The benefits of using low starch performance cubes
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Achieving optimal performance in the horse entails a variety of factors including management practices, training skills and techniques and nutritional influences. The performance horse has been associated in several studies with a higher prevalence of equine gastric ulcers, trying up and hindgut acidosis.
Nutrition plays a vital role in the management of these horses, providing energy sources, supporting muscle development, maintaining health and wellbeing and supporting recovery. A diet should be based around good quality forage, from this, the additional energy, protein, vitamin and mineral requirements can be met through fortified feeds suitable for the horses workload.
High cereal diets are often associated with performance horse feeds, the cereals are digested and utilised within the body as a main source of energy. However, this results in higher starch and sugar levels which can have detrimental impacts on health and performance if fed in large quantities with limited fibre.
Horses are natural grazers, eating little and often. The production of saliva contains a natural acidic buffer, and therefore the more fibre consumed, the more protection provided to the gut from low pH levels. Sometimes this is referred to as the “fibre mat” and often encouraged as a management practise to ensure the horse has consumed fibre before exercise and to avoid long periods without forage.
Bluegrass Race Horse Cubes were developed specifically to support horses during their racing season and training, providing highly digestible energy sources, supporting quick recovery and reducing the risk of equine gastric ulcers or trying up. The low starch content of only 15% helps to prevent the gastric pH dropping to a level that can lead to these health implications occurring. Additional support is provided through the inclusion of marine-derived calcium (MDC), that has been recently added to the Bluegrass Race Horse Cube. Recent research has shown MDC to have three benefits; support gut and gastric health by acting as an acidic buffer to gastric pH, and increase bone density*.
Fibre digestion occurs in the hindgut of the horse via a process called fermentation. This involves a population of micro-organisms known as microbiome that break down the fibre components for absorption and utilisation through the body tissues. The microbiome population requires a healthy balance of bacteria, protozoa and fungi that work together to benefit the host animal. However this population can be negatively impacted by various influences such as stress, changes in diet, parasitic infections or medications. Bluegrass Race Horse cubes contains pro-biotics, a collection of unique live yeast cultures that support the microbiome to encourage growth and enhance digestion of fibre and utilisation of nutrients.
Bluegrass Horse Feeds is a balanced partner of Kentucky Equine Research. All Bluegrass products are formulated with scientific background to ensure optimal nutrition is provided to their customers. Contact the Bluegrass Horse Feed nutritional helpline for advice, quotes or non-commitment digital consultation.
