Equine Nutrition

The non-ruminant digestive system works so that our stomach churns the food so it is into tiny little pieces, and makes sure that the food we eat is fully digested and the stomach muscles contract in order to churn food. The small intestine then absorbs and digests 90% of the food we eat and then absorbs minerals and nutrients, the large intestine then absorbs water from the remaining indigested food and transports waste material from our bodies, the rectum then temporarily stores our faeces until it is full and then faeces excrete from our anuses.

The recent down fall in the economy has made horse owners not want their horses anymore. The cost of maintaining a horse has greatly increased; horses are not able to survive on just the grass in a field. Horses need the vitamins from the grain and hay. Depending on what kind of horse you have, depends on the additional supplement they

First of all, horse meat is not always safe for human consumption. This is because many horses sent to slaughterhouses were previously given certain drugs that are harmful to humans. One drug in particular called phenylbutazone or PBZ, an anti-inflammatory drug, was proven by Food and Drug Toxicology to be in many American race horses who in end are sent to slaughterhouses once they finish their careers. When ingested by a human, PBZ causes bone marrow toxicity. Although the US Food and Drug Administration banned the use of drugs such as PBZ on horses destined to be slaughtered, there is inadequate testing to ensure that these horses aren't processed into food. These administrations also have no way to track these horses medical

This anemia results in fatigue and a number of the following problems;pain episodes, strokes, susceptibility to bacterial infections, particularly in children, leg ulcers, bone damage, yellow eyes or jaundice, early gallstones, lung blockage, increased infections, kidney damage and loss of body water in urine, painful erections in men, blood blockage in the spleen or liver, eye damage, low red blood cell counts (anemia), and delayed growth.

Since each horse is different they can show different types of symptoms. Some horses get many symptoms and others none. I’ve provided you a list that seems to be one of the most comprehensive I could find. This list is provided from an article by DVM Bentz Commissioner for the Kentucky Racing Commission.

While the horse has benefited from some aspects of domestication, for example the provision of food, shelter, protection from predators

Each year about 340 horses die due to effects of insulin resistance. That is almost half the deaths caused by horse racing. If a horse or pony suffering from Insulin Resistance and they eat high sugar feed, and eat normal, unsoaked hay the large increase in sugar may cause death or lead to serious life threatening conditions. In horses that don’t suffer from Insulin Resistance and Cushing’s it wouldn’t be as great a concern if they got out and ate feed and hay, but thus act becomes life threatening and fatal for horses and ponies suffering from Insulin Resistance and Cushing’s. Insulin Resistance, Cushings, and Endocrinopathic Laminitis are all very complex diseases that many experts are still gaining an understanding for. Glucose, insulin, and cortisol are major factors not only in Insulin Resistance (IR) and Cushings (PPID) as individual diseases, but they also serve to link the two diseases to Endocrinopathic Laminitis in addition to each other. Insulin Resistance and

An iron deficiency affects the athlete tremendously because blood cells, which contain hemoglobin (an iron-containing protein), transport oxygen to your working muscles when you run and when you have an iron deficiency less oxygen is transported to your muscles and your running performance will

Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) is a disease that can affect both male and female cats and is a condition that affects bladder function. This disease is most common in tomcats and it can lead to serious complications and even death if left untreated. It is unknown exactly what causes this condition to occur in cats, but many veterinary professionals believe that stress is one of the biggest contributing factors. For example, if a cat has recently moved into a new house and is no longer allowed outside, this could possibly lead to stress-induced FLUTD.

In the beginning of every cross country season, my coach stressed the importance that all the female runners must take one iron pill a day. I never gave in to this because he never gave us an explanation, so I saw this as merely a mental booster rather than actual improvement present in my body. After doing some research, I found out that iron is an essential nutrient used by the human body for to transport oxygen and produce energy. Iron is present in every single cell of the body and carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissue in the form of hemoglobin, which is the oxygen-transport protein in red blood cells. Lack of iron results in both fatigue and weakness, which is definitely harmful to a cross country runner. Iron deficiency affects women about 8-10 times more than men, which is why it is crucial for women runners to watch their iron levels (Sinclair, Hinton). If iron deficiency worsens, it can lead to anemia. Anemia is when you do not have enough red blood cells, and as a result, less hemoglobin. If a cross country runner has anemia, it can affect their whole season because they are exerting energy without the sufficient amount of oxygen needed to complete each run or workout.

In addition to owners commonly using supplements and switching from pharmaceuticals to nutracueticals in canines, it is also becoming popular in the equine industry. Horse owners are beginning to use supplements for arthritis in riding horses and performance horses as well as supplementing to help avoid gastrointestinal diseases and colic. Gastrointestinal disorders, including diarrhea, lesions, entercolitis, bloat, and colic are very common and can cause physiological consequences including death in horses. By supplementing a nutraceutical that can suppress proliferation of opportunistic and pathogenic bacteria and control inflammation, equine caretakers and owners can help their horses with a majority of disorders that horses commonly suffer

The disease affects numerous systems both internally and externally in the patient due to copper metabolism deficiencies. The main physical phenotypes are sparse and steel colored hair that is often kinky, pale skin,

A copious amount of programs and options for equine therapy in the U.S. are available. Statistics prove that equine therapy can be extremely helpful and cause drastic changes in the

Safely adding weight to a horse is more complicated than just adding food to their diet. Horses have a complex digestive tract that includes the esophageal sphincter making it a one-way system; a small stomach to start the breakdown of food with acid; a cecum with microbes to breakdown fiber. A horse’s body condition score is a scale from 1-9 where 1 is emaciated and 9 is obese, and the ideal score is 5. Horses should consume 2 percent of their body weight to maintain their condition. No more than half of their feed should be grain, and the rest should be forages. The amount of food for every horse is based on their age, workload, production status, and their desired body condition score. Overfeeding grain can cause horses to become overweight or even colic. Horses basic nutritional needs are water, energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. To fulfill an adult horses water requirement they should drink between 10 and 12 gallons of fresh, free choice, and comfortable temperature water. It is important for horses to consume a balanced diet so they have enough energy to successfully do their job.

Iron deficiency anemia is quite common in children, as iron is needed to support growth. A lack of iron in the diet can cause delays in brain development, which may be irreversible. Common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include irritability, palor, weakness, and cold hands and feet. Prevention of anemia is crucial for expectant mothers, as anemic women are at a higher risk for delivery complications such as hemorrhaging and having infants of low-birth weight. (Frantz, C. 2010).