Feeding Seaweed

S_N

S_N

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Now, to compliment the Soaked Oat, you are supposed to feed a seaweed supplement are you not? But once B is back in-foal, I won't be able to do this - I can't remember why or where I read it, but I know that it's not supposed to be very good for the feotus. Does anyone know why? I have googled, but can't find anything..... If I can't feed seaweed to her, then I presume a good vit/min will suffice? Thanks guys
 
Storm had seaweed when she was in foal and apart from being mahoosive she was born, Allie was fine. Would be interested to know if it is bad for the foetus and why
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kat
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Found a link for you
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Page about feeding seaweed to horses (inc pregnant mares)

Here is the extract about pregnant mares:

"There is a particular risk in feeding seaweed to pregnant and lactating mares. Excess dietary iodine accumulates in the placenta and is excreted in milk. Thus foals born to mares consuming diets high in iodine will be at risk of developing iodine toxicity. Foals from these mares may be born dead, or very weak, with a poor suckle response. Those who live and continue to suckle from their dam will likely develop skeletal abnormalities as iodine toxicity causes low serum thyroxine hormone concentrations and the thyroxine hormone is crucial for cartilage maturation and bone formation. "
 
Excellent! Thank you!!! I knew it was bad for broodmares. So that leads to the other question, will she be fine with a regular vit/min supplement like Clop or Selenavite E?
 
[ QUOTE ]
So that leads to the other question, will she be fine with a regular vit/min supplement like Clop or Selenavite E?

[/ QUOTE ] Well if the seaweed is being fed to provide vits and mins then a broad spectrum vit/min supplement will do the job just as well - and probably better! Personally I'd go for something like Equivite Original.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Storm had seaweed when she was in foal and apart from being mahoosive she was born, Allie was fine. Would be interested to know if it is bad for the foetus and why
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[/ QUOTE ] I noticed on the link quoted it said that the amount of iodine found in seaweed varies dramatically, so presumably the seaweed you fed was low in iodine and therefore foal didn't suffer iodine toxicity.
 
What about Kossolian? I've used that for my mares since year dot!
It's got B12 in it etc and the blurb on the bin says - " Recommended for all horses, especially horses in full work, youngstock and mares during last four months of gestation. Carefully balanced, highly palatable compound of iodised minerals with iron, spices, trace elements and vitamin B12. Particularly valuable in Spring and Autumn when horses are changing their coats but for best results feed all year round. Kossolian is widely used by trainers to combat the effects of high feeding and to prevent staleness."

It smells good too!
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Well it's not pure selenium, it's Selenavite E - which is a broad spectrum vit/min, with increased levels of Vit E and Selenium - she has it already, as she is on a high oil diet
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Hmmmm Blood salts right? It does smell yummy, a friend used to feed her coloured cob on it through the winter I think - I remember thinking how yummy it smelt - will have a look at that too!
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I've just left you a message on the other forum!

It basically said about this fantastic stud fee from winergy called equilibrium growth. honestly, it is t he most amazing thing I have ever read about.

I feel ridiculous that I keep going on about it but please, please go look at their website www.winergy.com

I saw them at Burghley and was soooooooooo impressed by the amount of science and research they have done into growing horses particulary. This feed is apparently proven to be good for immunity, behaviour, bone growth and loads of other stuff. I asked them to prove it and they pulled out heaps of research papers on contacts for trialist all over the world.

I have never been so stunned and it takes a lot to impress me!!!
 
Thanks for that - I saw this at Burghley too! It does look amazing, but B didn't like the sample I brought back - fussy baggage!!
 
Hi SimplyNutty. I think your last post on feeding soaked oats sort of answers your question. I assume you feed the seaweed as a source of calcium?

If so, you can just replace this with limestone flour as this is also high in calcium. Not sure that a vit/min supplement will contain enough calcium. Especially if you are putting her in foal.

I would contact a feed supplier's help line though or a feed specialist to ask about the correct amounts to feed to make sure your pregnant mare gets the correct balance of limestone flour to oats, to balance the calcium/phosphorus ratio.

Hope this helps.
 
When I rang them they said they would be doing more trials and took my details to contact me when they start.

They said it would be completely FOC and they would provide support etc.

It might be worth calling to see if they would let you trial it FOC and then you wouldn't have lost anything?
 
What an excellent idea!!! When I was chatting to them at Burghley, it was fairly evident that the majoirty of the research has been doen within the racing industry....... I have a WB
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Will get on to them! Thank you!
 
We sell seaweed from Ireland. When it first came about not giving to infoal mares I was concerned so contacted the guythat proceced it. He said it was fine so long as you didn't feed over the recommened amounts.
They even print the amounts on the bag
for Breeding mares/ Serving/In foal they recommened 120g aday.
For Lactating mares 150g aday
Now this is for their own type of seaweed which so couldn't say about other makes.
I do know that we sell this by the ton & half ton to a few big racing studs & they have not had any problems with feeding it.
 
Sn Equilibrium growth is fantastic stuff we trialed it last year when i had a sick foal , effem gave us around about a tonne foc before it went on the market proper.
But it is shockingly expensive and this year we are just feeding Alfa A oil , Topspec bloodstock balancer and speedibeet with great results plus a little extra oil if needed.
Enough vit E in the balancer to counterbalance the oil.
Its the same theory as the equilibrium so very simple .
By the way it was my sport horses we fed it too not T.B's , you can use it on anything.
 
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