[RC] oxalate, beet pulp and other feeds - Les Spark
Here in the UK we have pastures with lots of
plantains, a relative of the tobacco plant which our horses readily eat. These
are high in oxalates and presumably sequester minerals. My horse had problems
last season with plasma calcium depletion towards the end of the last ride
of the season and ended up with 'thumps'. This may have been chloride related as
bloods prior to the ride showed Cl low but as cations and anions are inseparable
perhaps the plantain oxalates caused the problem.
Any experience or comments out there?
I'd be pleased to hear - currently supplimenting Ca
but thinking of copper as well as we live in a high rainfall region which tends
to leach minerals from the soil. The local sheep certainly have a copper problem
unless suplimented, so perhaps the horses need extra too. Alternatively its all
the fault of the plantains as the sheep eat these?
