Products > Equine Athlete Range
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Equine Athlete RangeEquine Athlete Muscle Max
Muscle Max is a feed supplement formulated to maximise the efficiency of muscle metabolism. It does this in two ways, by improving lean muscle mass and by reducing the effects of post exercise muscle fatigue. A large part of the daily energy requirement of the equine athlete is used by the skeletal muscles to power the contractions that give the horse its attributes of speed, endurance and strength. The energy from feed is stockpiled in the muscles in the form of glycogen. Through a chain of biochemical reactions within the muscle cells, the glycogen is oxidised to release Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) the chemical energy source used to power the muscle cells. The oxidation process requires large amounts of oxygen, hence the need for an efficient blood supply. The waste products from this energy burning process include water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, lactic acid and free radicals, all of which have the potential to reduce muscular efficiency. Free radicals can cause serious damage to the muscle cell membrane. It is these free radicals, in conjunction with the waste ammonia and lactic acid, that many equine sport scientists believe are responsible for muscle fatigue, post exercise muscle soreness and muscle tye-up.
Antioxidants are substances that have the ability to inactivate the free radicals within the cell. There are many nutritional antioxidants, mostly found in plants. Muscle-Max is an antioxidant supplement that contains rice-bran oil. Rice bran oil is a rich source of glycerides, free fatty acids, phospholipids and glycolipids. Its principle antioxidants are the tocopherals, tocotrienols and gamma oryzanol, as well as inositol, phytic acid and choline. Vitamin E is one of the Tocopherols found in Muscle-Max, but it is the tocotrienols Besides being an antioxidant, gamma oryzanol is a plant sterol, giving it anabolic properties. Studies in which gamma oryzanol supplements were included in diets of both human and equine athletes over a 6-8 week period resulted in improved muscle to fat ratios along with improved appetite. Muscle-Max also contains chromium picolinate. Chromium is not an antioxidant, but it does play an important role in increasing muscle energy utilization, while at the same time lowering blood lactic acid levels during exercise. Recent research in the USA has shown that racehorses in full training supplemented daily with 5mgs of organic chromium had 13% lower blood lactate levels after intense exercise than the control horses used in the studies. Studies with human athletes have shown that daily supplementation with organic chromium increases muscle gain and reduces body fat more than physical exercise alone. In summary Muscle-Max combines the antioxidant and anabolic properties of rice bran oil and along with chromium picolinate helps to reduce muscle fatigue and post exercise muscle damage. It also helps to create muscle gain and a reduction in body fat. It is a 100% natural product that can be used right up to and during competition. It is formulated with an apple flavour that horses find palatable. Available sizes; 2kg ,5kg, 20kg Registered under the ACVM Act 1977 No. A9376 Equine Athlete Quicklyte
The intense muscular activity associated with training and competition, whether it is racing, eventing, show jumping endurance or dressage, results in an increase in body heat. The only way a horse can get rid of this heat is through sweat loss. Sweat also represents the main route of fluid and electrolyte loss, between 5 and 10 litres per hour can be lost during an event or race. Rapid replacement of the fluid and electrolytes is important for a quick recovery. Failure to adequately replace lost electrolytes will lead to dehydration. Saline drenching has always been the traditional method of ensuring rapid electrolyte replacement. Although effective, this method is often inconvenient and expensive as it usually requires the services of a veterinarian. Now there is an alternative to saline drenching. Quick-lyte paste is a combination of electrolytes and chelated minerals formulated in a single dose syringe. One 30ml dose syringe replaces the electrolytes lost in 2 litres of sweat. Because the electrolytes in Quick-lyte are present in a highly absorbable form, they are rapidly absorbed from the horse’s stomach. Quick-lyte uses a patented carrier that ensures the stability of the electrolytes and minerals during storage and also gives the product its free-flow properties that make it easy to use. After taking Quick-lyte, horses have a strong desire to drink so it is important that fresh drinking water is made available. This makes Quick-lyte ideal to use before and after long float trips. How often do you hear of horses who won’t drink when they travel away from home?, Quicklyte will trigger a response to drink and often then to eat. Some indications for using Quick-lyte include:; # 8 to 12 hours before intense exercise # 1 to 2 hours after intense exercise # Regularly during hot summer months # When horses won’t take electrolytes in their feed # Endurance Recovery Stops # After transportation Quick-lyte also contains Iron Gluconate as well as Zinc, Copper and Cobalt chelates, all essential minerals for red blood cell production. Chelated minerals are more easily absorbed than ordinary minerals as they do not compete with each other for absorption sites across the gut wall. In addition, chelated means the presence of iron in Quick-lyte has no effect on adsorption of the minerals. Quick-lyte is available in single dose 30ml syringes. Active Ingredients per dose: Potassium 3776mg Sodium 2832mg Chloride 7791mg Calcium 250mg Magnesium 78mg Iron 17mg Zinc 3mg Copper 2.8mg Cobalt 0.42mg VitaminE 150iu
Equine Athlete B Boost
B group vitamins are essential for the conversion of chemical energy that occurs within the muscle fibres. Under grazing conditions, the daily requirement of B Vitamins is produced by the micro-organisms in the large intestine. High grain intake lowers the intestinal PH with a resultant drop in vitamin B production. A diet low in B Vitamins has shown to have an effect on athletic performance. Human studies have shown that when athletes were restricted to less than half of their daily requirement for vitamins B1, B2 & B6, a significant drop in performance occurred. Similar studies in equine athletes have shown that supplementing with vitamin B1 prior to competition improved performance by reducing the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles.Horses in training benefit from B Vitamin supplementation for several reasons:; 1) The production of ATP increases with exercise, therefore so does the requirement for B vitamins. 2) Digestion of high grain diets leads to a fall in the pH of the large intestine, which in turn alters the microflora population. The result is a net decrease in B vitamin production. 3) Studies have shown that supplementing Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) in the diet has the effect of reducing post exercise lactic acid levels. B Boost paste contains high levels of all the essential B group vitamins in one single oral dose syringe. It also contains Betaine, which is converted to dimethylglycine in the liver. DMG reduces lactic acid build-up during strenuous exercise. B Boost contains no prohibited substances so is safe to use prior to competition and should be administered 12 to 24 hours prior to competition, or on a regular basis for poor appetite, or to assist recovery after sickness. Also assists recovery from traveling long distances. Daily dose rates full 30ml syringe when required Active ingredients per 30ml dose: Betaine 1500mg Vitamin B1 180mg Vitamin B2 180mg Vitamin B3 500mg Vitamin B6 150mg Vitamin B12 1500µg Folic Acid 150mg Inositol 750mg
Equine Athlete Digest Rite Performance
Digest-Rite Performance is a nutritional supplement especially formulated for performance horses. It contains a combination of prebiotics, digestive enzymes and toxin binders to enhance digestion of grain based diets and at the same time helps maintain a healthy digestive tract. It also binds harmful mycotoxins that often contaminate grains or hay and endophyte ryegrass (known to create the condition called Ryegrass Staggers). To meet the demands of training, competition and racing, performance horses need access to a concentrated energy source. Grains such as oats, barley and maize are ideally suited because of their high starch content. Because these grains are not part of their natural diet, horses are limited in the amount of starch they are able to digest at one time. If too much grain is fed at once, or if the passage of ingested grain through the small intestine is too rapid, undigested starch will pass into the large intestine where it will undergo bacterial fermentation. Hindgut fermentation of starch, especially in the absence of adequate fibre (grass and hay) intake, can lead to a condition known as hindgut acidosis. The acids produced by the fermentation process can affect performance, causing problems like stressful behaviour, over-excitability and muscle tye-up. Feeding a product that will enhance carbohydrate digestion has obvious advantages for the performance horse. Add to this the advantages of a product that has the ability to bind harmful mycotoxins, such as those from mould and endophyte fungus, it is easy to see why Digest-Rite should be part of every performance horse’s diet. Digest-Rite Performance is more than just a simple digestive additive - like those containing live yeast cultures. Digest-Rite Performance contains pre-biotics (mannan oligosaccharides), digestive enzymes (á amylase and â glucanase), rice bran oil and silicated oxides. It has a four way action: 1. By slowing the passage of food through the small intestine, allowing more time for the horse’s own digestive enzymes to work. 2. By enhancing digestion through the inclusion of enzymes that can break down sugar and starch. 3. The inclusion of the pre-biotics helps maintain a functional gut wall and ensures that nutrients are absorbed efficiently following digestion. 4. The silicated oxides bind harmful toxins and once bound they cannot be absorbed and are passed out in the horse’s faeces, also helping to prevent the absorption of the harmful by- products of hindgut fermentation. Digest-Rite should be fed to horses on high grain diets or when pasture conditions increase the likelihood of nutritional problems occurring.It should also be added if there is any likelihood that the hay being fed has developed any mould during storage. Itcontains no prohibited substances. Daily Dose Rate: Add 25gm per 1kg of grain/grain mix Available in 2kg, 5kg and 20 kg bags Digest-Rite SPORT formulation is available for horses on mainly pasture diets.
Equine Athlete Digest Rite Sport Digest-Rite Sport formula is a nutritional supplement formulated for both sport and pleasure horses whose diets are based on mainly pasture and some hard feed. Digest-Rite Sport provides a combination of pre-biotics, digestive enzymes, toxin binders and rice bran oil to enhance digestion and at the same time help maintain a healthy digestive tract. It also binds the harmful mycotoxins that sometimes contaminate grains or hay and endophyte ryegrass. Fast growing Spring and Autumn pastures are most often a problem. Because horses lack the enzymes necessary to break down the soluble sugars found in young grasses, they often pass undigested into the large intestine (hindgut) where they undergo bacterial fermentation. Problems such as over-excitability and stressful behaviour can result from absorption of the by- products of this process. Being able to feed a product that contains a toxin binding agent has obvious advantages for horses grazing problem pastures. Some areas in New Zealand have grasses such as Paspalum, Kikuyu or endophyte ryegrass, all these can have toxins which are negative to the horse.. The silicate oxides in Digest-Rite have a high capacity for binding harmful fungal toxins. Once bound, the toxins cannot be absorbed and are passed out in the faeces. Most sport and pleasure horses are kept in situations where the amount of available grass is not sufficient to meet dietary requirements. A supplemental feed is usually given to provide the necessary extra energy. Oats, barley and maize are the norm and most pre-mixed feeds contain one, if not all of these grains. As they are not part of a natural diet, horses are limited in the amount of grain they are able to digest at one time. Like grass, if too much is fed at once, or if the passage through the small intestine is too rapid, an undigested amount passes through to the hindgut where it undergoes bacterial fermentation. The by-products of starch and sugar fermentation can affect both temperament and performance and over-excitability,and muscle tye-up are common problems. Feeding a product like Digest-Rite that will enhance the digestion of grasses and grains has obvious advantages for sport and pleasure horses, especially those prone to these problems. Digest-Rite Sport is more than just a simple digestive additive like those just containing live yeast cultures. Digest-Rite Sport contains pre-biotics (mannan oligosaccharides - Bio Mos), digestive enzymes (á amylase and â glucanase), rice bran oil and silicated oxides ( Mycobond). It has a four way action: 1. By slowing the passage of food through the small intestine, allowing time for the horse’s own digestive enzymes to work. 2. By enhancing digestion through the inclusion of enzymes that break down sugar and starch. 3. The inclusion of pre-biotics helps maintain a functional gut wall and ensures that nutrients are absorbed efficiently following digestion. 4. The silicated oxides ( toxin binders) help prevent the absorption of any harmful fungal toxins or by-products of hindgut fermentation. Digest-Rite Sport should be fed to sport and pleasure horses receiving a grass and grain diet, or those grazing pastures where conditions are likely to cause nutritional problems.. It should also be added to the diet if there is any likelihood that the hay being fed has developed mould during storage. Digest-Rite Sport contains no prohibited substances so can be safely fed before competition. Daily Dose Rate: 25 gm per kg of hard feed. Available in 2kg, 5kg and 20kg bags. Digest-Rite PERFORMANCE is available for horses fed mainly grain based diets. Equine Athlete Chromium Plus
Equine Athlete Chromium – Plus contains organic chromium, amino acids important to muscle performance and repair and Vitamin B6. Human athletes have known about the role of Chromium as an essential nutrient for years. However, it is only since 1992 that equine researchers have clearly defined Chromium’s role in improving performance. Kentucky researchers have shown that horses fed 5mg of organic Chromium per day had significantly lower blood lactate and blood cortisol levels after intense exercise.
Lactic Acid is a by-product of energy metabolism. During intense exercise, it is accumulated in muscles and causes fatigue. Chromium has been shown to slow the buildup of lactic acid in the blood during strenuous exercise and delay the onset of fatigue. Thus increasing the amount of time an individual horse could sustain a maximal effort during intense exercise, racing or competition.
Cortisol is commonly termed the “stress hormone”. Levels increase during stressful periods. Increased cortisol levels lead to a reduction in insulin levels. This results in reduced energy utilization and protein synthesis, important factors in the athletic horse. Chromium enhances the effect of insulin and improves the uptake of glucose and amino acids into the muscle cells.
Tests have also shown that supplementation with organic Chromium has been shown to increase stress resistance and improve immunity, helping with improving resistance to bacterial and viral diseases. Organic Chromium is a useful nutritional supplement to assist horses that may be susceptible to muscle Tye-up.
Human studies have shown how daily supplementation with Chromium increases muscle gain and reduces body fat when combined with a physical training programme.
Equine Athlete CR3 Chromium- Plus also contains the essential branched chain amino acids Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine which are utilised directly by skeletal muscles to repair the muscle cells that are damaged during intense exercise. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is involved in the metabolism of these amino acids.
Active Ingredients per kg: Available sizes: 500gm, 5kg.
Trivalent Chromium 0.033%
L-Leucine 0.4% Daily Dose Rate:
L-Valine 0.4% 15g Performance & Racehorses
L-Isoleucine 0.2%
Pyridoxiline (B6) 0.1%
Equine Athlete Bone Builder Bone Builder is a feed supplement formulated to help increase bone density in young horses. It contains Silicon, Magnesium, Boron and Lysine and is designed to be fed in conjunction with Vetpro High Performance Mineral Supplement which provides Calcium, Phosphorus, Copper and Zinc. For a long time it was considered that to achieve stronger bone all that was necessary was to feed more Calcium. Research has conclusively proven that increasing dietary calcium above recommended dietary levels has no effect on bone density. What research has shown is the important role that Silicon, Magnesium and Boron play in bone mineralisation. The rate of skeletal growth in young horses occurs faster than weight gain. By 12 months of age a horse can attain 94% of its mature height and 65% of its mature weight. Total bone mineral content (BMC) lags behind skeletal growth. At 12 months of age bone mineralisation is 76% complete. Maximum BMC is not reached until a horse is 6 years old. The period when young bones need to be strong is often the time when they are subjected to the most stress. A horse traveling at race speeds is subjected to forces three times its own bodyweight. Maximising bone density is important in improving bone strength and thereby preventing bone injuries. By paying careful attention to mineral supplementation, bone density and skeletal durability can be improved. Bone mineralisation begins during the last three months of pregnancy. At this stage fetal bones are cartilage models of the adult bones. The skeleton of the newborn foal contains only 17% of the adult bone mineral content. The first 12 months are an important nutritional period as bone mineralisation proceeds at an accelerated rate. The importance of Calcium and Phosphorus in bone development is well known. Less is known about the importance of Magnesium, Boron and Silicon. Magnesium is essential for the formation of the collagen matrix and bone mineralization. Around 60% of the Mg in the body is found in bone tissue. Human studies have shown a positive correlation between bone mineral density and dietary magnesium. Low magnesium is associated with reduced activity by osteoblasts and osteoclasts - the cells involved in bone remodeling. Boron is a trace element that up until recently has received very little attention. Human research indicates that boron aids the uptake of Calcium and Magnesium into bone as well as increasing vitamin D3 levels, important for bone mineral metabolism. Silicon is an essential nutrient for normal body function and one of the most common, but most of the silicon found in nature is in a sand form and is unable to be absorbed by the body. Plants can take Silicon up from the soil so consequently the forage and grains that horses consume contain small amounts. Silicon is also involved in the formation of the collagen matrix. Experiments showed Silicon deficient diets resulted in lower bone collagen levels, resulting in abnormal bone growth. The same series of experiments also showed that Silicon supplementation increased the rate of bone mineralisation as well as increasing the Glycosaminoglycan levels in cartilage, important in the prevention and treatment of degenerative joint disease. Studies carried out at the University of Texas underlined the importance of Silicon in maximizing bone density in young racehorses. In these studies horses on Silicon supplemented diets were able to train and race for longer and sustained less bone injuries than non-supplemented horses. This was attributed to a reduction in bone absorption and an overall improvement in bone density. It was noted that Silicon supplementation had no effect on growth rate, therefore was not connected with any risk of growth related diseases like OCD. Bone Builder contains a highly absorbable form of Silicon, along with Magnesium, Boron and the essential growth promoting Amino Acid Lysine. Each 30g dose delivers 9.48g Lysine, 5.25g Magnesium, 30.5mg Silicon and 25ppm Boron. Bone Builder should be fed to weanlings, yearlings and 2 year olds in training. Older horses (36 months upwards) do not benefit from supplementation as the collagen matrix has developed fully. It should be fed to broodmares during the last three months of pregnancy. When fed during lactation the levels in the milk increase, resulting in Silicon being available to the foal. Recommended daily dose rates: Foals & Weanlings: 15gms Yearlings & 2 year olds: 30gms Pregnant (last trimester) & Lactating Broodmares: 30gms Bone Builder is available in 1 kg and 4 kg sizes Registered ACVM Act 1977, No A9377 Lysine - T
AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENT
Unlock the Protein in the diet.
Vetpro Lysine-T contains the essential amino acids Lysine and Threonine. Scientific research has shown that young horses show improved growth, and older horses can show improved muscle mass, plus horses in work (particularly low carbohydrate/high fat/low forage diets) benefit from Lysine and Threonine supplementation.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The quality of protein is determined by its amino acid composition - it is the quality of the protein in the diet that regulates how well the horse grows and functions. Protein is in every cell in the body, muscles, tendons, organs, glands, hooves and hair.
The amino acids that must be supplied in the horses’ diet everyday are called essential amino acids. Lysine is the first limiting amino acids and Threonine is the second. A limiting amino acid is one that if not present, will prevent protein from being made, even if other amino acids are present in adequate quantities. Therefore protein quality can be improved (released) by supplementing with these two limiting amino acids.
Scientific studies on young horses have shown that supplementation with Lysine and Threonine optimized growth rates. Also fortification of the diet with Lysine and Threonine can allow the quantity of protein to be decreased while still promoting optimum growth.
Horses in work that have a tendency to overheat , blow and sweat excessively, often caused by high protein levels in the diet, can benefit by reducing the protein percentage in the feed and supplementing with Vetpro Lysine –T.
The current trend of feeding low carbohydrate diets, particularly when combined with controlled pasture access, may result in sub-optimal levels of Lysine and Threonine. This will mean that even if available protein is taken up, it will be limited in its ability to repair and rebuild cellular health.
Aged horses have difficulty in retaining muscle mass due to a reduced ability to digest protein combined with a declined activity level. Research has shown that supplying limiting amino acids can improve the protein status of the geriatric horse. A combination of supplementation with Vetpro Muscle–Max and Vetpro Lysine-T will provide the optimum opportunity for the older horse to retain condition and structural health.
Vetpro Lysine-T also contains a yeast culture and yeast extract to aid with palatability and digestibility. It also enhances the activity of fibre digesting bacteria which increases nutrient availability and absorption.
In summary where to use Vetpro Lysine-T:
In the young growing horse to maximise growth rates.
In the active horse used for moderate to heavy work.
In horses where the increase of protein may result in the horse blowing, overheating and producing high ammonia in the urine.
In the older horse to maintain its muscle mass, where increasing protein in the diet is often not appropriate due to digestibility being difficult in the aged horse. Recovery Boost
A new Nutriceutical product from Vetpro is Recovery Boost. Packaged in a sealed foil pouch, one size of 800gm provides a 16 day course for horses that have been on antibiotics, getting over a virus, surgery, a trauma event or even just the recovery from an extended strenuous output couple with long distance travel. It has been specifically formulated to assist healing and recovery but will also assist horses with prolonged periods of immobility, or with the negative effects of toxin ingestion. A unique product – Vetpro Recovery Boost contains Colostrum, Glutamine, Vitamin C, B Vitamins and Folic Acid in a yeast base.
Natural Colostrum has relatively high levels of oligosaccharides. These function as prebiotics, thus promoting the growth of probiotics, or beneficial bacteria in the gut. Colostrum has been shown to improve gut health and is very beneficial in the prevention of gastrointestinal injury. Colostrum also contains over 37 different important natural immune factors and more than eight growth factors including Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) and Epidermal Growth Factor (ECF). Both of these stimulate tissue repair and healing, as well as immune factors such as Transfer Factor. These factors have various actions including assisting the action of antibodies and modulating the actions of the immune system. Further it has been shown to be beneficial to horses receiving NSAIDS.
L Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the horses body. It is critical for the proper functioning of the body, but in particular it is most important for the digestive system, immune function and skeletal muscle. In periods of stress and illness glutamine levels are reduced therefore supplementation has been shown to be beneficial. Glutamine improves the growth and repair of the small intestine as well as improving overall immune function. Glutamine protects skeletal muscle mass and is also important for repairing muscle tissue damaged from high intensity exercise, it also increases renal Arginine production, another amino acid important for the body’s response to injury. Vitamin C – A powerful antioxidant which protects cells from oxidative damage. It also mobilises white blood cells to create a positive immune response. Under normal circumstances a horse is capable of producing its own Vitamin C, however when they are stressed or sick, it has been shown that plasma concentrations of Vitamin C fall below normal levels. B Vitamins - The horse is usually able to make its own intestinal supply of B Vitamins, however any kind of stress or illness reduces the horse’s ability to provide an adequate supply. Recovery Boost contains all the essential B Vitamins required for daily metabolic processes, for energy metabolism and nerve and muscle functions. Folic Acid – Under normal conditions horses do not require supplementation, but when restricted from normal pasture and suffering from loss of appetite, it is beneficial to ensure that no deficiency occurs as this can debilitate and delay recovery. Celmanax ® is an active yeast extract which contains Mannan Oligosacchride, d-Mannose, galactosamine and glucomannans. These all assist to stimulate the bacteria in the hindgut, thus improving the horse’s ability to digest feed, especially fibre. It also improves palatability. Available from Veterinarians and Equine Stores |
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