PUREFORM Nutrition for your Pregnant Mares.

Every quality breeder has already carefully considered their maternal bloodlines and impregnated their mares with the best suited sire to produce that highly anticipated perfect foal. Now that your mare is pregnant and holding, there is still work to do in maintaining or improving on the prenatal nutrition program.

Knowing the nutritional specs of your basic forage is the key to any successful breeding program. This should be done through a microbial analysis of that dry forage or live pasture grasses. Once you see the nutrient content of the important macro nutrients like calcium : phosphorous ratio, selenium, vitamin E, potassium, chlorine, magnesium as well as protein, you will have a better idea if supplementing with a vitamin/mineral concentrate is needed.  The analysis should be available to you whether buying large quantities from a broker, farmer or smaller truck load from your local feed store, ask if the grower can supply the analysis. If not, have core test done on your own, which shouldn’t cost more than $40 at a reputable lab. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a lab.

Under ideal circumstances, a good sized pasture of mixes grasses, your mare and her fetus would blossom especially when the selenium and vitamin E are sufficient. Fresh pasture grasses will have a protein content of about 8-10% and calcium and phosphorous ratio of around 1:1 but once cut and dried, the grass loses its vitamin and mineral profile significantly.  Research shows the ideal balance is about 1.2 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus but even up to 2:1 is acceptable for pregnant and performance horses. However, excessive dietary phosphorus binds calcium and prevents its absorption, but excess calcium has almost no effect on the absorption of phosphorus.

The Vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol form is the most bio-available for horses to utilize and is recommended at 1000-3000 IU per day.  Deficiency in vitamin E contribute to a variety of disorders such as white muscle disease (along with low selenium levels), rhabdomyolysis (tying-up syndrome), equine lower motor neuron disease and degenerative myelopathy (a neurologic disease in young horses). Mares with normal levels of vitamin E show better immune responses to pre-foaling vaccines than mares with lower vitamin E levels.

Selenium is required for normal musculoskeletal development in the fetus and musculoskeletal  maintenance for horses of all ages. Selenium works best in conjunction with Vitamin E for absorption and utilization. Some areas of North America have adequate or even high levels of selenium in pasture grasses and supplementation of selenium is not recommended. If you are not sure, a simple blood test by your veterinarian can determine if your horse is deficient.

Protein: most equine nutritionist will quote; Harold Hintz, PhD, MS, professor of animal nutrition at Cornell University, in his chapter titled "Nutrition of the Broodmare" in the textbook Equine Reproduction. In which he states; pregnant mares require 9-10% protein in their combined diet of hay and grain. When lactating, their protein requirement increases to 12%, then decreases to 10% in late lactation. I agree to this as a breeder, and again, how do you know the protein content but a core analysis of the very basic hay type.

With the ideal pasture not the norm or available for most breeders, our bio chemists have calculated the ideals in numbers in relationship to forage complimentary nutrition.  Our PUREFORM All-In-One Ration Balancing nutritional concentrates are formulated with a full spectrum of highly absorbable vitamins, essential amino acids, antioxidants, digestive yeasts, joint aids and minerals with the calcium and phosphorous amounts respective to your hay type. For instance, all dried grass hays (timothy, brome, orchard, blue grass, etc.) will be very deficient in the macro and micro nutrients that support the mare’s absorption and the foal’s healthy growth throughout each trimester and most importantly during the last trimester. 

Study: Kouba JM, Burns TA, Webel SK. Effect of dietary supplementation with long-chain n-3 fatty acids during late gestation and early lactation on mare and foal plasma fatty acid composition, milk fatty acid composition, and mare reproductive variables. Anim Reprod Sci. 2019 Apr;203:33-44. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2019.02.005. Epub 2019 Feb 13. PMID: 30803694. 

For more PUREFORM Supplement information.

https://www.pureformequinehealth.com/collections/equine-all-in-one-nutritional-balancing-concentrates  Toll Free: 1-877-533-9163

Author: Shelley Nyuli is co-owner and President of SciencePure Nutraceuticals Inc. and developers of PureForm Equine Health Supplements, VetForm Animal Health,  PureForm Pet Health Supplements, as well as Protocol Human Health Supplements.  Shelley and husband Calvin Nyuli B.Sc. have been successful in the Standardbred racing industry through breeding and racing with as many as 30 horses per year. Longevity through health and study is her focus with her animals and self. admin.shelley@sciencepure.com