During late pregnancy, a mare’s nutritional requirements increase to meet the demands of her rapidly growing foetus.
When feeding heavily pregnant mares, many focus primarily on providing increased calories to the mare. Unfortunately, the importance of trace minerals often gets overlooked.
Zinc, selenium and copper in particular are low in mares milk. For a foal’s requirements of these minerals to be met, the pregnant mare must have received sufficient amounts of these during pregnancy (and as research continues to support, even prior to pregnancy). This allows the unborn foal’s liver to be fortified with these nutrients prior to birth.
The foal draws upon the supplies of these minerals from the liver for the first couple of months of life. This is essential to support healthy skeletal growth. Insufficient stores of these trace minerals may predispose foals to growth disorders and conditions such as osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans (OCD).
Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.
As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.
