JS41 Good Doers and Laminitics Grass Seed Mix

Description

JS41 Good Doers and Laminitics

5Kg Timothy

2.5Kg Meadow Fescue

1.5Kg Smooth Stalked Meadowgrass

3Kg Creeping Red Fescue

1Kg Chewings Fescue

0.5Kg Mixed Herbs

13.5Kg per acre

Why Jubilee recommend the above grasses for good doers and laminitics / to help prevent laminitis in horses and ponies

1) Timothy is very palatable to horses

2) Meadow Fescue is a good replacement for perennial ryegrass because it is very persistent and winter hardy

3) Meadow Fescue also has a leafy regrowth which is lower in sugar levels

4) Creeping Red Fescue which as its name suggests has creeping roots. These roots create a strong underground system that will strengthen the base of the mixture and reduce poaching

5) This mixture will also grow really well on clay and wet soils

Why use JS41?

1) Healthier grazing

2) Reduce the risk of laminitis allowing more time out at grass

3) Lower sugar levels

This mixture is better suited to larger areas of grazing (no more than 1 horse per 2 acres)

What is Laminitis?

Laminitis is an inflammatory condition of the laminae. The sensitive laminae and the insensitive laminae interlock together to hold the hoof wall to the pedal bone. Nerves and blood vessels fill the sensitive laminae which help support the horses hoof and lower leg.

Laminitis results from the disruption of blood flow to the laminae in the foot. This disruption can cause the union between the laminae and the hoof to separate. In severe cases the pedal bone will rotate and begin to penetrate the sole which causes intense pain.

What to do?

• Do not exercise
• If out at pasture bring in onto a deep shavings bed
• Call the vet
• Your vet will advise you on the appropriate diet, fibre is key
• Make sure your horse or pony is getting plenty of fluids

What are the causes?

• Excessive intake of grass or feed
• The after effect of infection
• Certain drugs if administered excessively
• Cushings disease (Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction or PPID)
• Concussion from riding on hard surfaces although this is a less common cause
• Stress
• Excessive weight bearing on one leg due to injury
• Over weight horses

Why does grass cause laminitis?

Temperate grasses contain large amounts of carbohydrate (sucrose, fructose, glucose and fructans). Dietary induced laminitis is associated with high fructan levels. Temperature effects fructan accumulation so on a cold sunny day they will build up. Grass stores more fructans in its stems than leaves. It is very hard to predict fructan levels and large changes can take place over short periods of time.

How to prevent laminitis?

The obvious is to restrict a horse or ponies intake of lush green grass!

Firstly we need to understand what components of the horse’s diet put them at risk of laminitis. Lush green grass can have high levels of sugars and grains contain starch (broken down to simple sugars such as glucose).

The horse digests its food in two ways:

1. Simple digestion – food is digested by enzymes in the first part of the digestive tract and the nutrients are absorbed
2. Hind gut fermentation – Excess sugars and complex carbohydrates move onto the large bowel because they take longer to digest. Laminitis can develop when excess sugars are absorbed and hyperinsulinemia occurs (higher levels of insulin circulating in the blood than glucose).

• Unless horses are in hard work they do not require hard feed as long as you are providing them with the necessary vitamins and minerals.
• Feed a high fibre diet and soak hay which will take out some of the protein and carbohydrate content.
• Manage grazing carefully. Use ryegrass free grass seed mixtures such as JS41 and you will find strip grazing where possible is a safer alternative.
• Do not turn out if frosty or very stressed paddocks!