GNF – Proven in the Field

Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS ) is a debilitating condition Which has been increasingly recognized in recent years as a reason for poor performance in competition horses. Up to 93% of racehorses and 60% of sports horses have been found to suffer from ulceration after endoscopic examination Hammond et al (1986). A further study by Murray et al (1996) showed a prevelance of EGUS in 100% of thoroughbred horses which had raced in the previous two months. It is a common consensus that the incidence and severity of ulcers are greater in horses under intense training. The reasons for the high prevelance of gastric ulcers can be attributed to high concentrate/low forage diets, stall confinement and exercise induced stress. However it is impractical to remove horses with EGUS from training and turn them out to grass. Proper nutritional support is a vital component in ensuring that valuable competition horses maintain a healthy digestive system in these trying conditions.

 Endoscopic examination for gastric ulceration. With this in mind TRM have developed a unique supplement for daily feeding to horses in order to maintain optimum gut health and function, while allowing maximum utilisation of feed. The easy to feed pellet contains essential minerals Calcium and Magnesium, specific amino acids Glutamine and Threonine in high concentrations, prebiotics which are a feed source for beneficial bacteria, and a seaweed extract rich in amino acids and essential nutrients.

During 2006 a study was undertaken to assess the benefits of feeding GNF in a National Hunt Thoroughbred training yard. Gastroscopic examination was performed on 17 horses after a fasting period of 20 hours, and water was withheld for 4 hours prior to scoping. The horses were then divided into 3 groups; Clear (ulcer score 0), Mild to Moderate (ulcer score 1-2), and Severe (ulcer score 3-4.) 11 horses then had their normal rations supplemented with GNF, while 6 horses with a similar
range of ulcer scores were retained as a negative control. After the trial period of 6 weeks the entire sample size of 17 horses were re-scoped and evidence of improvement/deterioration was recorded. The 11 horses which had their feed supplemented saw a reduction in average ulcer score from 1.82 to 0.91, a reduction of 50%. The average ulcer score for the 6 negative controls increased from 1.5 to 1.66, an increase of 11%. In the group of horses with mild to moderate ulcer scores the results were even more convincing with the 4 negative control’s ulcer score increasing by 40% and the 7 horses with mild to moderate ulceration fed GNF recording a reduction in average score of 70%. From the results of the study it can be concluded that GNF is a useful nutritional support for horses which are suffering from EGUS, and that the benefits of feeding are particularly marked where the horse is suffering from mild to moderate ulceration.

Calphormin – Investing in the Future

Calphormin is a pelleted nutritional supplement designed to provide the essential nutrients needed for optimum skeletal development in young growing horses. It is unique in that it contains a balanced combination of macro-minerals, trace minerals, amino acids and the added benefit of Sodium Zeolite a bioavailable silicon-containing compound. It is fed to brood mares in the last trimester of pregnancy, during lactation, and directly to the young growing horse after weaning.

The product has been subjected to rigorous testing at Pegase Mayenne a leading French Research Institute. During the Autumn of 2004 the weanling of 38 broodmares were x-rayed. During the Spring and Summer of 2005 the same mares had their standard feed supplemented with Calphormin at 120g per day. The group of 2005 weanlings were also x-rayed. An analysis of the x-rays showed that 42.1% (16 foals of the 38 x-rayed) had Osteochondrosis lesions in 2004. From the 2005 foals just 20% ( 7 foals from 35 x-rayed) had Osteochondrosis lesions. In 2004 the average number of lesions observed per foal was 0.53, while the 2005 average was reduced to 0.29. The researchers concluded that there was a statistically significant reduction in the percentage of foals from the same mares with Osteochondrosis lesions when their feed was supplemented with Calphormin.