Equine Health

Improving Your Feed Efficiency Through Proper Supplementation

Tara A. Hembrooke, PhD, MS

Feed efficiency can be improved through the provision of various nutrients including Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamins, Trace Minerals and Antioxidants.

Maintaining an Ideal Body Weight

Horse owners are always challenged to find a way to provide their horses with the best ration for the best price. A recent study conducted at the UC Davis Center for Equine Health showed that horses consuming a hay-based diet that were supplemented with Platinum Performance® Equine Wellness and Performance formula, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, twice a day gained a significant amount of weight without a significant increase in their energy intake. The bottom line? By adding this supplement to your horse’s ration, you may be able to feed fewer calories from hay, grain or other feeds and still maintain your horse’s ideal body weight, which is of paramount importance particularly in today’s economic environment.

Results from UC Davis Study

Ten adult horses were fed an oat and alfalfa hay diet, ad libitum, until they reached a constant weight. Horses were then supplemented with Platinum Performance® Equine Wellness and Performance Formula at a dose of 2 ounces twice daily for a period of 11 weeks. Total alfalfa hay volume was reduced during this period to account for extra calories consumed as the supplement thereby ensuring the post-supplementation diet was calorically similar to the pre-supplementation diet. Two horses were removed from the study due to health issues unrelated to the study. Of the eight horses that completed the study, seven (87.5%) gained a significant amount of weight without a significant increase in energy intake

Feed efficiency can be improved by certain nutrients like vitamins and minerals, with different types of feed, and different feeding practices. Supplementation with the trace minerals selenium, chromium and zinc have improved feed efficiency in other animnals.1-4 Feed efficiency is also improved when antioxidants like vitamin E, ascorbic acid and l-carnitine are included in the ration.4-6 The supplemental micronutrients, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids included in this commercial digestive supplement likely improved the feed efficiency in the horses in this study, resulting in weight gain without a significant increase in dietary energy consumption.