AQHA MAGAZINE May / June 2020 AQHA May-June YB 2020 WEB LR | Page 50

PG.48
AQHA FEATURE
Jenquine
all-4-feet®
Jenquine
EzyMAG+®
Jenquine
Bone Formula Forte®
Jenquine
Calsorb Forte®
behavioural problems (nervousness and excitability), Cushings
disease (PPID), equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), insulin
resistance, laminitis, muscle problems and osteochondrosis.
Magnesium requirements are also increased in ageing horses; on
lush, rapidly growing pasture; during exercise and training; in
lactating and cycling mares, and with travel and transport. Some
mares and fillies are more prone to twitchiness, flighty behaviour,
muscle pain and tying up when in-season and this has been
associated with an hormone-induced fall in blood magnesium
levels. Muscle pain, nervousness and tying-up are all found in
horses with a subclinical magnesium deficiency, and any horse
that ties-up can benefit from extra magnesium in their diet.
Young horses, especially those growing rapidly, are at risk of
developmental bone disorders. First described mid last century by
the American Quarterhorse Association as DOD, this syndrome
mostly occurs with fast, rapid growth. Several studies found
that supplements containing magnesium reduced OC incidence.
It also advisable to ensure that diets for insulin-resistant horses
and ponies at least meet the maintenance requirements and many
veterinarians recommend 10g of magnesium per day.
For all horses and especially pregnant mares, young and older
horses the interactions between magnesium, Vitamin E and the
immune system are relevant. In pregnant mares this combination
has been shown to improve the quality of colostrum, and in
older horses, they repair some of the age-related changes in the
immune system and increase killing capacity of white blood
cells. Jenquine EzyMAG+® is intended to address subclinical
deficiencies, the diagnosis of which is often difficult and requires
urine clearance tests - but the clinical signs are recognisable. As
with any nutritional deficiency, there are individual variations but
most equine diets are deficient in magnesium and most horses
benefit from supplementation.
Jenquine Bone Formula Forte® is a unique combination
of organic and inorganic calcium for horses on diets that often
have an unbalanced calcium:phosphorus ratio (grain and branbased
diets and roughages with a high phosphorus content such
as grassy/oaten and wheaten chaff or hay), those on medication
for gastric ulcers and for horses and ponies grazing oxalatecontaining
pastures. Grasses like kikuyu, panic, setaria, buffel
and other sub-tropical species can contain high levels of oxalates.
The reason two forms of calcium are included in Jenquine Bone
Formula Forte® is because there are two types of oxalates in
the grasses – one type (called soluble oxalates) bind ‘loosely’ to
sodium and potassium. Because these bonds are not tight or strong,
sodium and potassium oxalates are soluble ie they easily dissolve
in the horses’ stomach, releasing the sodium and potassium from
the oxalate. The horse can absorb the free sodium and potassium.
The other type of oxalate is tightly bound calcium-oxalate.
Calcium-oxalate isn’t soluble, it doesn’t dissolve and the calcium
remains tightly held by the oxalate, passing out unaltered into
the manure. This causes a calcium deficiency that over time
leads to osteoporosis (also known as nutritional secondary
hyperparathyroidism, osteodystrophia fibrosis and ‘bighead’).
Clinical signs of a calcium deficiency and generalised osteoporosis
range from watery nasal discharge; mild swelling of the distal
pasterns; facial distortion; sinusitis; upper respiratory tract noise;
difficulty passing a stomach tube; dental pathology; ill-thrift;
intermittent, shifting lameness; swelling of the maxilla and
mandible (a ‘bighead’ is found in only ~20% of horses affected
by oxalates and osteoporosis); hypocalcaemia and pregnancy
tetany; tendon and ligament injuries and increased incidence of
spontaneous fractures.
Because only around 20% of horses show signs of ‘bighead’, it’s
common and easy to assume the horse doesn’t have a calciumdeficiency
problem if there is no head swelling/enlargement.
Bighead is a relatively uncommon sign (found in only 1 out of 5
affected horses). Once the head changes occur, the whole skeleton
will have some degree of osteoporosis. More common signs that
a problem is present and progressing are those of generalised
osteoporosis: behaviour change; dental/chewing problems;
lameness that may be vague, intermittent or shifting; poor coat;
reduced voluntary movement; reluctance to perform; shortened
stride; spontaneous fractures; tendon and ligament weaknesses
and weight loss.
www.jenquine.com
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION - WWW.AQHA.COM.AU