Nutrition Guide To The Best Breeding Season

Awakening from winter slumber, Spring marks a crucial time for Thoroughbred owners as they deliberate the breeding season ahead.

As attention turns to ensuring the mares are in prime condition for foaling, as well as equipped with the necessary nutrients to support lactation and nurture the rapidly growing foal, it's equally imperative not to overlook the nutritional needs of the stallions during this bustling covering period.

Catering to the stallions' requirements is paramount. Whether actively competing or solely stationed at stud, they demand heightened energy levels, necessitating an additional intake of around 20MJ/day, along with approximately 165g/day of Protein during this period. Moreover, their need for minerals and vitamins experiences a surge. Vitamin A plays a direct role in sperm production, while Vitamin E, with its noted fertility-enhancing and antioxidant properties, is crucial. Crafting a diet tailored to the stallion's macronutrient requirements, tempered by considerations of temperament and activity levels, supplemented with a source rich in Vitamin E, such as TRM’s VITA E PLUS, fortified with B Vitamins, Lysine, Selenium, and Vitamin C, ensures stallions maintain optimal vitality throughout the mating season.

For those seeking an all-encompassing multivitamin supplement, the emphasis lies in providing a balanced formulation with ample quantities of all vitamins, sans excess, to uphold peak health and reproductive prowess. SPEEDXCELL, with its blend of 20 key nutrients, serves as an ideal solution, bridging the nutritional gap for 'working' stallions amid a season where natural sources of vitamins and minerals may be lacking.

Transitioning to the care of mares in late pregnancy, the final trimester heralds the pinnacle of in utero foal growth and nutritional demand. Furnishing the mare with top-tier forage and a specialized feed formulated for pregnant mares constitutes the cornerstone of meeting her nutritional needs. However, attention must be paid to Vitamin E levels, particularly in the twilight weeks of the last trimester. Depending on the mare's access to quality pasture and supplemental feed, her nutrient requirements vary. While lush grass serves as a rich reservoir of Vitamin E, calories, and protein, its availability dwindles during this time, necessitating supplementation, especially for mares reliant on hay-based diets or subpar pastures.

Vitamin E, pivotal for fetal development, transfers from the mare to the foal via colostrum, underscoring the importance of adequate supplementation during the final stages of gestation. Administering VITA E PLUS ensures broodmares receive a concentrated source of Vitamin E, fortified with Vitamin C and essential amino acids, bolstering the health of both dam and offspring.

Minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and manganese, form the bedrock of skeletal development in the in utero foal, crucial for averting developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) such as osteochondrosis dissecans and physitis. A judicious balance of minerals is imperative, with nutrition playing a pivotal role in mitigating DOD risks.

Establishing the groundwork for skeletal health and future athletic prowess commences before the foal's birth. Ensuring broodmares receive a well-rounded diet rich in macro-minerals, trace minerals, and amino acids is imperative for passing on essential nutrients to the foal, both in utero and through lactation. CALPHORMIN emerges as a key player, offering young horses a robust start through mare supplementation and continued feeding to foster optimal growth and bone development in foals and young stock.