Feed and Supplement Correctly
Gastrointestinal Problems
Gastrointestinal problems in horses have been the subject of increasing attention due to their high prevalence and their impact on sporting performance.
Feed and Supplement Correctly
Gastrointestinal Problems
Ulcers – How to feed a horse with ulcers?
Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome (EGUS) defines several alterations of the esophageal, gastric or duodenal mucosa, from inflammation to ulceration. This syndrome has been the subject of increasing attention due to its high prevalence and its impact on the performance of the sport horse.
Feeding management is an important ally in controlling SUGE, whether during the horse's treatment process or at a later stage, contributing to preventing the appearance of new lesions.
What points should be considered when feeding these horses?
1. Increase chewing time and reduce periods of absence of food
Increasing the chewing period and decreasing the periods of absence of food is essential in the feeding management of these horses. This can be done by facilitating access to pasture, providing hay ad libitum and/or promoting slower ingestion of forage food, using techniques such as fine mesh nets, in stabled horses.
This permanent access to forage promotes continuous secretion of saliva. Saliva is rich in minerals and bicarbonate, a substance with a buffering effect that acts as a natural antacid in the stomach. Thus, salivation plays a protective role in the gastric mucosa, in addition to moistening the food, favoring the transit and penetration of gastric juice into the food bolus.
On the other hand, since the production of acid by the stomach is continuous, it is easily understandable that prolonged periods between meals contribute to the formation and exacerbation of ulcers.
2. Consider the type of forage
In addition to increasing the consumption of forage feed (≥1.5% of live weight (bw) in dry matter (DM), e.g. 500 kg bw horse ≥ 7.5 kg DM), another relevant factor is the type of forage selected. The choice of quality hay is imperative, and the consumption of straw is not recommended as the sole or main source of forage, as scientific studies have shown higher degrees of ulceration associated with its consumption.
The use of lucerne hay or the association of lucerne with concentrated feed (“feed”) are measures considered beneficial, considering its protective effect (due to its calcium and protein content).
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3. Reduce starch consumption
Other factors to consider are the amount of concentrated feed provided, as well as its composition. Concentrated feeds (mainly made up of cereals such as oats, corn, and wheat) are rich in non-structural carbohydrates (HCNE, starch, and sugars) and tend to be ingested quickly, minimizing saliva production and the protective effect of bicarbonate. At the same time, they are associated with a greater production of volatile fatty acids (VFA), which in turn affect the integrity of the mucosa, making it more susceptible to injury.
Recent studies recommend not exceeding 2 grams of starch per kilogram of body weight per day or 1 gram of starch per kilogram of body weight per meal. In sports horses, as concentrated feed is essential to meet their energy needs, its supply should be divided into a greater number of meals in order to comply with these recommendations.
The choice of concentrated feeds for sport horses with lower levels of starch and sugars is also possible today.
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It is also possible to administer the concentrated feed concomitantly with a lucerne-based forage, in order to benefit from its protective effect. This combination may even allow the amount of concentrated feed in the diet to be reduced, considering the nutritional value of the added lucerne.
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4. Use fat as a calorie source
Providing part of the calorie requirement through the use of fat is also considered beneficial. The choice of fat type should be considered, with sources naturally rich in omega 3 being preferred (considering the high levels of omega 6 already provided in the feed of stabled horses).
5. Supplementation
The use of supplements indicated for horses with gastric ulcers, or suspected gastric ulcers, is a very viable option, although it should be done under the advice of a veterinarian or qualified nutritionist/technician. Their use does not invalidate the recommendations in the previous points.
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In short, SUGE has a high prevalence, with sport horses being the main candidates for developing the disease. Appropriate dietary practices can help us reduce the risk of ulcers occurring, their recurrence and their severity.
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Feed and Supplement Correctly
Gastrointestinal Problems
Ulcers – Definition of equine gastric ulceration syndrome
Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome (EGUS) defines several alterations of the esophageal, gastric or duodenal mucosa, from inflammation to ulceration. This syndrome has been the subject of increasing attention due to its high prevalence, particularly in sport horses, and the repercussions felt on the performance and well-being of affected animals.
Clinical signs
Clinical signs of the disease may include reduced or loss of appetite, weight loss, poor coat condition (dull coat), reluctance to work, loss of performance, bruxism (“teeth grinding”), abdominal pain (colic), among others. The diagnosis of the disease should be made by a veterinarian, through a correct clinical examination and the use of gastroscopy.
This is a syndrome of multifactorial etiology. The stress, food management, type and intensity of exercise, confinement and type of housing, as well as the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are some of the risk factors for its development.
Proper feeding management is a fundamental part of preventing and controlling this syndrome. Learn more about the fundamental aspects of feeding horses with Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome (EGUS) by clicking on the button below.
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Feed and Supplement Correctly
Gastrointestinal Problems
Starch – How to minimize the risks associated with its ingestion?
We already know the risks associated with starch intake and the main conditions that justify controlling it in the horse's diet.
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However, we also recognize its important role as a source of calories and its importance in nutrition, particularly in the performance of anaerobic physical activity. Therefore, to minimize the impact of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCHC), particularly starch, and enhance their pre-cecal digestion, we must:
- Always evaluate the weight of the food and not the volume.
- Always provide the forage component (hay) before the concentrated feed, as chewing the hay promotes the release of bicarbonate through saliva, which will act as a buffer substance in the stomach. This minimizes the decrease in gastric pH after ingestion of the concentrated feed. At the same time, ingesting fiber before the concentrated feed is beneficial for its digestibility, thus increasing digestive efficiency.
- Instead of large amounts of concentrated feed, we should provide a greater number of meals and a smaller amount of concentrated feed in each of them (maximum 0.5 kg / 100 kg of live weight).
- Prefer foods made from heat-treated cereals (flakes, pellets and extruded), in order to maximize the digestibility of the starch provided. Foods with whole cereals will necessarily have lower digestibility in the small intestine, with consequent passage of starch to the large intestine and the risks associated with this passage (dysbiosis and intestinal acidity and inherent risks).
- Opt for a food formulated with low starch content.
Low-starch foods
There is currently a gap in European legislation that has allowed the claim “low starch” to be used on products with very variable starch contents. In order to make this claim, it is only necessary to specify the starch content on the label, and its limits are not defined. However, it is relatively consensual to state a low starch content when a product has a content of less than 20%.
Our Gastro Pro and Nature Mash foods are products formulated with low starch content, presenting 8 and 12% of starch, respectively.
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Naturally, a low-starch diet will have to include other sources of calories, usually high in fiber and fat. Since the raw materials used in these foods generally have a higher economic value, these products also have a higher cost.
Which horses benefit from a low starch diet?
Easily excitable horses may benefit from these foods, as well as obese horses (naturally predisposed to insulin resistance), insulin resistant horses, horses with Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome (EGUS), myopathies, intestinal acidosis or laminitis.
The use of these foods should be done under the advice of your nutritionist or veterinarian.
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Gastrointestinal Problems
Starch – What are the risks associated with its intake and when to limit it?
There is currently growing concern about starch levels in horses' diets. This concern is justified by the increasing diagnosis of conditions that benefit from a diet low in non-structural carbohydrates (starch and sugars).
Starch intake
For example, from a gastrointestinal (GI) point of view, the ingestion of large quantities of concentrated feed is, in general, associated with a decrease in the amount of forage ingested.
Since the fibrous component should be the main component in the horse's diet, limitations in its intake contribute to the appearance of gastrointestinal disorders, such as Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome (EGUS). In addition to this, there is a decrease in gastric pH after ingestion of concentrated feed, which also contributes to the aforementioned Syndrome.
Implications of starch intake
Horses have a limited capacity to digest starch in the small intestine (with individual variability). Therefore, when we provide a large amount of starch in a single meal, or low digestibility starch (unprocessed grains), a significant amount of this starch may not be digested in the small intestine, reaching the cecum.
Diarrhea, intestinal acidosis, colic
This starch will be fermented at the cecal level, with the consequent release of lactic acid. This fermentation process may result in significant changes in the intestinal flora – intestinal dysbiosis (diarrhea) – compromising the effective digestion of the forage component, and a decrease in intestinal pH – intestinal acidosis. Intestinal acidosis can justify changes in behavior, loss of performance and abdominal pain (colic).
Insulin resistance, laminitis, rhabdomyolysis
In some horses, we also see insulin resistance, which results in a failure of the tissues to respond to circulating insulin and consequently difficulty in controlling blood glucose. These horses are more prone to problems such as laminitis (“watering”) and limiting starch intake is one of the strategies used to increase insulin sensitivity.
Some myopathies, such as rhabdomyolysis due to polysaccharide accumulation or recurrent exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis, also benefit from a limitation in the intake of starch and sugars.
Temperamental or excitable horses
Temperamental or easily excitable horses appear to benefit from some limitation of non-structural carbohydrates in the diet, with high sugar levels being associated with increased dopamine secretion. Here again, individual variability is enormous.
It is important to bear in mind that using a commercial food low in starch may be beneficial for some animals and improve their performance. However, completely excluding this energy source may not be the most appropriate strategy, as glycogen reserves are so important in certain sports, particularly those in which anaerobic activity is more important. Discover Intacol foods with a low starch content.
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Feed and Supplement Correctly
Gastrointestinal Problems
Starch – What is it and what is its role in equine nutrition?
In recent years we have seen growing concern about the energy sources used in the horse's diet, in particular starch.
Starch is a long carbohydrate (polysaccharide) stored in plants as an energy reserve. Starch reserves in plants vary, with cereals such as oats, wheat, barley and maize, commonly used in horse feed, having particularly high amounts.
In a horse's diet, starch plays a caloric role, similar to that of fat and fiber. Simplifying a little, in a horse's diet there are two types of carbohydrates: structural (HCE) and non-structural (HCNE).
Structural Carbohydrates (HCE)
Some structural carbohydrates such as hemicellulose and cellulose, structural constituents of plants, play a fundamental role in the horse's diet, meeting its fibrous needs. Most of the HCE in the horse's diet is provided by forage (hay). The digestion of these HCE into volatile fatty acids begins in the cecum, with the help of a microbial flora resident there.
Non-structural carbohydrates (NSHC)
HCNE (starch and sugars) must undergo pre-cecal digestion and absorption (in the small intestine). During this digestive process, starch must be broken down into simpler molecules, identical to sugar, which are easily absorbed. The glucose in circulation can be used immediately by the cells (a process mediated by the hormone insulin), it can be mobilized for fat synthesis or it can be stored in the form of glycogen (in the muscles and liver).
The metabolism of HCNE is particularly important in sports horses when they are subjected to anaerobic activity, since in the absence of oxygen, energy production depends on the use of these glycogen reserves. Insufficient glycogen reserves will result in early fatigue and will limit the horse's performance.