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FAQs

How does EVM fit into a best feeding practice?

The Equine Vit&Min feeding system tops up and balances a diet that provides all the necessary roughage for gut health. It inputs the vitamins and minerals independently of protein and energy (calories). This means you can rest assured your horses are getting all their vitamin and mineral needs even when you don’t need to feed large quantities of fortified hard feeds.

Why doesn’t EVM include amino acids?

Simply because most horses don’t need them, and we don’t think you should pay for ingredients you don’t need. Most adult horses get all the protein they need, including the most limiting amino acids lysine, methionine and threonine, from their roughage and energy sources. Breeding and growing horses have higher protein requirements which can be easily met through the addition of a quality protein feed source such as lucerne or full fat soybean meal.

Do EVM pellets include salt?

Yes. Each serve of pellets contains half your horse’s daily maintenance salt requirement. We recommend keeping a shallow bucket of clean, loose plain salt in a sheltered area for your horse to top up to requirements. Loose salt is preferable to a salt block as many horses will not lick a block for long enough to obtain the amount of salt required. You can add extra salt or an electrolyte following heavy sweating or hard work.

Does EVM contain organic minerals?

Equine Vit&Min does contain some organically chelated zinc, copper and selenium. However, in a study of scientific literature, Frape (2010) concluded that “there is minimal, or no, difference in biologic use, or animal performance with trace minerals compared to organic sources. Since organic chelates and proteinates bypass the body’s “feedback loops” for mineral absorption, organic minerals should be limited to 20 – 30% of the total micromineral content of the additive to avoid the risk of toxicity. In other words, because the microminerals are being snuck in the ‘back door’ in disguise as proteins when in chelated form, the body’s normal ability to monitor how much to let in is compromised. There is probably merit in providing a small proportion of microminerals (such as copper, zinc and selenium) in quality horse supplements in both organic and inorganic forms.

Can I feed EVM Balancer pellets to my laminitis-prone horse?

YES, EVM Balancer pellets are very low in starch and sugars, providing one of the lowest calorie options for balancing the diet of a laminitis-prone horse.

An overweight horse needs roughage, salt and minerals, but don’t feel that you have to give a large hard feed. A token feed carrying the supplements is all that is required during weight loss. This means that a balancer supplement or pellet is far more appropriate than a ‘laminitis safe’ feed that adds ‘safe’ calories (low starch/sugar) but is nevertheless adding calories that an overweight horse doesn’t need. Save the feeds like beet pulp and Zero for horses who need a feed to maintain weight when grass doesn’t provide enough calories for them.

Why doesn’t EVM contain 50 – 60 different nutrients like some competitors?

NRC (2007) states that “further elements are, in principle accepted as essential constituents in a mammalian diet (e.g. boron, nickel and vanadium). Based on the current status of knowledge, their natural occurrence is sufficient to ensure the required very small amounts of these elements. The supplementation of these elements, including the rare earth elements, is not based on scientifically elaborated, valid data and has the potential to be dangerous to horses.”

Nutrient Analysis (per 200g serve)

CP: 11.5%

DE: 7.3MJ/kg

Starch: 1.6%

Crude Fibre: 11.4%

Crude Fat: 5.9%

Lysine: 0.8g

Calcium: 8.4g

Phosphorus: 3.8g

Magnesium: 12.2g

Copper: 246mg

Zinc: 713mg

Manganese: 309mg

Cobalt: 0.9mg

Chromium: 3.0mg

Iodine: 4.0mg

Selenium: 1.36mg

Vit A: 22,500 IU

Vit B1: 42mg

Vit B2: 30mg

Vit B3: 65mg

Vit B5: 3.6mg

Vit B6: 9mg

Vit B12: 45mcg

Vit D: 3,000IU

Vit E: 732 IU

Vit K: 3mg

Folate: 15 mg

Biotin: 15mg

Live yeast probiotic

Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Recommended daily serve