Feeding lots supplements

[lottiepony]

Just wondering does feeding lots of different supplements affect how they work? Can they cancel each other out or can you 'overdose' on some ingredients if there are present in different supplements? Are you better using an 'all round' one or separate ones which should treat individual issues? Just wondering really...

 

[Clava]

Idealy you need to balance suplements with a forge analysis and yes some minerals such as iron affect the uptake of others such a copper and zinc (I think?)

 

[Nari]

Yes, in theory you could overdose on some things. My view is that if you're having to feed loads of different supplements then maybe you should have a look at overall diet & management - having said that I feed two ulcer supplements (on vet advice) & a joint supplement to one of mine!

 

[YasandCrystal]

Forage analysis is the ideal way to go but who can afford to do that? Especially if you source hay/haylage from different suppliers or they have harvests from different fields which will give different results. None of my horses are fed mollasses or alfalfa. I am going to feed Pure feeds this winter and they have balanced vits + mins in them so no need to add any.

I am far from an expert, but to try and ensure no deficiencies up to now I have always fed a good quality vit + min supplement and a joint supplement for the oldies. I have Redmond Rock in every paddock and salt licks in the stables and I will be adding salt to feeds this winter also.

 

[Tnavas]

Unless your field is severly deficient/or has too much of various minerals then it is fine to just have free access to a multi mineral block.

Analysing hay can be a mission unless you bought the hay from one field alone. When I buy hay, even 10 balea at a time it comes from a feed warehouse and the hay could have come from 10 different locations in New Zealand.

Horses in the past did fine without all the additioinal supplements we now feed. Some do work better when fed with a companion supplement and others fail if fed with other supplements - eg Iron prevents the absorptioin of Vitamin E and you need Calcium to get the best out of Magnesium.

I feed straight feed, Barley, Meadow Chaff and Sugarbeet and free access to a mineral block which I know has Copper & Zinc in it - which protects my white faced, white legged horses from sunburn. The Sugarbeet has Calcium added to it during the sugar processing so the magnesium in the mineral block has something to work with. Mine are all very healthy bouncing horses with good shiny coats and great feet.