Question
I have a hard-keeping event mare that is recovering from EPM, which has only made keeping her topline more problematic. Despite a ton of forage and feed, she continues to drop weight. Would an oil be the best way to add more calories? Other than the EPM and low weight, she’s healthy. Here are the specifics of her diet: nine quarts of an oat-based feed divided into two meals, grass hay fed in two meals, and turnout 16 hours a day (grass seasonably available). She is also fed Total Wellness, a supplement that addresses antioxidant, joint, and hoof and coat support.
Answer
Because you have increased the concentrate (grain) portion of the diet without seeing improvements, I recommend evaluating the amount and quality of grass hay you are providing. If the nutritional influence of the forage is limiting due to the amount of hay being fed (or consumed) or the maturity of the grass hay, then modifications are needed to allow your mare to get the most out of the concentrate being offered. Is it possible to supplement with some alfalfa hay?
Are you feeding the textured or pelleted version of the feed you mentioned? Nine quarts of a pelleted feed can weigh between 10.5-13.5 lb (4.75-5 kg), so it would be best to divide this amount into three smaller meals rather than two large meals. This simple management strategy seems to help achieve weight gain with some horses.
A fat supplement such as vegetable oil will add calories without increasing feed intake significantly. The feed you mention is low in fat, so adding oil is a cost-effective way to boost calories. Gradually introduce oil and work up to 0.5-1 cup (125-250 ml) of oil per day. Consider soy or canola oil or you could choose a high-fat supplement, like stabilized rice bran.
For horses with or recovering from EPM (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis), we recommend providing a high-quality vitamin E supplement such as Nano-E to increase antioxidant defenses and support muscle and nerve health. Nano-E can be fed with Total Wellness to increase the amount of vitamin E in the diet and provide a more rapidly available source of the nutrient.
