Mare-Care Mix

Mare-Care is a specifically formulated diet for broodmares during late pregnancy and lactation. Body condition can be a significant factor affecting mare reproductive performance as mares maintained in moderate body condition cycle earlier in the year, require fewer cycles per conception, have a higher pregnancy rate, and are able to maintain pregnancies better than very thin mares. A body condition scoring system usually ranges from 1 to 9. A mare at the bottom of the range is emaciated and a mare at the top of the range is obese. Using this system, research has determined that a mare with a condition score of less than 5 may not have enough stored body fat to support efficient reproductive performance. Those mares are more likely to skip a breeding season than mares with a condition score of 5 or 6. This is especially prevalent in mares that are 15+ years of age.

Mare-Care is fortified with Stamm 30® for nutrient continuity, and has the additional benefits of flexible energy levels to control body condition when the two feeds are used together between early and late pregnancy. This feed can even be introduced just 30 days before the mare’s due date to provide her with balanced and appropriate nutritional support leading up to foaling. There are three additional elements to support the mare and the new foal at birth -

Natural Vitamin E is retained in tissues for longer periods of time, creating a reservoir that allows it to be instantly available when the horse needs it most – in times of stress or during periods of confinement. Due to modern management practices, including early breeding dates, mares may not be receiving adequate Vitamin E nutrition through rations composed largely of hay and grain and limited access to fresh pasture. Mare-Care will help to increase circulating levels of Vitamin E, which may positively affect fertility and colostrum quality.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are necessary for the production and distribution of hormone-like substances which increase the chances of a successful pregnancy, as mares are more likely to carry their foals to term, and the foals are more likely to have higher birth weights. These findings suggest that mares with a history of abortion may benefit from nutritional support with omega-3 fatty acids. Mare-Care provides supplemental omega-3 fatty acids, which can give many reproductive advantages as research suggests that they can optimise conception rates and support fertility. Fertility studies have shown that the follicles grow faster, forming more vigorous embryos in omega-3-supplemented broodmares. These fatty acids can be passed from the dam to the foal through milk, so supplementation of the mare can provide for the foal as well. Supplemented mares produce richer colostrum, which could jumpstart the health of their foals to have a stronger immune system.

Bio-Mos® is a source of manna oligosaccharide, a five carbon sugar complex derived from yeast cell walls that is not absorbed by the digestive tract. It has the unique ability to bind with pathogenic bacteria and simply carry them out of the horse’s body. Bio-Mos® has also been shown to support the horse’s immune system. Studies have shown that the inclusion of Bio-Mos® in broodmare diets optimises colostrum quality, as their foals have higher IgG levels in their blood giving them added protection against pathological organisms.