A healthy foal starts with the breeding mare’s nutrition before, during and after pregnancy. What exactly should you pay attention to?

It seems obvious but it cannot be emphasized enough that good roughage is the foundation for broodmares as well. Good roughage ensures a healthy digestive system and helps prevent problems such as stomach ulcers and colic. The preferred choice here is good grass, hay or haylage. This contains a lot of crude fiber, a decent level of protein (although there can be very much variation in this!), it is relatively rich in minerals and counters boredom as horses spend a long time absorbing it.

It is important to keep the mare in a healthy condition (not too thin but certainly not too fat either). The condition can be controlled with an appropriate amount of concentrate feed. Especially towards the end of the gestation period it can be useful to increase the amount of concentrate feed because the unborn foal will grow rapidly.

The minerals calcium, phosphorus and magnesium are very important for proper bone formation in the unborn foal. If the foal receives these minerals in low amounts or in the wrong proportions, it is at high risk of being born with weaker bones.

Breeding mares should therefore receive additional minerals during gestation, this can be done through an appropriate concentrate feed for broodmares, a supplement or possibly a well-balanced licking bucket. In addition to the above macrominerals, microminerals (or trace elements) such as, copper, zinc, manganese and selenium are also very important for the formation of strong bones, tendons and joints. For example, it has been shown by several researchers that foals deficient in copper have an increased risk of conditions such as OCD. The form of the trace elements is also important, for example, a recent study using (organic) L- selenomethionine versus (inorganic) sodium selenite as a selenium source in the breeding mare’s diet showed that L-Selenomethionine improved selenium and antioxidant status in the lactating foal. In addition, L-selenomethionine had a positive effect on bone metabolism in the foals.

Finally, it is also very important to provide adequate vitamins to your broodmare. Vitamins contribute to the overall health and resistance of both mare and foal. Vitamins A, E and B9 (folic acid) also play an important role in the mare’s fertility. Especially towards the end of winter, it is very important to provide vitamins as vitamins in roughage break down over time. Thus, at the time when mares are in high gestation and have an increased need for vitamins, the roughage contains just the lowest levels. A good vitaminized concentrate and/or supplement is then definitely in order!

Once the foal is born, the mare’s energy requirements (for milk production) will increase exponentially. However, this does not mean that you should double the mare’s concentrate feed allowance overnight. It is important that you build this up gradually so as not to confuse the digestive system. In this regard, roughage remains the foundation. If your hay is of good quality, it will provide most of your mare’s energy needs, therefore it is also important that she has this available at all times. It also remains very important that your mare gets enough protein, a lack of which can lead to reduced milk production.

If you want to be sure your mare and foal are getting the best quality vitamins, minerals and trace elements they need, give VitaMinalia EQUINE OPTIGROW: VitaMinalia EQUINE OPTIGROW is a complete nutritional supplement(/supplementary feed) for breeding. It supplements the ration of your broodmares and foals with high quality vitamins, minerals, trace elements, proteins and prebiotics to obtain an optimal growth and development of the foal. In addition, it supports the fertility of the
mare.

VitaMinalia EQUINE OPTIGROW contains the latest generation of selenium (L- selenomethionine) and natural vitamin E to achieve an optimal effect on fertility. In addition, it is enriched with minerals and easily absorbable (organic) trace elements such as copper, zinc and manganese) to provide the mare and foal with the right building blocks for healthy bones.

VitaMinalia EQUINE OPTIGROW is rich in high-quality vegetable protein sources supplemented with additional essential amino acids to achieve optimal growth and milk production.

Resources
– Bridges CH, Womack, JE, Harris ED. Considerations of copper metabolism in osteochondrosis of suckling foals. J Am. vet, nied. Ass. V.185, p.173-178 , 1984
– Coskun A, Ozdemir O, Erol M, Kirbiyik H. The Relationship of Copper Concentrations in Feed and Plasma to Developmental Orthopedic Disease in Foals. Vet Archiv, v.86, p. 287- 294, 2016
– Leleu C, Du Laing G, Pincemail J, Pitel P, David C, Paboeuf F, Rovers-Paap P. Source of selenium fed to mares affects milk and Se status of their foals. In 8th European Equine Health & Nutrition Congress, p.108, 2017
– Chavette-Palmer P, Robles M. Development programming: Can nutrition of the mare influence the foal’s health? Congresso Brasilairo de Reproduçao Animal 2019