July 2006

Feeding Broodmares

The word “broodmare” on the product label doesn’t always mean it’s all you need to feed.

Obviously you want your broodmare in peak health for conception, pregnancy and lactation, but do you really need feeds or supplements that claim to target broodmares?

There are special needs in late pregnancy and lactation, but "broodmare" in the advertising or on the label won’t guarantee any particular product will meet those needs. Although there has been a great deal of interest over the years in looking into various nutrients to see what their effect on fertility might be, the bottom line is that fertility will not be improved by supplementation unless the mare was deficient to begin with. …