I’ve had a vet tell me to feed a 10% protein feed to my pregnant and lactating, as well as my young (growing) horses to prevent epiphysitis! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! Since I heard that, I never ask vets for nutrition advice anymore.
Yea, my vet isn’t to up on nutrition either.
My old boarding barn bred a few quarter horses every year. They fed straight alfalfa “to grow them up fast”. and each and every foal needed check ligament surgery. And they had the guts to tell me I wasn’t feeding my foal enough. I was feeding gro’nwin and the horse was on pasture 24.7. And the vet never told them to get the calcium/phos ratios corrected.
I learned in the small animal world, and it’s carried over to horses, that vets are not knowledgeable about nutrition. Unless you’ve got a vet who has done a lot of independent research, you really can’t pay too much attention to them. Which of course sounds rather rude, but it’s the truth. Vets are too busy in school learning about dozens of species and all the different ailments, medications, treatments, and surgeries to really do much with nutrition. Do your own research on the subject.
Although I’m sure most of the posters on this thread know this, it does bear mentioning that when you start hiking up protein levels (therefore calcium in many cases), be sure the phos. is still in balance.
As for vets and nutrition – I’ve learned that most vets know alittle about alot, and only alot about alittle. And those subjects vary from vet to vet. But I know many laymen who know more about nutrition than most vets…
[QUOTE=Kyzteke;5397383]
Although I’m sure most of the posters on this thread know this, it does bear mentioning that when you start hiking up protein levels (therefore calcium in many cases), be sure the phos. is still in balance.
As for vets and nutrition – I’ve learned that most vets know alittle about alot, and only alot about alittle. And those subjects vary from vet to vet. But I know many laymen who know more about nutrition than most vets…[/QUOTE]
Absolutely. The OP was concerned about protein specifically, so that is where most comments went, but having said that protein is hugely important, and hard to over-feed, of course all the other aspects of healthy nutrition must be taken into account. Balance is key. It’s sad, but true about vets and nutrition in general. Same with human medicine. I hope the tide is starting to turn though. Looking to the newest grads, and hoping that there is much more emphasis on nutrition in the vet schools than has been in the last couple of decades. Whole 'nuther subject, but to the OP, your mare needs a lot of high quality protein to do her job, and don’t be afraid of it. Lots of good info on this thread.
