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Your Nutri-Gard Questions Answered
Nutri-Gard is a scientifically advanced supplement containing 12 active ingredients to support stomach health & hindgut health.
Everyone is talking about gut health and for good reason; it plays a key role in your horse’s overall health and wellbeing. We are all very familiar with the terms pre and probiotics, but have you heard about postbiotics and the enormous benefit they provide your horse?
What are postbiotics and how are they different from pre and probiotics?
Probiotics are the “good” or “friendly” bacteria that promote a healthy digestive tract and work to break down and digest food. Prebiotics are fuel for probiotics, support their growth, and helping the immune system to keep bad bacteria under control. When you feed prebiotics to probiotics, you get postbiotics. Simply put: Prebiotics + Probiotics = Postbiotics.
What are the functions of postbiotics?
When a horse eats fibre, it is fermented into Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs) by beneficial microbes in the hind-gut. These VFAs are then absorbed and used as an energy source which can help the digestive system to become healthier, more absorptive, and resilient. The postbiotic included in Foran Equine Nutri-Gard contains fermentable nutrients that increase VFA production to help support normal, healthy git function. Studies have shown that horses fed this postbiotic have higher levels of VFA production in their hind-gut.
What are the benefits of feeding them?
Feeding a postbiotic supplement such as Nutri-Gard essentially fast-tracks this natural process delivering bioactive compounds directly to the gut. This helps to support intestinal health, performance, recovery and immune function. The postbiotic included in Foran Equine Nutri-Gard is backed by equine specific research and science.
Why is the horse’s digestive health so important?
Horses are hind-gut fermenters. This means that the majority of the digestive process happens in the hind-gut, by a process called fermentation. Fermentation is performed by the microbiome. So, if your horse’s ‘gut bugs’ are low in diversity and health, postbiotic production will be detrimentally affected. This in turn can have a direct impact on health. Many factors can stress our horses’ digestive system including travel, intense exercise, dietary/ management changes, high concentrate diets or simply just because they are getting a little older. The horse’s ability to resist health issues associated with these stressors is directly related to the function of the hind-gut.
How can postbiotics benefit your horse?
The postbiotic included in Nutri-Gard has a positive effect on the beneficial bacteria within the horse’s gut and therefore are likely to:
- Support healthy gut microflora and protect against pathogenic bacteria
- Aid a healthy intestinal barrier
- Improve the breakdown of fibre
- Stabilizes hind-gut pH and limit acidosis
- Enhance B-vitamin production in the large intestine
How do I know if my horse needs a postbiotic?
The following signs may indicate that your horse would benefit from Nutri-Gard supplementation:
- Weight loss
- Behavioural challenges
- Dull coat
- Compromised immune function contributing to illness and disease
- Regular travel and competition
When should you supplement with postbiotics?
Virtually any horse can benefit from supplementation with Nutri-Gard due to postbiotics’ strong correlation with gastrointestinal balance and healthy nutrient digestion. Some examples include:
- Horses prone to digestive issues
- During changes in feed or management
- Horses fed high levels of hard feed
- Individuals that lose weight easily
- Older horses
- Horses that travel or compete regularly
- Anxious or easily stressed horses
- Horses recovering from an illness
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