Busting Feeding, Nutrition and Supplement Myths with Camilla Whishaw
About Camilla
– If you would like to know more about Camilla then listen to her previous chat
First Chat (439) Camilla Whishaw
Second Chat (497) – Camilla Whishaw 2 – “Ten Important Facts About Good Gastro-Intestinal Health in Horses”
Third Chat (585) Camilla Whishaw 3 – “Ten Important Considerations (And Myths to Bust) For The Best Use Of Supplements”
Fourth Chat (724) – Camilla Whishaw 4 – “Ten Considerations for the Horse with Ulcers”
Fifth Chat (873) – Camilla Whishaw 5 – Equine Asthma & Respiratory Health Explained with Camilla Whishaw
Sixth Chat (927) – Camilla Whishaw 6 – Equine Anxiety, Stress and Behavioural Issues. Camilla Whishaw discusses the role that diet and supplements play
Seventh Chat (942) – Camilla Whishaw 7 – Joint Injections in Horses, Preventative Measures and Joint Health with Camilla Whishaw
About This Episode
– Busting Feeding, Nutrition and Supplement Myths with Camilla Whishaw
To Listen to Camilla Whishaw 8 on YouTube – Click Here
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Busting Feeding, Nutrition and Supplement Myths with Camilla Whishaw
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Myth 1: Grass contains all the nutrients a horse needs
- Grass alone will not meet all a horse/pony’s vitamin and mineral requirements
- Lack of dry matter fibre in grass
- Although grass alone may provide sufficient or excess calories to a horse’s/pony’s needs, the horse/pony will fall short of key nutrients.
- Grass alone may not provide sufficient protein, specifically essential amino acids
- Horses have elevated nutrient requirements during times of illness, injury, certain stages of growth, pregnancy or breeding.
- It is a common misconception that if a horse is in good/fleshy/overweight condition or there is plenty of grass then that is all an equine needs.
Myth 2: Horses don’t need hay if there is plenty of grass
- Dry matter fibre content of hay V grass
- Dry matter fibre is needed to ‘feed’ healthy gastrointestinal (GI) microflora, with all the beneficial flow on effects for our horses and ponies.
- On average, it takes a horse 40 minutes and 3400 jaw sweeps to consume 1kg of hay.
- Resulting increase in bicarbonate/salivary amylase production
- Oral/teeth and oral mucosal health. Saliva production protects teeth enamel. Microflora in our horse’s mouths.
Myth 3: Overweight horses and ponies and/or those at risk of laminitis need to be put on a ‘starvation’ diet.
- What is the difference between laminitis and founder?
- We need to be aware of the overall energy/calorie intake in such horses
- The importance of paying particular attention to non-structural carbohydrates in their diets
- Risks of withholding feed, particularly fibre and essential nutrients in these horses and ponies
- Risks of gastric ulcers; changes in gut microflora; immune health; stress and associated cortisol levels; metabolic changes and risk of slowing metabolism; boredom and stereotypy behaviours; neurotransmitter production and function and associated behaviour.
Myth 4: Gastric ulcers are caused by our horses producing too much hydrochloric acid/gastric acid
- Importance of stopping to consider the normal production of hydrochloric acid and its role in digestion, immune function and overall health in our horses and ponies.
- It is normal and healthy for our horses to produce hydrochloric acid, without it proper digestion cannot occur.
- Lack of evidence to suggest that horse’s actually produce too much hydrochloric acid.
- Gastric ulcers are not a result of too much hydrochloric acid production, but a result of feeding, types of feed, medication and management practices.
- Gastric ulcer medications are not a sustainable nor health promoting treatment/medication option for horses.
Myth 5: All horse supplements are natural, therefore harmless
- Lack of regulation and labelling requirements mean we often don’t exactly know for sure what is contained in a supplement we are giving our horses
- Many product manufacturers can make unsubstantiated claims about their produces without sufficient evidence/proof to support them
- Some herbal medicines have contraindications
- Some supplemental nutrients have contraindications
- Quality and adulteration of herbal products
- Interactions between different minerals and causing inadvertent mineral insufficiencies/deficiencies through supplementation
- Even supplements as seemingly benign as vitamin C may be counterproductive in some cases
- The importance of understanding the context and use of any herb, nutrient, supplement or drug. Why are we using it? How does it work (ie mode of action in our horses’ bodies)? How long are we going to prescribe it for?
- An example of a drug disguised as a feed supplement and the risks of using it.
Myth 6: Oats are a good source of nutrients for horses
- Whilst high in energy, oats actually not a particularly good source of any nutrients for our horses
- Oats are relatively low in protein, both overall (crude) protein and essential amino acids
- Low calcium levels of oats (inverse calcium to phosphorus ratio)
- Limited digestibility of feeding whole oats
- Starch contents of oats: considerations in relation to gastrointestinal microflora; laminitis; PPID
Myth 7: You shouldn’t feed your horse before exercise
- Grain of truth in this, but we need to put it into context
- Risks of feeding large grain-based/concentrated feeds before exercise
- Blood diversion away from the gastrointestinal tract during exercise
- What to feed before exercise
- Exercising horses on empty stomach is a known risk factor for some types of gastric ulcers
- Benefits of feeding lucerne hay or lucerne chaff prior to riding
Myth 8: For good bone health, I just need to make sure my horse gets enough calcium
- Calcium is certainly important for good bone health, but it is not the only nutrient required for this
- Other minerals and vitamins required for good bone health and development
- Role of exercise in good bone health
- Growth rates in young horses and effects on bone health
- Role of feeding horses appropriate energy requirements and keeping blood glucose/insulin levels in check for good bone health
- How preconception and conception nutrient status and body composition in broodmares effects bone health of offspring
- Medications which may have a deleterious effect on bone health
Myth 9: Free choice mineral licks and supplements provide all my horse’s nutrient requirements
- We know that feeding grass and/or hay alone will result in short falls of key nutrient requirements for our equines
- Fibre aside, can mineral licks be of benefit to our horses?
- They may seem like an easy solution….
- With exception of salt, insufficient evidence to suggest that our horses can seek out specific minerals in accordance to their requirements
- Most horses consume mineral licks due to flavours/sweeteners added, or out of boredom
- We can’t control how much or how little of these they consume, nor accurately measure their intake.
Myth 10: Iron/blood building supplements will help my horse’s performance
- Iron is an essential mineral which plays many roles in the body, including production of haemoglobin – a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.
- Iron is also required for myoglobin production- a protein that provides oxygen to muscles
- Too much iron is actually harmful to the body and can hamper performance
- Many soils and pastures are actually very high in iron
- Excessive iron induces oxidative damage, which compromises muscle function and recovery
- High levels of iron drive inflammation- a consideration in any inflammatory condition in our horses
Camilla’s Contact Details
Phone: 0499 256 316 or +61 499 256 316
Email: camilla@optimequine.com
Website: www.optimequine.com
Facebook: Optim Equine
Instagram: Optim Equine
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