Feeding for breeding

ENSURING THAT YOUR MARE HAS AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF NUTRIENTS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER HER PREGNANCY IS KEY TO PRODUCING A HEALTHY FOAL. HELEN TRIGGS GETS SOME EXPERT ADVICE. There are many factors which aff ect the breeding of a perfect dressage horse. However, the best bloodlines in the world won’t be enough if the care of the brood mare is inadequate.

Good nutrition is the foundation for a successful pregnancy and healthy off spring. Not providing adequate nutrition at any stage can mean problems later in life for the youngstock. Simple guidelines are: • Check body condition throughout the pregnancy • Make sure vitamin and mineral levels areadequate • Don’t allow the mare to become obese • Evaluate the feed required throughout the diff erent stages of pregnancy • Make sure there is access to high quality forage and fresh water • Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from a specialist nutritionist. “Some years ago the impact of incorrect feeding on developmental orthopaedic diseases was discovered,” comments Olwen Lloyd, MA Vet MB MRCVS. “Originally the focus was on overfeeding but we now know that underfeeding is just as bad.”

“The focus should be on quality not quantity – feed a good quality balancer appropriate to the mare’s condition. Not all balancers are equal and breeders should stay away from products with excessive sugars and starch which will either make the mare and/ or foal unhealthily fat. It’s important to feed products which contain quality protein and amino acids, not ones with a high level of nonessential protein.”

“Feeding the broodmare should start prior to breeding as correct nutrition at this stage will help to support successful conception,” says Stephanie George Msc RNutr, Sport and Leisure Nutritionist at Saracen Horse Feeds. “Feeding each mare as an individual can also be benefi cial in ensuring she is getting the right nutrition to meet her requirements.

“The mare’s body condition should be monitored regularly to make sure that there is no fl uctuation in weight. Ideally the broodmare should remain in moderate condition the whole way through the pregnancy. To achieve this, dietary adjustments will need to be made in relation to the quality and availability of the forage that she is receiving to ensure that her calorie requirements are met.” Even before the process starts, it’s important that the mare is fi t and healthy to achieve a positive conception. If you have been feeding a supplement to help with ‘marish’ behaviour or control ovulation, it should be stopped and the mare allowed to come into season once or twice before covering. Most supplementation, such as

BELOW: ONCE THE FOAL IS BORN, THE MARE’S ENERGY NEEDS WILL INCREASE BY AS MUCH AS 44%. DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF LACTATION, SHE WILL GIVE 3% OF HER BODY WEIGHT DAILY IN MILK PRODUCTION.

products for joints, digestion and breathing, can continue safely throughout pregnancy, according to Kate Hore R Nutr (Animal), Senior Nutritionist at NAF. “If there is a concern, any good quality manufacturer will show a warning label on the product.”

Owners should be cautious about supplementing with seaweed, which is high in iodine. “For most horses, iodine levels are safe, but broodmares can be particularly sensitive, so seaweed is best avoided unless a defi ciency is known.”

“Vitamin E and selenium is recommended for all breeding stock, together they are important nutrients for fertility,” says Kate. “UK soil is commonly defi cient in selenium so needs to be supplemented, together with Vitamin E.

“Supplementation can be useful for natives or mares who are good doers as they don’t need an energy rich diet such as stud feed, so can miss out on valuable nutrients.”

“The development of the foal begins right from the point of conception so it’s very important to feed appropriately from this time onwards,” advises Emma Short BSc, Nutritionist at Baileys Horse Feeds. “It’s often suggested that a high fi bre, Feeds. “It’s often suggested that a high fi bre, low energy feed, such as a cool mix, will meet low energy feed, such as a cool mix, will meet a pregnant mare’s requirements through the a pregnant mare’s requirements through the fi rst two thirds of the pregnancy but, while fi rst two thirds of the pregnancy but, while these feeds may be su cient to meet calorie requirements, alongside forage, the levels of other nutrients are likely to be insu cient.”

“Minerals, like copper for example, are vitally important in a mare’s diet because they, and other essential nutrients, are needed to build the cells and tissues that create a foal. Research has shown that the foetus accumulates stores of minerals in its liver on which it can draw once it is born and growing very rapidly. Without these reserves, Developmental Orthopaedic Disease

(DOD) can occur as the foal grows,” says Emma.

“Lower energy feeds and those formulated for adult equines rather than breeding or growing ones, will leave the pregnant mare and developing foal short.”

“Mares who are good-doers often put on too much weight if fed a stud mix or cube during pregnancy. For these types, a specially formulated stud balancer, containing all the essential nutrients they need but with a negligible calorie content, is ideal and should ensure that the development of the foetus is supported without promoting weight gain in the mare. Because a balancer is so concentrated, only small amounts need to be fed which is particularly useful for mares that are heavily pregnant as they often have a reduced appetite.”

The last trimester (7-9 months of pregnancy) is when the foal does most of its growing and the demands on the mare increase.

“This is the time when the foal will be storing nutrients such as copper and zinc in the liver, as these minerals are not provided in the mare’s milk,” explains Stephanie George. “Regular body condition scoring is essential as the overweight broodmare will have complications foaling, and the underweight broodmare will not have the energy required during foaling to support her though the delivery.

“Towards the end of the last trimester, mares can become picky with their forage because the growing foal is taking up a lot of room. Increases in hard feed may be needed to compensate for the loss of calories if less forage is being consumed.”

Once the foal is born, the mare’s energy needs will increase by as much as . During the fi rst three months of lactation, she will give 3% of her body weight daily in milk production. “Some breeds tend to sacrifi ce’ themselves to their foals and will put all their energy into producing gallons of excellent quality milk to support their foals whilst rapidly losing weight themselves,” warns Stephanie. “Not providing the mare with enough feed at this stage will reduce milk production and quality and compromise reproductive e ciency, which could eventually aff ect the foal’s health and growth rate,” comments Emma Short. “For those who maintain condition during lactation on grass/forage alone, the additional source of vitamins and minerals provided by a low calorie stud balancer is ideal. Mares who require additional calories however, are best suited to a stud/mare and youngstock mix or cube, containing 15 -16% crude protein and fed little and often to the manufacturer’s recommendation.”

BELOW: ENSURE THAT RATIONS - WHETHER THEY BE STUD CUBES OR JUST A BALANCER - ARE FORMULATED TO PROVIDE THE NUTRIENTS NEEDED TO BUILD THE FOAL’S CELLS AND TISSUES.

Lynne Crowden of Woodlander Stud is internationally recognised as a breeder of top quality dressage horses and holder of a Gold Medal from the Hannoveraner Verband. Over 25 years she has developed a protocol for feeding the many mares which have produced foals for the stud.

“We have always fed our pregnant mares with concentrates and supplements in the last trimester of pregnancy. They are also fed in the fi rst three months post-foaling which is also the fi rst three months of their next pregnancy. The post-foaling feed is adjusted according to the growth of the foal,” explains Lynne.

“It seems to us, and we have now done it for years, that maiden mares must also be fed in the fi rst three months of pregnancy and so we avoid that ‘fi rst foal syndrome’.

“In the middle trimester the mares will get a ‘sanity handful’, largely to contain their supplements. They get most of their nutrition from grass and hay.”

“We separate supplementation from nutrition – because of the scale of our operation we only feed straights with additional supplements. Additional feeding begins in the third trimester. We usually divide the feed into three meals, except for the very big mares who get four.”

TOP: EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN LYNNE CROWDEN THAT IT’S BETTER TO OFFER ADDITIONAL FEED TO MAIDEN MARES FROM THE FIRST TRIMESTER.

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optimum nutrition for all breeding stock, from pregnant and lactating mares to growing youngsters. It can be introduced from three months of age and, being low calorie, it is ideal for good-doers, supporting even growth rates without encouraging weight gain. Its quality protein and elevated levels of vitamins and minerals support foetal development during pregnancy, as well as helping ensure the mare is receiving the nutrients she needs to produce good quality milk.

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