Your horse is what it eats
Article from RD1's 'Straight from the Horse's Mouth', July 2010
Why feed Mitavite®?
Mitavite is a company known worldwide that is dedicated to producing horse feeds. Mitavite’s range encompasses all facets of nutrition from young growing horses, breeding mares and stallions, to spelling, working, racing and performance horses. They haven’t forgotten our ageing friends either. Mitavite takes pride in providing rations that are balanced and well formulated, enhancing performance and well being.
What makes Mitavite feeds stand out?
Natural vitamin E – the vitamin E used in Mitavite and Vitamite feeds is in a natural form thereby increasing bioavailability. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and has a role in protecting cells from oxidative damage. It has a close relationship with selenium and the two work together stabilising body tissue, red blood cells and maintaining the vascular system. Vitamin E also plays a role in strengthening muscles.
Chelated mineral proteinates – the minerals added to Mitavite feeds are provided as chelated mineral proteinates. That is, the minerals are attached to a protein. This allows them to be more readily available for absorption and more easily absorbed in the small intestine than inorganic forms, i.e. zinc oxide or copper sulphate.
Natural selenium – is provided as a proteinate which is more readily absorbed and bioavailable than other selenium supplements, such as Selenite. It is involved in the maintenance of muscle tissue, and stabilises and protects cell membranes. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant and is used in the treatment of some muscle disorders such as tying up.
Vitamin C – well known for boosting the immune system, vitamin C also helps with free radical control, enhancing blood vessel strength, improving fat metabolism and elasticity of connective tissue, and is added to all feeds in the Mitavite racing range.
Chromium yeast – chromium yeast is added to the Mitavite racing range to enhance carbohydrate and fat metabolism, aid in enzyme activation and enhance digestion.
Bonafide – is a vitamin K supplement that has been added to breeding feeds such as Breeda, Promita and Yearling Prep. Bonafide is also added to racing feeds such as Formula 3, XLR8 and our feed for older horses, Gumnuts. Excellent research results have been obtained with Bonafide supplementation lowering the incidence of bone diseases in young horses and lowering the incidence of shin soreness in two year olds in training.
Protexin – has been added to XLR8 and Gumnuts to improve digestion and improve gut health to enhance performance and well being.
Advantages of feeding a steam-extruded feed:
- Avoids digestive problems often associated with high grain, high starch diets, reducing the amount of heat, acid and gas produced during the digestion process compared with raw grains and pellets
- Low GI for longer lasting energy
- Destroys natural toxins and bacterial pathogens
- Increases digestibility to over 90% in the small intestine for greater feeding efficiency, reducing the risk of hindgut acidosis, laminitis and colic
- Increases palatability
- Steam-extruded feeds are eaten slowly, increasing saliva production which in turn buffers stomach acids and reduces the risk of choke, colic and stomach ulcers
- Stays fresh for up to nine months
- The extruded nut reduces the amount of dust in the feed bin that can affect air quality in the stable, helping to reduce respiratory diseases
- An alternative to traditional raw grain diets
- Gelatinises starches increasing digestibility in the small intestine.
There are a number of quality feed products in the Mitavite range. Talk to the team at RD1 about the best feed choice to suit your horse’s needs.
