DIET ADVICE FROM NAF
GASTRIC CARE
BYKATE HORE
RNUTR (Animal) Snr Nutritionist at NAF
The equine gut is a complex and curious thing, and unusually small for their size. Being approximately the same dimensions as a rugby ball, horses have evolved to trickle graze for up to 18 hours a day, but modern management techniques mean we can sometimes rely on meal based feeding for our horses. This can have the potential to affect our animals in a number of ways, but how can we make small changes to support good gastric health? Fibre is the key to the equine gut.
Horses rely on mastication to produce the vital acid buffering saliva, unlike us as humans who produce saliva constantly, horses will only produce this whilst chewing. Fibre takes a lot of breaking down so chewing time is far greater for forages and chaff than for cereal based meals. Having a high cereal diet reduces the buffer available so can lead to an increase in gut acidity, which may in turn lead to discomfort. Signs of gastric discomfort include girthiness, face pulling when being tacked or asked to go forward and behavioural changes which can include bucking or napping. Obviously these changes make it difficult to enjoy our time with our horses, so addressing them quickly is key. If we can make fibre the basis of the diet, be that in the form of grass, hay or a chaff or nuts based feed, then we can build on that as needed to ensure adequate energy. Oils can be quite useful for horses where
acid splash may make them uncomfortable, as it forms a physical barrier between the acid and the stomach walls. Some horses may need a more targeted product, which contains acid buffering components as well as ingredients to soothe the stomach walls. These often contain calcium carbonate, found in human indigestion remedies, which neutralise a build-up of the excess acid. More novel ingredients such as Psyllium
can also provide support. These seeds have what is known as mucilaginous properties, they essentially turn gel like when in contact with moisture, the gel in the gut can help to soothe and keep everything moving as it should. Gut support can also be a valuable
part of gastric care. Pre and probiotics have long been used to stabilise the gut micro biome and help to maximise digestion in the horse. High fibre diets take some considerable digesting and so having a good microbial population within the gut allows the horse to really get the most for the diet. It’s always best to make sure you feed a balancer with a fibre based diet, so using a product which incorporates a balance of vitamins and minerals as well as the gut support can be a really simple way to offer key support to your horse. These come in pelleted or powdered form, just add to the daily feed ration to balance the diet, easy!
8
SEPTEMBER//OCTOBER2018
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