Page 12 - The Game April 2006
P. 12

12 The Game, April 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Gastric Ulcers & Nutrients
COLOSTRUM - CONT. FROM PAGE 10
By David Amonite
Gastric ulcers occur in up to 90 percent of performance horses. The primary cause is the stomach’s exposure to excessive acid levels or a reduction in the natural protection of the stomach’s lining, or both. Most equine ulcers occur in the upper portion of the stomach near the esophagus - where feed enters the stomach. These cells in the stomach are usually protected from excess acid only by the production of the horse’s saliva.
If saliva is produced in adequate amounts, stomach acid is buffered and the lining of the stomach can be coated and protected from the acid. In a gastric ulcer, the stomach tissue is inflamed and damaged, causing depressed appetite, irritability, colic problems, diminished performance, weight loss and chronic pain or discomfort for the horse and are sometimes a fatal disease.
The only way to know for sure if a gastric ulcer is present is through an endoscopic examination. Many horses have ulcers or the start of them with no apparent symptoms. Modern feeding techniques in part contribute to the high ulcer incidence. Horses naturally are wandering, grazing animals with a digestive tract that is well adapted for a steady, continual diet of forage. High grain diets contribute to excessive stomach acid release, and periods of fasting expose the horse to stomach acid without protective saliva. Horses typically secrete stomach acid steadily throughout the day if they are feeding or if they are not. For performance horses, diets high in grain are common, as are prolonged periods of fasting (especially before training). This combination will increase the amount of stomach acid the horse’s stomach is exposed to. During heavy training, the
time without feeding and the protective benefits of saliva, along with the stress of training itself, allow for stomach acids to stay in contact with the unprotected stomach tissue for a longer period of time.
In contrast, pasture fed horses very rarely develop stomach ulcers. A steady diet of pasture allows for continuous eating to match the steady release of stomach acid and also tends to increase the production of the stomach protecting saliva. Grain fed horses produce less productive saliva, and both grain and pellet concentrated can increase stomach acid release.
There are several ways to manage an ulcer-prone horse. Putting a horse on pasture is effective but not always practical, especially during performance or heavy training sessions. Pharmaceutical products are effective in reducing stomach acid and in aiding the healing of ulcerous tissue. Usually, though, the pharmaceuticals are costly. Aluminum-based antacid absorbing formulas are also effective in reducing stomach acidity and in the healing of gastric ulcers.
In addition to the above, a number of natural non-aluminum containing products can also aid in the health of the digestive tract. Specially processed rice bran extractives can offer an anti-inflammatory benefit and buffer stomach acid. DGL, a form of licorice, has potent anti-inflammatory effects and aids in the healing of gastric tissue. Sodium-copper chlorophyllins are very soothing to the digestive tract and can increase tissue-healing parts. Plant polysaccharide complexes can be good buffering agents and can reduce the acid load. The beneficial lactobacillus bacteria and Aspergillus family helps maintain a healthy digestive tract during inflamma- tion. Magnesium silicate can act as a buffering agent and can reduce the effects of excess stomach acid and
is helpful in the digestive tract heal- ing. Relatively few options are avail- able to control the underlying causes of gastric ulcers in horses. Of the options available, combinations of balanced natural nutritional compounds offer a non-toxic, cost- effective approach.
“This is based on evidence that foals, during the process of seeking the udder, can acquire bacteria that go into the intestinal tract and cross what we call the open gut,” says Madigan.
Mother Nature has everything programmed very well, to pro- tect the newborn. A number of circumstances, however, can delay a foal in getting the colostrum quickly, or he may lick the ground or contaminated objects before he actually nurses. “If the foal is weak or a little short on oxygen at birth, or has angular limb prob- lems, adverse environmental conditions, or the mare has a sore and tender udder—anything that slows the getting up and delays the first nursing—this can interfere with protection. If the foal is slow to find the udder, he’s hungry and may be licking on any- thing, and more at
risk for bacterial translocation,” explains Madigan.
“If you can get some colostrum into the foal soon after birth, it’ll have a better chance of accomplishing a proper nursing, and be off to a healthier start.”
News In Review
Tragic barn fire claims four horses in Fort Erie
The fire that engulfed the barn on the property of the late Alex Romanyk is still under investigation. The deadly blaze claimed the lives of four racing thoroughbred horses.
Long time horseman Alex Romanyk passed away in late November 2005 and the barn was being used by his daughter Sandy Clemens and her husband Daryl who owned two of the horses that died in the fire which is believed to have started around 11pm on february 28.
Daryl and Susan, who do not live on the property, were notified of the fire, after passerby’s noticed the flames coming from the barn which is located 1/2 km from Helena St., not far from Fort Erie Racetrack.
“We have had a lot of comments,” said Daryl in a telephone interview about a month after the blaze, “Everybody feels bad. Only horse people really understand.”
Daryl preferred not to mention the names of the owners of the other two horses who perished as well as the names of the horses that died. The barn was not insured and the Clemens also lost all of their equipment and supplies.
“There has been no official determination of the cause, only speculation,” said Daryl, “Nothing to say exactly what caused the fire however we think it might have been a water tank heater, but we don’t know for sure.”
GastroIntestinal Nutrients
For Horses
• Great for picky eaters
• Glutamine and Glycine to support healthy gut function
• Contains ingredients to help soothe and coat inflamed GI tissue
• Combination of nutrients designed specifically for horse with gastric ulcers
A High Percentage Of Horses Have Gastric Ulcers.
WHY NOT TRY...
Available at your local tack shops.
World Racing Championships Takes Hiatus
The World Racing Championships, which includes Woodbine Entertainment Group as a member, will go on hiatus in 2006 until a new merit system is in place, that would give global recognition to the best performers around the world. Founded in 1999, the WRC featured some of the most important races around the world including Woodbine’s Pattison Canadian International. After
each of the twelve races held in ten countries and four continents, points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race with a trophy awarded to the overall highest points winner at the end of the series.
Recognition and interest of the WRC series had dropped in the past two years due to the loss of a sponsor and the withdrawal of the Dubai World Cup from the series.
Members of the series are committed to relaunch with a new format in 2007.
Blood R Hstock
G
Accepting Horses for Yearling Sales Preparation
& Consignment
Richard Hogan 416-881-4550 Jennifer Brooker 416-881-5740
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