There are specific foods that can aid and support a healthy immune system for your horse. Stress, nutritional deficiencies, and aging can affect the appropriate functionality of the immune system. This can result in pathogens being able to breach the defense systems of the body.
Horses eating from a hay feeder
It is often said that the GI tract is the seat of a horse's immune system because 60% of lymphatic tissue surrounds the digestive tract.
© 2017 by Sedin New window.
Stress can come from environmental factors, chronic conditions such as ulcers, as well as competitions, shipping, injuries, lay up, metabolic imbalances, and daily training.
Nutritional deficiencies can result from not enough forage and hay, as well as low-quality hay. Deficiencies can also occur when feeding processed feeds if the recommended amount per day is not fed. Some nutritional deficiencies are a result of metabolic issues such as PSSM, EPSM, and HYPP.
Older horses can have weaker immune systems due to the aging process.
Digestive health
It is often said that the GI tract is the seat of a horse’s immune system. This is because 60% of lymphatic tissue surrounds the digestive tract. The lymphatic system provides barriers to infection and plays a critical role in immune responses.
What we feed is not only about protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates, and calories; it is also about the quality of the food itself. The question we want to ask of every feed and supplement we use is, “Are these ingredients going to decrease stress on the GI tract or increase stress on the GI tract?”
For more information related to feeding your horse's immune system see complete article Feeding your horse’s immune system
Press release by BioStar Supplements - Post by Tigger Montague