You may be familiar with the terms prebiotics and probiotics, but have you ever heard of postbiotics? This episode covers the basics of postbiotics including what they are and how they can be used in the feeding program to support certain biological functions.

Resources

• Health promoting microbial metabolites produced by the gut microbiota after prebiotics metabolism: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109473

• The haybiome…: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242373

• Functional effects of gut microbiota-derived metabolites in Alzheimers disease: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2023.102730

• The role of probiotics and prebiotics in modulating of the gut-brain axis: https://doi.org/10.3389%2Ffnut.2023.1173660

• Dietary supplement…attenuates exercise-induced stress markers: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34181712/

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If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet (formerly Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health).

Vitamin C is important for many functions in the body. Horses are capable of making their own vitamin C, yet some researchers suggest it be a beneficial addition to horses under certain conditions. In this episode, Dr. Jyme unpacks what the scientific community knows about vitamin C for horses and when it might be useful in the equine diet.

Resources

• Vitamin C and Immune Function: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9111211

• Pulmonary Bioavailability of Ascorbic Acid in an Ascorbate-synthesizing Species, the Horse: https://doi.org/10.1080/1071576031000068627

• Supplementation of Ascorbic Acid in Weanling Horses Following Prolonged Transportation: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani2020184 

• The oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium in horses: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2007.07.033

• Rutgers: Are you ‘Stressing Out’ Your Horse?: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=FS656

• Effects of intravenous administration of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) on oxidative status in healthy adult horses: https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16934

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

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If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet (formerly Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health).

It’s fly season and there is nothing more irritating than a barn full of flies zapping the energy right out of your horses. This episode covers feed through fly control options and extra management tips to make your horse’s life as fly-free as possible this summer!

Resources

• Here are some of Dr. Jyme’s favorite fly control options. Dr. Jyme receives no incentive, discount, or kickback from these brands, they are just products she personally uses and loves.

o Bobby G’s Fly Spray (chemical free)

o ShooFly Leggins

o Fly Free Boots

o Spalding Labs Fly Predators

o Starbar Fly Control Products

o Solitude IGR

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

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If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet (formerly Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health). For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult

The old saying “no hoof, no horse” couldn’t be more true. If you have ever found yourself in a situation with a horse that had foot issues, you quickly realize there isn’t much you can do with that horse from a work or athletic standpoint, you may be devoting hours/days/weeks/months to helping the horse heal, and sometimes the situation may be career, or even life, ending. This episode sifts through many hoof conditions and explains when nutrition may or may not play a role.

Resources

• Common Indicators of Hoof Stress – with Dr. Debra Taylor and Dr. Tracy Turner: https://thehorse.com/190264/horse-hoof-stressors/

• A Field Guide to Hoof Cracks – Equus: https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/field-guide-hoof-cracks-55256

• Hoof Abscesses - University of Minnesota Extension: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-health/hoof-abscesses

• Laminitis – UC Davis Veterinary Medicine: https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/laminitis

• Quittor - Merck Veterinary Manual: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/musculoskeletal-system/lameness-in-horses/quittor-in-horses

• Quittor – Butler Professional Farrier School: https://butlerprofessionalfarrierschool.com/archives/2237

• Side bone - Merck Veterinary Manual: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/musculoskeletal-system/lameness-in-horses/sidebone-in-horses

• Navicular disease – Iowa State University: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/equine/navicular-disease-western-pleasure-horses

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

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If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult

Confused by all the feed choices out there? Inspired by a listener question, Dr. Nichols explains her 8-step process for selecting the brand or line of feed to best fit your needs.

Show Notes:

Feed Selection Road Map

1. Is the nutritionist qualified?

2. Least Cost vs Locked Formula

3. Ionophore Stance

4. Feeding Rates

5. Trace Mineral Source

a. Zinc Methionine Complex

b. Copper Lysine Complex

c. Manganese Methionine Complex

6. Amino Acids

7. Bonus Round (supplement replacements)

8. Final Check of Basics (protein, fat, fiber, starch/sugar)

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

….

If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult

Stallions can fall into a fairly wide range in terms of dietary needs, so there is no one-size-fits-all program. In this episode, Dr. Jyme describes different things to consider in designing a foundational nutrition program for a stallion and then takes it a step further by considering functional technologies that may help with things like semen quality and libido.

Resources

• Ultimate Breeding Guide https://strideanimalhealth.com/ultimate-breeding-guide

• Effect of feeding a DHA-enriched nutriceutical on the quality of fresh, cooled and frozen stallion semen: doi 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2004.07.010

• Use of nutraceuticals in the stallion: Effects on semen quality and preservation: doi 10.1111/rda.13934

• Effect of dietary antioxidant supplementation on fresh semen quality in stallion: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2010.12.003

• Oral supplementation with L-carnitine improves stallion fertility: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2016.06.068

• Effect of L-carnitine administration on the seminal characteristics of oligoasthenospermic stallions: doi 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2003.11.018

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

….

If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult

If you plan to breed your mare this year, this is your episode! Dr. Jyme explains her pre-breeding checklist and two special functional ingredients you can add to the diet to maximize your chances of an easy conception and healthy baby.

References:

• Merck Veterinary Manual - https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/management-of-reproduction-horses/the-reproductive-cycle-of-horses

• American Association of Equine Practitioners - https://aaep.org/horsehealth/regulating-estrus

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

….

If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult

Just because the grass is dormant and covered by a fresh layer of snow doesn’t mean you can forget about laminitis. Winter laminitis can be a concern for horses, especially those predisposed to metabolic conditions.

Resources

• Winter Laminitis Proceedings 2015 https://www.ecirhorse.org/proceedings-2015.php

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

….

If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult

“Biohacking is a powerful concept that equips individuals with diverse tools and strategies, enabling them to take charge of their health like a CEO steering a successful company,” says Dr. Kien Vuu, M.D. Why not use some of these techniques on our horses to optimize their health, performance, and longevity??

Resources:

• [Book] Thrive State: Your Blueprint for Optimal Health, Longevity, and Peak Performance by Dr. Kien Vuu, M.D.

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

….

If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult

Weaning can be a stressful time for both mare and foal, but as owners and managers there are things we can do to minimize stress. This episode covers the nutritional aspects of deciding when to wean your foal.

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

….

If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult

As a follow up to episode 126 “Sweet Temptations” Dr. Jyme digs into the concepts behind evaluating sugar in the diet and how to apply the findings to specific situations.

Resources:

• EquiSUMMIT Registration for on-demand replays of the live event: https://bit.ly/440K6tp

• Review of WSC and ESC of temperate grass pastures: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2022.103866

• Seasonal trends in NSC of cool and warm season grasses: https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2013.07.0465

• Pasture NSC and equine laminitis: https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.7.2099S

• Effect of dietary fructans on insulin response of ponies predisposed to laminitis: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.231.9.1365

• Effects of inulin (fructan) on equine fecal bacteria: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2015.11.010

• Effect of feeding glucose, fructose, and inulin on blood glucose and insulin concentrations in normal ponies and those predisposed to laminitis: https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2011-4236

You can now follow @drjyme on Facebook and Instagram! Please tell your friends how #feedroomchemist has made you an #empoweredhorseowner!

….

If you have a topic or question you would like addressed on a future episode please email [email protected]

Dr. Jyme Nichols is Director of Nutrition for Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health. For more information on these brands or a free virtual nutrition consult from our team just visit bluebonnetfeeds.com/nutrition-consult