Diet and respiratory health in horses
Horses breathe in over 70 thousand litres of air daily. This figure increases considerably during exercise. The equine respiratory system is very delicate, and even the smallest challenges can threaten health, wellbeing and, above all, performance. With winter under way, what better time to discuss respiratory health?
Did you know...?
- At rest, horses take around 8-12 breaths per minute.
- Horses breathe only through their nostrils (unlike humans, who breathe through both mouth and nose).
- At gallop, horses take one breath with each stride.
- Horses hold their breath when jumping (breathing out on landing).
- The equine respiratory system does not respond to training: the amount of air moving into and out of the lungs at a given speed does not depend on fitness.
- Respiratory problems have been identified as one of the most common causes of poor performance in horses in regular athletic training.
Hay vs haylage
Hay and haylage usually contain traces of dust, bacteria and mould known as respirable particles.
These are small enough to be inhaled with the air. Although haylage is often considered cleaner than hay, its quality actually varies considerably, and in many cases it may be no better. Over-dry haylage and haylage containing seed heads can contain more respirable particles. Nevertheless, apart from visible mould, you cannot assess forage hygiene from appearance and smell alone.
Soaking hay
Soaking hay for no more than 10 minutes causes the vast majority of respirable particles to swell, so they are swallowed rather than inhaled. However, soaking for too long can increase bacteria and fungi by creating favourable damp conditions. Feed hay immediately after soaking, as the spores become airborne again once it dries.
Steaming hay
Steaming is certainly a better option when you want to improve the hygienic quality of both hay and haylage. Besides eliminating almost all respirable particles, high-temperature steaming kills bacteria, mould and fungal spores. Steaming haylage may also extend its usable life after opening the bale, which can be particularly useful if you own just one horse.
Respiratory supplements
The market offers many different products supporting respiratory health in horses. NAF Respirator Powder is a concentrated formula developed specifically to give horses the best possible respiratory protection. It supports normal function of the capillaries surrounding the alveoli and supplies the whole system with abundant nutrients, ensuring stronger, healthy lungs. NAF Respirator is recommended for horses with impaired respiratory function and sensitivity to external irritants such as dust, spores, mould and pollen.
This product works particularly well as supportive therapy in the treatment of COPD (RAO).
If you would prefer a liquid product for your horse, consider TRM Equivent ND , a unique combination of five essential oils enriched with liquorice root extract, which supports healthy respiratory mucous membranes.
Horses breathe in over 70 thousand litres of air daily. This figure increases considerably during exercise. The equine respiratory system is very delicate, and even the smallest challenges can threaten health, wellbeing and, above all, performance. With winter under way, what better time to discuss respiratory health?
Did you know...?
- At rest, horses take around 8-12 breaths per minute.
- Horses breathe only through their nostrils (unlike humans, who breathe through both mouth and nose).
- At gallop, horses take one breath with each stride.
- Horses hold their breath when jumping (breathing out on landing).
- The equine respiratory system does not respond to training: the amount of air moving into and out of the lungs at a given speed does not depend on fitness.
- Respiratory problems have been identified as one of the most common causes of poor performance in horses in regular athletic training.
Hay vs haylage
Hay and haylage usually contain traces of dust, bacteria and mould known as respirable particles.
These are small enough to be inhaled with the air. Although haylage is often considered cleaner than hay, its quality actually varies considerably, and in many cases it may be no better. Over-dry haylage and haylage containing seed heads can contain more respirable particles. Nevertheless, apart from visible mould, you cannot assess forage hygiene from appearance and smell alone.
Soaking hay
Soaking hay for no more than 10 minutes causes the vast majority of respirable particles to swell, so they are swallowed rather than inhaled. However, soaking for too long can increase bacteria and fungi by creating favourable damp conditions. Feed hay immediately after soaking, as the spores become airborne again once it dries.
Steaming hay
Steaming is certainly a better option when you want to improve the hygienic quality of both hay and haylage. Besides eliminating almost all respirable particles, high-temperature steaming kills bacteria, mould and fungal spores. Steaming haylage may also extend its usable life after opening the bale, which can be particularly useful if you own just one horse.
Respiratory supplements
The market offers many different products supporting respiratory health in horses. NAF Respirator Powder is a concentrated formula developed specifically to give horses the best possible respiratory protection. It supports normal function of the capillaries surrounding the alveoli and supplies the whole system with abundant nutrients, ensuring stronger, healthy lungs. NAF Respirator is recommended for horses with impaired respiratory function and sensitivity to external irritants such as dust, spores, mould and pollen.
This product works particularly well as supportive therapy in the treatment of COPD (RAO).
If you would prefer a liquid product for your horse, consider TRM Equivent ND , a unique combination of five essential oils enriched with liquorice root extract, which supports healthy respiratory mucous membranes.
