Question
Is EO-3 suitable for foals and weanlings? When should I begin a broodmare on EO-3 to ensure her colostrum contains natural antibodies? I recently lost a foal to sepsis, so this year is a wash, but I am looking ahead to future years.
Answer
Yes, EO-3 is safe for horses of all ages. Young horses may benefit from its immune support, anti-inflammatory effects, and skeletal support.
Losing a foal can be heartbreaking, especially considering all the thought and work involved in planning a breeding and maintaining a mare through pregnancy.
Sepsis is defined as an exaggerated, systemic inflammatory response to infection and is a common condition in neonatal foals, usually a result of failure of passive transfer of antibodies. Sepsis is often characterized by pneumonia, gastrointestinal disease, umbilical cord infection, and joint inflammation.
Many broodmares stay on EO-3 year-round, as the reproductive advantages include improved fertility, bolstered colostrum quality, and enhanced passive transfer of antibodies to foals. If year-round supplementation is not possible, begin supplementation with EO-3 four to five months before parturition.
EO-3 is a concentrated source of the polyunsaturated long-chain omega-3 fatty acids known colloquially as EPA and DHA. The multisyllabic translations for these two initialisms are eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, respectively. EO-3 is a marine-derived oil that delivers EPA and DHA in a way that outperforms plant sources, such as flax products, according to research completed at Kentucky Equine Research.
This research demonstrated that daily intake of EPA and DHA from EO-3 significantly increases red blood cell membrane EPA and DHA—a common method of measuring body-wide levels of fatty acids—that a similar amount of omega-3 from flax oil did not. Horses cannot efficiently convert the omega-3s found in flax oil into EPA and DHA. Therefore, a marine-derived source of EPA and DHA, such as EO-3, should be fed to optimally influence omega-3 levels.
Because of the importance of colostrum, many mare owners arrange for experienced foaling attendants to oversee every birth. They ensure foals nurse adequately as soon as possible after standing. The value of colostrum is so important that many attendants insist that foals drink from both teats before leaving the mare and foal alone.
A veterinarian, especially one with experience in reproduction, can be a lifeline for breeders. If you have a reproductive specialist in your area, it will behoove you to enlist his or her services, if you haven’t done so. Many veterinarians will perform a simple blood test on newborn foals to check for immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, which is a good indicator of whether foals have absorbed sufficient antibodies from colostrum. Some of these tests can be done “stallside,” immediately after the blood is drawn. If necessary, supplemental colostrum or plasma can be given to foals to raise antibody levels.
