EEiwits are a very important nutrient for horses.iwits are composed of different amino acids and are the main building block for many body tissues, not least the muscles. But also many organs, enzymes, hormones,… are (partly) composed of proteins.
Protein contained in the ration is broken down (in part) into amino acids in the small intestine, these amino acids are then absorbed by the intestinal wall into the bloodstream and transported through the liver to the various tissues. Moreover, the liver is able to convert certain amino acids to other amino acids. However, there are certain (so-called essential) amino acids that the horse cannot produce itself, so these amino acids must be provided through the diet. Essential amino acids include lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan.
All feeds (both roughage and concentrate) contain protein; however, there is a wide variation in the amount and quality of protein that different feeds contain. The quality of a protein source depends mainly on its digestibility and the proportion of essential amino acids it contains. High-quality protein sources include soy and flaxseed.
Grass, hay and haylage has a very variable protein content depending on the season, growth stage of the grass and fertilization level of the grassland. Increasingly, we are seeing hay and haylage from unfertilized grassland that does not contain enough protein to meet the horse’s needs. Especially sport horses, broodmares and growing young horses have increased protein needs for muscle building, among other things. It is therefore recommended to do a regular analysis of the protein content of your forage and make an appropriate supplement with an appropriate concentrate feed or supplement.
Since traditional protein sources in horse nutrition (especially grass, hay and haylage) are relatively poor in the most essential amino acids, all VitaMinalia products are enriched with high-quality protein sources and essential amino acids to meet your horse’s needs.
If you have additional questions or need advice regarding your horse’s nutrition do not hesitate to contact us!
