulp, sunflower seeds, and
rolled oats, UNLESS I add LMF Senior to it. She also will only eat
carrots occasionally, and never apples, however, she loves Manna Pro Apple
Wafers. I've been trying to put weight on her since June, she's gained some,
but still needs more. What do I do now?
What the heck, try adding the Ration Plus
without adding and changing anything else and see what happens. If it’s
the miracle supplement it claims to be, your mare should be chewing down the
barn before the New Year. Give it a try and let us know.
