This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (BRIAN C JACOBSEN) (by way of Mike May
[EMAIL PROTECTED])
This is another resend of Brian's on feeding. This one was from 9/17/98
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (BRIAN C JACOBSEN)
Thanks for the thanks Anton and others who have replied to my foal
feeding post. In reply to your question,
One more question about feeding; is it correct that for the first two
years of life a foal can stay on grass all the time compared to older
ones who have to be removed to avoid problems?
Yes, for the most part this is true. The problems you allude to would be
excess weight gain and founder I guess? When horses founder due to what
they've been eating (vs. other causes of founder) the problem is excess
carbohydrates. Since young horses up to two years old are usually
growing fast, the carbohydrates are not excess, they are needed for
growth. This is also the reason a pregnant mare on grass alone will
almost never founder - she has a high requirement for carbohydrates to
help that foal inside her grow. A mature gelding or non-pregnant mare or
stallion, on the other hand, is usually getting excess carbohydrates if
they are on grass 24 hours per day, and can founder as a result. Back to
your question again, though. If that young horse is getting grain in
addition to unrestricted grass, possibly there could be a problem.
Founder should almost never sneak up on a person; Ninety-five percent of
the time it should have been seen coming. See the post Founder on the
list for more details.
Brian Jacobsen, DVM
Norwegian Fjordhest Ranch
Salisbury, North Carolina.
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