Nia O’Malley provides some feeding tips for successful sales preparation

THE aim of any feeding programme in the months prior to the sales season is to provide the nutrients essential for growth, development, soundness and top line while avoiding excess energy causing obesity.

Obesity is undesirable in a growing horse as it places undue strain on the musculo-skeletal system and could in turn affect future performance. Young stock presented for sale should be well muscled and toned, demonstrating their athletic ability.

Monitoring each animal individually in the run up to the sales is critical in ensuring that the right nutrition for weight gain and condition relative to work load is received.

Feeding rates will vary depending on the genetic make-up, skeletal size, metabolism, age, along with the quantity and quality of forage. Using a commercial feed formulated for the growing horse, such as foal pellets or a foal/yearling feed, will provide the nutrients necessary for optimum growth and development.

Growing foals have the highest protein requirement. High-quality protein promotes not only proper weight gain, but also skeletal and muscular growth.

Diets deficient in quality protein will lead to reduced growth rates. Supplementing with additional protein through a stud balancer or feed supplement may be advisable for improved top line and muscle mass.

A balancer is a low-intake, concentrated source of essential protein, vitamins, and minerals. A balancer will not contribute a significant amount of calories to the horse’s diet because of the low feeding rate, but it will provide the essential nutrients to balance or enhance a diet.

Balancers can be used in two ways: fed alone as a low-calorie source of protein, vitamins, and minerals or fed as a ‘top-dress’ for a concentrate to enhance nutrient density of the overall feed.

Connolly’s RED MILLS GroCare Balancer is a unique stud balancer for broodmare, stallions and youngstock, providing high spec vitamins and minerals for sound musculo-skeletal development. Its low starch high nutrient formula allows for controlled growth rates in youngstock while the ‘SupplePlus’ formula with added glucosamine enhances cartilage to bone conversion and formation and joint strength and mobility.

It also contains L-Carnitine, which has a direct impact on improving nutrient conversion into lean muscle formation, at the expense of fat deposition. The unique blend of MOS and FOS (mannanoligosaccharides and fructoligosaccharides) maximize gut flora and gut health. GroCare also contains yeast to enhance fibre digestion and mineral absorption in the gut.

Nia O’Malley is an equine nutritionist with Connolly Red Mills

For information and advice on this, or any other RED MILLS products, please contact us at nutrition@redmills.ie or log on to www.redmills.ie/askourexpert. There is a comprehensive library of articles available for download on the RED MILLS site covering a range of topics.