Supplementing the Foal

It is important to keep on top of shifting nutritional requirements as foals grow, develop, and become less reliant on their mother’s milk. The young equine gut also has to quickly adapt to utilising a solid diet and, being hind-gut fermenters, an increasing reliance on bacterial gut populations.

Ensuring adequate provision of key vitamins and minerals should be kept in sharp focus, to ensure normal development and minimise the risk of developmental orthopaedic disorders (DODs). Studies have shown that osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is very dynamic during the early months of life, with the highest recorded incidence occurring at 5 months of age. A solid foundation for a horse’s entire athletic life is built in these early months.

Copper

Copper plays an essential role in the equine diet, particularly in youngstock. It acts as an essential co-factor for many enzymes, including lysol-oxidase, which is fundamental to cartilage formation. Copper is also vital for the maintenance of healthy tendons and ligaments. In terms of broader health, copper supports antioxidant function and immune health, as well as being needed for the production of melanin – the pigment that determines coat colour.

Forage (grass, hay or haylage) will provide some level of copper, but in Ireland and the UK, grass alone, whether fresh or preserved, will not fully meet the requirements needed for youngstock. This is further exacerbated by the fact that copper absorption is extremely complex, as it interacts with several other trace elements in the diet, including iron and molybdenum. These other minerals have an antagonistic effect on copper absorption, preventing effective uptake even when dietary provision is adequate. As such, supplementation with is generally recommended.

This is particularly true between as the foal reaches 4-7 months of age, as they will have utilised the stores developed in the womb but may not yet be consuming adequate levels of hard feed to ensure optimal copper intake.

Vitamins

Vitamins have wide and varied roles – many of which are related to healthy development as the foal grows. Vitamin A is essential (amongst other things) for normal eye function, but absent in the horse at birth, so must be obtained through the diet. B-vitamins are involved in maintaining good metabolism and folic acid specifically aids cell division and therefore growth. Then there is the previously discussed role of Vitamin D in enhancing calcium absorption – so important for normal bone development

Bone and joint development can be supported in youngstock with Osteo-Glycan, containing 5 key minerals, including calcium and phosphorus at an ideal ratio of 2:1, as well as marine collagen and vitamins A and D.

For more advice on targeted supplementation of foals and youngstock, get in touch to speak to one of our advisers