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Early in their pregnancies, broodmares can be managed like any other horse on a maintenance diet. Mares turned out on good-quality pasture can usually meet their nutritional needs simply by grazing during this time. However, as the mare passes her fifth month of pregnancy, her need for some nutrients exceeds what she can get from grass or hay. She could still be meeting all or most of her requirement for protein and energy by grazing, but owners may want to consider using ration balancer pellets to fortify the diet. These pellets add very few calories, so mares in good body condition won’t become heavier by eating this supplement.

Balancer pellets, as the name suggests, are formulated to balance an all-forage diet. In broodmare diets, these pellets supply the extra protein and minerals necessary for fetal development. This nutritional supplement has a higher concentration of calcium, phosphorus, selenium, copper, and zinc than a typical equine feed, and is meant to be fed in smaller quantities. Mares that have trouble maintaining body condition throughout the last half of pregnancy will probably need traditional fortified pelleted or sweet feeds that supply extra energy and are formulated for pregnant mares. Other broodmares that tend to become too fat are good candidates for balancer pellets, as they don’t need lots of calories but still require mineral fortification to ensure proper development of a well-grown foal with a sound skeletal system.

Although managers have been feeding pregnant mares for centuries, researchers are still discovering facts about exactly how these horses should be fed for the best results. For example, only about a decade ago, studies showed that supplementing pregnant mares with copper led to foals with a lower rate of problems in bone and joint maturation. Supplementing the foals after they were born didn’t have the same effect of minimizing developmental disease; it was vital to incorporate the copper into the feed of the pregnant mare.

It’s important not just to add minerals to the mare’s diet, but to add them in the right quantities and proportions. Calcium and phosphorus are both important in skeletal development, but too much of either mineral can cause just as many problems as too little. Also, some forms of a mineral are far more bioavailable (easily absorbed into the horse’s body) than others.

Supplements must be carefully formulated to keep this balance in mind. Broodmare managers with questions about how to use a balancer pellet should consult an equine nutritionist for help in selecting and feeding this nutritional supplement to late-pregnant mares.

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