ADVICEFROMTHE VET
QUICK FACT
Horses can easily eat the grass as fast as it grows, so youmay not perceive the new growth!
Remember
The grass in a grazedfield is still growing at the same rate as the grass in the rested field next
door.You can’t see the extent of the growth as the horse is eating the grass.
MYTH
Themost important change in laminitic hoof is associated with a structure called the basementmembrane.
MYTH Walk it off.
Quick Fact
Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) are the energy-rich sugars and starches in plants, which are not part of the plant’s cell walls. Aimfor <12%NSC.
DID YOUKNOW...
A horse needs to eat 2%of its body weight as drymatter daily tomaintain its weight. If it eatsmore, it will gain weight; if less, it will lose weight.
IMPORTANT! MYTH Beware ofmorning frost. MYTH Only fat greedy poonies get laminitis
Horsescanincreasetheireatingrateenormously tocompensateforperiodsof restriction,so whicheverstrategiesyouchoose, it isessential to sticktothemall
thetime.Nonight-timegrazing onlonggrass!#MidnightSnacksAreANoNo
PREVENTION
Strategies to prevent laminitis beginwith
weightmanagement.Both the amount of food and the type of food eaten are important factors inmanaging laminitis risk.
Wherepossible... MYTH
Themain cause of laminitis is pasture consumption.
MYTH Laminitis only occurs in the front feet.
Feed hay not haylage - the insulin spike triggered by haylage ismuch greater than after feeding hay.
Quick Fact
Water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) are the energy-rich sugars and starches in plants that dissolve inwater.
MYTH
Putting amare in foal will stop her fromgetting Laminitis.
Signs of laminitis include
- a stiff, ‘pottery’ gait in front, - reluctance tomove, - hot feet, and - a bounding digital pulse
REMEMBER
Read the ingredients list of any balancers, feeds or supplements you give carefully - watch out formolasses, sucrose, fructose, glucose, sugar.
REMEMBER
Feed grass-based forage rather than alfalfa -most of the NSC in grass is water-soluble. The NSC in alfalfa ismostly not water- soluble, so cannot be removed by soaking.
PleasementionCentralHorseNewswhenresponding toAdvertisementsJUNE/JULY2021 11
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
