Innovation in equine nutrition
Article from RD1's 'Straight from the Horse's Mouth', November 2011.
Laminitis is a life threatening disease and a significant problem within the equine world. Unfortunately a complete understanding of the aeteology of Laminitis remains elusive, but strategies to minimise and help prevent it remain key to controlling this condition.
Pasture is linked to 54% of Laminitis in grazing horses and correlates to the level of fructan sugars in pasture. Correct feed management and grazing practice can prevent up to 50% of Laminitis cases. Current advice from the Laminitis Trust is that 'at risk' horses, and those with recurrent Laminitis, should have restricted access to grazing. And that a high fibre, low starch, low energy feed forms the basis of a nutritional risk management strategy.
That's where Dunstan all-4-feet comes in; it’s formulated as a diet to complement such nutritional strategies. Being both high in fibre, low in starch and sugars and therefore low in energy, it is ideal for horses' prone to Laminitis. Dunstan all-4-feet is a high fibre, low starch diet, filled with organic trace minerals, selenium yeast and live yeast. Therefore, is also good for feeding to young growing horses, specifically where conditions associated with Development Orthapaedic Disease (DOD), OCD and where a general restriction in growth rate is required - without compromising bone integrity and development.
For mares grazing lush pasture and prone to lameness as a result of Laminitis, a restricted pasture feeding regime coupled with Dunstan all-4-feet as a supplement may help offer a solution to this problem. The high amounts of supplement inclusion within Dunstan all-4-feet (organic trace minerals, organic selenium yeast, live yeast, vitamins K, C and E and Biotin), all help to complement the fundamental concept of feeding a high fibre, low starch diet for horses at risk of contracting Laminitis or those intolerant to starch in the diet.
Dunstan all-4-feet, another formulation from the Dunstan range to meet the specific needs of horses requiring a high fibre, low starch diet. Get yours from RD1 today.
