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As the days begin to lengthen and the first signs of spring emerge, many horse owners breathe a sigh of relief. Better weather often brings improved grazing, and for those who have had forage shortages or worked hard to keep condition on their horses through winter, the grass growth is very welcome.
However, for good doers and overweight horses and ponies, spring can be a very different story. With the flush of new grass comes the annual challenge of managing calorie intake — an essential step in avoiding excessive weight gain and supporting long-term health.
That’s where Dengie’s Meadow Lite with Herbs can be a very useful addition to the ration.
Specifically designed for good doers
As Dengie’s lowest-calorie fibre feed at just 5MJ/kg digestible energy, Meadow Lite with Herbs is specifically designed for horses that need to watch their waistline, without compromising on fibre intake and chew time.
Meadow Lite with Herbs blends chopped straw, grasses, and pea hull fibre. A light coating of rapeseed and linseed oil supports a glossy coat, while cinnamon and thyme add flavour and interest creating a a super tasty feed.
Postbiotics are also included to help maintain digestive health for a feed that supports both gut function and weight control.
When fed alongside an additional source of vitamins and minerals to provide a balanced ration, Dengie Meadow Lite with Herbs can be used as the sole bucket feed.
A Stubbs scoop weighs around 250g and provides only 1.25MJ of digestible energy, thus maximising chewing time for minimal calories.
Low in sugar
Meadow Lite with Herbs is also low in sugar, both simple sugar (3%) and water soluble carbohydrate (6-6.5%).
The water soluble carbohydrate is an important value to note, as when combined with starch (0.5% in Meadow Lite) it is known as non-structural carbohydrate or NSC.
It is recommended that the NSC value is below 10% for horses and ponies prone to laminitis and so Meadow Lite with Herbs is ideal.
If your horse has restricted grass access, including stable time, it is important they have something else that is high in fibre to maintain chew time.
An alternative to feeding straw
Feeding hay to appetite can still result in excessive calorie intake and so straw is often recommended as a lower calorie alternative, providing your horse has good teeth and it is introduced to the ration gradually.
If good, clean straw is difficult to source then Dengie Meadow Lite with Herbs can also be used to supplement or replace the usual forage ration for a lower calorie intake. Simply replace hay on a weight for weight basis.
For example, a section of hay from a small rectangle bale typically weighs around 2kg. To replace it with the equivalent weight of Meadow Lite with Herbs, eight large round Stubbs scoops are required, which will supply around half the energy compared to average hay.
A 15kg bag of Meadow Lite with Herbs holds approximately 60 Stubbs scoops, providing great value for money, too.
Keeping Roo’s weight in check
Roo has always been a naturally good doer. His owner, Adele, has to watch his weight and monitor his calorie intake carefully to maintain a healthy weight.
As Meadow Lite with Herbs is low in calories, Adele says she “can provide Roo with plenty of chopped fibre in his bucket feed, which he finds tasty and absolutely loves”.
Adele describes that Roo can also be ‘spicy’ at times. As Meadow Lite with Herbs provides slow-release energy, it also avoids exacerbating his natural exuberance, which Adele describes as being “a win for both of them”.
For more information or nutritional advice for your own horse, get in touch with Dengie.
Images © Dengie
