Feeding My Foal
One if the most important things you can do is feed you foal correctly. Most of your foals’ needs are met prior to birth or with the mare’s milk in the early days, but as they start to grow their needs rapidly change. To ensure your foal receives everything they need and can grow to their full potential a well-balanced diet is essential.
A foals diet requires the correct balance of energy, protein and minerals. To achieve a consistent growth rate, avoiding growth spurts or a decrease, feeding the correct nutrients in the correct amounts is the ultimate goal.
- Energy – The energy requirements of foals can vary depending on rate of growth, breed and environment. Common sources in the ration may include grains (Oats, Corn, Barley) and oils.
- Protein – Is not stored like energy, so needs to be provided daily. Certain levels of protein, and the amino acids found in protein, are needed for optimum growth. Without a good quality protein source, the growth rate of your foal can be slowed.
A deficiency of protein will do more to suppress optimum growth rate than almost any other single nutrient group – Dr Percy Sykes.
- Minerals – Essential for bone strength and development. Four of the most important minerals for good bone growth are calcium, phosphorus, copper and zinc. Calcium and phosphorus not only need to be feed in the correct amounts but also in the correct ratio. An imbalance of one can affect the absorption of the other. A mare’s milk contains low levels of some minerals, such as copper, so supplementation for the foal is necessary. The addition of a supplement for your mare towards the end of pregnancy will help as the foal in uterus can absorb those minerals prior to birth and store them for use after birth.
It can be hard to know you are providing your foal with the correct balance of everything they need. A qualified equine nutritionist can help you develop a foal ration that will suit your needs. You can also browse our suggested foal and growing rations HERE
Ultimately, the aim is to have a happy healthy foal, that has good bone development and is growing at the correct rate for their breed and requirements. A well-balanced ration can help achieve this and set them up for a good start in life.
Experts in Equine Nutrition
Every product in the Ranvet range has been developed to meet a horse’s most specific need at any given time, be it in a training environment or on a breeding farm. Having pioneered the formulation of specific medications and dietary supplements for horses, the company is now recognised as a leader in the areas of equine health and nutrition.
