With on-going research to optimise health, growth and performance in our horses’ Dunstan’s range of top quality premixed feeds continues to evolve.
One area that can be particularly frustrating for horse owners is ‘tying-up’. There are many variables which can impact on an episode of ‘tying-up’ including environment, individual horse characteristics and nutrition.
In recent years more research has taken place into how feed impacts on a horse’s temperament and behaviour and goes someway to explaining why removing grain and increasing fat has historically been successful in the diets of many horses prone to ‘tying-up’.
Latest research demonstrates that low-starch diets result
in less anxious behaviour. Studies show markers for stress, such as heart rate and cortisol levels are reduced in response to a stimulus for horses on low-starch diets. Many horse owners will acknowledge that often the ‘tye up’ horses may be the more anxious, highly-strung individuals.
With this information, Dunstan has formulated Dunstan Move Free, a textured feed specifically formulated for horses prone to ‘tying-up’. The goal was to further reduce the reliance on starch as a key calorie source and utilise fats and fibres to meet energy demands. This was achieved by increasing the contribution of the ‘super fibres’, beet pulp and Soya Hulls. Lupins also provide a valuable calorie source, low in starch, calorie- dense and high in fibre. The primary starch contributors in the diet were removed including Extruded Maize and an Extruded cereal nugget.
Target ‘Tying-Up’ Dunstan Move Free To further tailor the product to optimise muscular health, the Vitamin E level is elevated and is provided in the form of Natural Vitamin E for improved bioavailability.
Vitamin E is a key antioxidant, important for muscular health, and may be deficient in the diets of horses that have reduced pasture access, and if adequate levels are not provided by supplementary feed.
A unique and key addition to the new Dunstan
Move Free is Melofeed®. Melofeed® is a new age
antioxidant, a feed additive designed to fight against
oxidative stress. Research has indicated Melofeed® to be beneficial for joint and muscular health in the performance horse. The antioxidant properties of Melofeed® benefit equine muscle membrane, helping to prevent muscle lesions that may occur in horses during intense training, therefore making it the ideal addition to a performance horse feed for horses prone to ‘tying-up’. Melofeed® works synergistically with Alkosel (Selenium Yeast) as a first line of oxidative stress. Dunstan Move Free utilises Alkosel as its organic source of Selenium.
Both a Live Yeast and Chromium have remained in the
formulation to optimise performance, digestive health
and well-being.