Feeding the Easy Keeper. Dr. Marty Adams, PAS Equine Nutritionist Southern States

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1 Feeding the Easy Keeper Dr. Marty Adams, PAS Equine Nutritionist Southern States

2 Welcome and thanks for joining us!

3 What s s your #1 problem when feeding an Easy Keeper?

4 They get too fat!

5 Feed the Individual Not the Breed The latest edition of Nutrient Requirements of Horses, published in 2007 recognized what horse owners have known for a long time, that some individual horses and particular breeds require more or less calories than they should if we just base their feeding program on body weight or exercise. NRC Requirements Calculator:

6 Advantages of NRC 2007 Digestible Energy Requirements for Maintenance Allows consideration for differences in: Management Conditions (stalls versus paddocks) Temperament (easy keeper versus hard keeper) Age(young, increased activity versus old, decreased activity) Breed (draft and pony breeds with lower requirements versus light horse breeds with greater requirements) Sex(stallions, increased activity versus geldings and mares, reduced activity)

7 Body Condition Scoring Poor Extremely thin Can see ribs, vertebral ridge evident Back flat, can t see ribs, but can Feel them easily, ideal for all horses except breeding and pregnant broodmares Crease down back, fat deposits Fleshy - Extremely fat

8 Problems with Overfeeding Grain Obesity Founder and Laminitis Colic Insulin Resistance

9 How Blood Sugar is Affected Insulin -cells glucose production Liver High Blood Sugar Balance Low Glucagon glucose absorption -cells

10 Glycemic Response to Feeds INSULIN, mu/l 0 Meal

11 Measuring Insulin Resistance 400 GLUCOSE, mg/dl Resistant Sensitive Bergman et al., 1971 TIME, min

12 Insulin Resistance: Body Condition

13 Insulin Resistance: Diet

14 Insulin Resistance: Founder

15 Insulin Resistance: Founder

16 Insulin Resistance Normal rate of insulin secretion isn t sufficient to cause uptake of glucose from circulating bloodstream. Insulin and glucose levels increase due to altered insulin metabolism from increased number of fat cells converting cortisol to its active form and possibly other factors. Symptoms are high blood glucose and insulin levels, prolonged glucose clearance, obesity and laminitis. More common in pony breeds and easy keepers, must decrease feeding rate to prevent obesity.

17 Insulin Resistance: Testing Tests used for diagnosis: Combined glucose-insulin test (CGIT) - baseline blood level, dextrose administered, more blood samples taken and compared Resting serum insulin concentration - >20 micromoles/ml for serum insulin suggestive of IR, > 30 positive for diagnosis of IR

18 Insulin Resistance: Treatment Treatment: Thyro-L (levothyroxine) reduces insulin resistance and increases weight loss of IR horses, used for 3-4 months Metformin at 15 mg/kg BW 2 X/day reduced obesity and laminitic pain in 78% of IR horses on 220-day study

19 Triple Crown Lite 12% protein 3% fat 20% fiber Low starch, low calories and high nutrient fortification Balances forage-only diets Low calorie supplement for easy keepers and overweight horses Meant to be fed in small quantities

20 Triple Crown 12% Supplement 12% protein 3% fat 4% fiber Concentrated mineral and vitamin supplement Pelleted form Equimix technology Balances forage-only diets and fortifies low grain feeding rates

21 Triple Crown 30% Supplement 30% protein 3% fat 4% fiber Protein, mineral & vitamin supplement Pelleted form Equimix technology Balances non-fortified grain diets and fortifies low grain feeding rates

22 Triple Crown Safe Starch Forage 11% protein 6% fat 28% fiber Complete diet chopped forage with required minerals and vitamins Low starch and sugar levels (<10% NSC) for horses and ponies with metabolic diseases and laminitis

23 Feeding the Easy Keeper and the Obese Horse Quarter Horses and other breeds including Fjords, Icelandics, Morgans, Paso Finos, pony breeds etc. Horse has tendency to become obese Reduce calories to decrease body condition Feed moderate quality grass hay at 1.5% of target body weight, adjust amount to desired body condition Feed Triple Crown Lite at 1 lb. per 500 lbs. of body weight

24 Easy Keeper Feeding Tips Limit pasture grazing time (grazing muzzle) Don t feed high-fat supplements Eliminate high-calorie concentrates or feeds Start or increase exercise program Replace legume hay with grass hay (less calories) Divide hay into several daily feedings After ideal body weight or body condition reached, adjust amount of hay fed to maintain proper weight or condition

25 Feeding the Miniature Horse and Pony Providing Triple Crown Lite at the proper rate provides: low starch low calories high nutrient fortification Feed grass hay at 1.0 to 1.5% of body weight and Triple Crown Lite: 250-lb miniature =.25 lb/day 500-lb pony = 1 lb/day 750-lb pony = 1.5 lb/day

26 Feeding Horses Can Be Scary! But Southern States can help! Come to our website for information about horse feeds, proper feeding guidelines and contact us if you have a question about feeding your horse. equussource.com and southernstates.com