On this episode, co-host Katy Starr and guest expert Dr. Stephen Duren, PhD, MS, PAS discuss the critical nutrients foals need for proper growth, including:

• The negative impact of certain nutrient deficiencies or excess of those nutrients

• The most common nutritional growth disorders and how to avoid them

• What foals can and should consume within their first year of life, in order to meet their growth requirements

Have any topics you want to hear more about? Let us know at [email protected].

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From newborn to one year of age, young horses are known as foals. This first year of life is instrumental in determining how a horse’s future will play out, and poor nutrition can be devastating in a number of different ways. 

During this episode, Dr. Stephen Duren, PhD. equine nutrition specialist, joins us for a discussion about some of the most important nutritional elements of a horse’s diet. From protein to zinc, to the “big two” nutrients (i.e. calcium and phosphorus), 

Dr. Duren explains the importance of each and the issues that can arise if a foal receives more or less than the optimal amount. You will also learn about the digestive system of foals, when foals should be started on solids, and how the diet of a pregnant mare impacts the fetus. 

Key Points from This Episode:

• The definition of a foal
• Where you can access a comprehensive list of nutrients for horses
• Nutrients that are critical for foal growth
• Symptoms of nutrient deficiency in foals
• The dangers of overfeeding a foal
• How to support a foal whose mother is not producing enough milk
• The age at which foals should start consuming hay and concentrates
• Problems that arise due to a lack of protein
• Why calcium and phosphorus are known as the “big two”
• The importance of getting the calcium-phosphorus ratio right
• How zinc impacts foal growth
• The effects of inadequate levels of copper in a foal’s diet
• What a foal’s digestive system looks like
• How the diet of a pregnant mare will affect the foal after birth
• The growth stages that a foal goes through during the first year of life
• How your goals for the foal should determine their nutrition management plan
• The benefits of a smooth growth curve
• How to minimize weight issues when a foal is weaned off his mother’s milk
• Advice on what to feed a growing foal
• Some of the most common developmental orthopedic diseases
• Exercises that young, growing horses should not engage in

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Notable References:

• 2:59 - Nutritional Requirements of Horses (Sixth Revised Edition 2007) - https://doi.org/10.17226/11653
• 14:54 – In reference to a study done in New Zealand regarding the effect of copper supplementation on the copper status of pasture-fed foals - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9622321/
• 35:05 – In reference to horses who had stifle and sesamoid issues, they followed them and based off their radiographs, if they appeared in a 2 year old sale to see, did they race and how did they do? - Pages 424-427 chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/2022-12/2022Proceedings.pdf
• 38:45 – Studies with sheep and horses to determine if circling or loading a joint unevenly could cause joint damage - https://www.hindawi.com/journals/arthritis/2017/7481619/ & https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/11/1379

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• Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email [email protected]
• Share our podcast and learn more about our co-hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast page
• SUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!
• Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode.

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• Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin Blog
• Find more nutritional resources from Dr. Stephen Duren and Dr. Tania Cubitt at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/
• Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok

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• *Views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Standlee Premium Products, LLC.*

• Love the podcast? Leave a rating and review on Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/.../beyond-the-barn/id1541221306
• Leave a rating on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/3dmftQmwLKDQNueUcCJBZa
• Have a topic idea or feedback to share? We want to connect with you! Email [email protected]
• Share our podcast and learn more about our hosts at our Beyond the Barn podcast page
• SUBSCRIBE to the Beyond the Barn podcast email to be an exclusive insider!
• Find us on Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE, so you never miss an episode.

_______________________________

• Check out the Standlee Barn Bulletin Blog
• Find more nutritional resources from our PhD equine nutritionists at https://www.standleeforage.com/nutrition/ 
• Connect with Standlee on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok