Bob Childs - ESA/AHA/PHCP Certified Hoof Specialist
News
"Minerals reach hair via the blood so it’s going have similar limitations as blood testing since hormones control the levels of many of the minerals giving little indication of the status for the rest of the body. Dr Kellon VMD 'Hair mineral is not an accurate way to determine mineral status and is worthless for formulating the diet and supplements.' NRCPlus
The kidneys will rapidly excrete minerals when they are higher than a tight range, electrolytes like potassium are a good example. The liver can remove minerals before they reach hair. Hair testing can’t tell mineral balance even if the totals were credible as it doesn’t indicate whether it’s due to a deficiency in the first place or competition with another mineral or the body had a high need at that time. Hair can be useful for some heavy metals and selenium but from a nutrition point of view hair testing is not considered overall to be reliable."
Read full article here: https://balancedequine.com.au/hair-testing/
"Blood concentrations of minerals and electrolytes are not a reliable indicator of whole body status. Or to put it another way, a horse can have a normal blood level of a mineral/electrolyte but be severely deficient or be excessively over-supplemented. "
Read full article here: https://balancedequine.com.au/blood-testing/
How can we protect our horses in the winter months?
Read full article here: https://www.thelaminitissite.org/articles/cold-weather
"The NRC Nutrient Requirements of Horses 2007 suggests that possible adverse effects of excessive iron might outweigh any supposed advantages, and warns that supplemental iron can be toxic to foals and that iron injections often result in severe reactions and death in horses".
"The cause of the anemia must be identified and correctly treated - it's treating the primary disease, not feeding an iron supplement, that eliminates anemia in most cases."
Read full article here: https://www.thelaminitissite.org/articles/anaemia-and-iron-supplements
"How do you make sure your horse has the right balance of nutrients to keep them healthy and active throughout the long dark winter months?"
Listen to this podcast by ForagePlus: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-8b32q-1197252
Quoted from Kathryn Watts, BS
"The best defense against weeds is a thick, vigorous stand of grass. Mother Nature doesn't like bare ground. Annual weeds are those that come up from seeds every year. If you cut off the tops with mowing, they cannot produce seed and therefore won't come back next year. Mowing regularly depletes the weed seed bank in the soil over the years."