2/3/2009
Feed in Focus - GAIN^® Prep 'N' Condition

With the Land Rover and Derby Sales just a matter of months away many consigners are now weighing up their options in terms of feeding programmes for their store horses that are due to go ‘under the hammer’ and one thing that they all have in common is that they want to have their horses looking ‘a million dollars’ when they go before the hammer falls. For years horsemen and women have acknowledged the role of exercise in terms of conditioning and muscle development; with the availability of better facilities such as mechanical walkers, swimming pools etc. major advancements have been made in terms of the exercise programmes available on-farm. In more recent times horse owners have become more conscious of the role that diet can play in terms of achieving optimum growth and condition without compromising a horse’s athletic future in any way.

Horses that are being prepped can often be stable-bound for many hours during the day and encouraged to eat large quantities of typically high starch/cereal diets. The very nature of this feeding routine can lead to digestive upsets and is often associated with excitable behaviour amongst horses that are prone to nervousness. Horses in high stress environments can also be prone to gastric ulcers. Trickle feeding horses forage can help to maintain a calm temperament and is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive tract, good quality forage will also contribute significantly to the energy reserves of the horse.

In terms of the concentrate diet of these horses many owners are looking for a product that will be palatable, provide all the nutrients necessary for skeletal and muscular development without too much ‘fizz’. In response to the demands of customers Gain^® Horse Feeds has produced Gain^® Prep ‘N’ Condition mix to fit into the training schedule of such horses. This highly palatable feed is fortified with minerals and micronutrients including Bioplex Copper, Zinc and Manganese; to support optimum bone development. The high energy level is achieved through a combination of cooked cereals, oils and ‘super fibres’ while the protein requirements are met using a combination of Full Fat Soya and Sunflower Meal. These ingredients supply essential amino acids lysine and methionine which have a role to play in muscle building and the maintenance of ‘Topline’.

The rigours of exercise can place horses under oxidative stress which can lead to muscle soreness and fatigue. Gain^® Prep ‘N’ Condition mix pays particular attention to the antioxidant requirement of horses in work with the inclusion of elevated levels of Vitamin E and Selplex, protected selenium, which work to minimise the damage caused by free-radicals produced during exercise and also have a positive effect on immune function.

Prep ‘N’ Condition also contains Yea-Sacc a live yeast culture which is designed to promote increased efficiency in the horse’s ‘hindgut’ where fibre is broken down and turned into an energy source

Gain^® Prep ‘N’ Condition mix can also be fed in conjunction with Gain^® Opti-Gro pellets were controlled calorie intake is required e.g. in the case of ‘heavy topped’ horses or those prone to Developmental Orthopaedic Disease (epiphystits or OCD). 1kg of Opti-Gro pellets will replace 4kg of Gain^® Prep ‘N’ Condition mix.

For more information on Gain^® Prep ‘N’ Condition mix or to locate your nearest Gain^® stockist please contact us on 1890 321 321 or visit the Glanbia Store Locator.

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