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Tag Talk Low starch and sugar diet for horses with special needs.
WellSolve L/S® horse feed offers a simpler, more streamlined dietary option for veterinarians and horse owners who are caring for special needs horses that may benefit from a low starch and sugar diet.

New WellSolve L/S® horse feed
• Low starch and sugar
• No grains or molasses
• Digestible/fermentable fibers as an alternative energy source
• Added antioxidants
• Veterinarian researched

Some of the conditions affecting special needs horses include:
• Insulin Resistance and/or Equine Metabolic Syndrome
• Laminitis
• Cushing’s Syndrome

The right product at the right time
We probably could have rushed to market with a low starch and sugar formula years ago. Instead, we spent the past several years studying carbohydrate metabolism in horses, from the unique ways their bodies utilize fuel to how particular fiber types might aggravate the GI tract or a specific health condition.

Building on decades of equine nutrition research, Purina Mills has vigorously examined ingredient combinations, feed form, meal timing, palatability and more. We’ve conducted numerous controlled studies at LongView Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, MO, as well as extensive field testing.

The result: WellSolve L/S® horse feed, one of the first in a series of WellSolve® products designed around special needs horses.

Low in starch and sugar—no grains or molasses
While special needs horses require at least some soluble carbohydrates (starches and sugar) for brain function and hoof health, too much can cause glucose and insulin levels to spike. We guarantee the level of soluble carbohydrates in WellSolve L/S® to be less than 11 percent.

Digestible/fermentable fibers as an alternative energy source
Although many reputable commercial feeds rely on sugars and starches as the primary energy source, the level of calories in these feeds is unnecessary and the calorie sources may not be a safe option for many special needs horses. That’s why WellSolve L/S® horse feed utilizes a blend of fibers from various feedstuffs such as beet pulp, ground soy hulls and alfalfa meal.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids
• Fats are a dense source of calories. The soybean oil and ground flaxseed in
WellSolve L/S® are ideal for replacing calories that would otherwise be lacking in a low starch and sugar diet.
• Research is ongoing, but there are indications that higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids may help ward off inflammation. If so, this could prove beneficial to the special needs horse.

Quality Protein and Essential Amino Acids
WellSolve L/S® has an ideal amino acid profile for the special needs horse, including lysine, threonine and methionine. All are essential amino acids and aid in tissue repair.

Antioxidants and a Healthy Immune System—Vitamins E, C and Selenium
These powerful antioxidants destroy “free radicals” that can wreak havoc on healthy cells. We have added a natural source of vitamin E for the special needs horse, as well as a blend of natural tocopherols to help preserve the supplemented antioxidants and the overall shelf life of the product.

Vitamins and Minerals proportioned for the special needs horse
Special needs horses can easily become deficient in key vitamins due to grazing restrictions or because of eating large amounts of stored hay. WellSolve L/S® compensates for these deficiencies with the proper combination of vitamins and minerals, including added vitamins A and D, as well as a natural source of vitamin E. We’ve also added minerals like copper and zinc, which are involved in chemical reactions related to connective tissue synthesis and maintenance in tissues such as tendons and cartilage.

Added Biotin, no need for additional supplementation
At present, there is no established biotin requirement for horses. However, there is research with horses that have issues in regard to hoof quality and growth that suggests additional biotin could support hoof re-growth in some horses. For this reason, we have added biotin to WellSolve L/S® at a level of 3.6 mg/lb. Consequently, there is no need for any additional supplementation by the horse owner.

Palatability, without grains or molasses
In the end, it doesn’t matter how good a feed is if a horse won’t eat it. For this reason,
WellSolve L/S® is formulated with an extra hint of natural flavors to be highly palatable for horses with special needs.

Why hay plays an especially critical role in feeding special needs horses
Fasting is bad for many special needs horses and can provoke wide fluctuations in blood glucose/insulin levels. When long-stem, low carbohydrate hay is offered along with
WellSolve L/S® horse feed, it prolongs feeding time, thereby shortening the fasting time between meals. Also, because the horse spends more time chewing and digesting the hay than he would if eating a concentrate, blood glucose and insulin levels stay lower and steadier. As an added benefit, a longer meal may make the horse feel more satisfied. Plus, hay is a good source of fiber for horses.

THE IDEAL FEED FORM
In a study comparing large pelleted ovals, to medium pellets, to extruded feed forms, the medium-sized pellet found in
WellSolve L/S® horse feed delivered the lowest glucose and insulin response.

We fed 4 lb meals of the low starch test feed and a control feed, taking blood samples before feeding, and every half-hour for six hours after feeding, to measure glucose and insulin response to the meal. The low starch pellet had the lowest average glucose and insulin concentration. For you statistics buffs, it was statistically significant (P<0.05) versus the low starch oval and control. But what’s really amazing is the extremely low glucose and insulin response to feeding. The peak glucose response to feeding the
WellSolve L/S® pellet was 91.61 mg/dL. This is still considered fasting range by many laboratories. The peak insulin response to the WellSolve L/S® pellet was 0.52 ng/mL, also still considered to be in fasting range. WOW!

Purina Mills FeedGuard™ Nutrition System is one of the industry’s most innovative and exacting quality assurance programs and here’s what it provide you and your horses.

• Highest Quality Ingredients – Stringent quality standards help ensure many of the industry’s highest quality ingredients available are used
• Near Infra-red Reflectance (NIR) – a process measuring actual nutrient levels of specific ingredients instead of supplier averages is used to help increase nutritional consistency
• Utilizes a Constant Nutrition Formulations – Automatically compensates for naturally varying nutrient levels in ingredients for greater nutritional consistency bag after bag
• Ingredient Testing Program – Designed to minimize the risk of grains containing potentially harmful contaminants
• Uses a Total Horse Nutrition Formulation – considers all key nutrients and their interactions with each other to better support overall horse health

Click here for more information on FeedGuard™ Nutrition System

WellSolve L/S® Horse Feed

Guaranteed Analysis

These recommendations are a starting point that may need to be adjusted up or down to accommodate different horses’ metabolisms, management practices, and forage quality and quantity. For further information regarding the use of this product visit www.wellsolveequine.com, call a Wellsolve horse feed specialist at 1-877-454-7109, or as our veterinarian.

* These feeding recommendations are for horses eating 1.0 lb hay per 100 lbs of body weight/day in addition to Wellsolve L/S® Horse Feed.

Lactating mares should eat 1.5-2.0 lb hay per 1`00 lbs BW/day. This is the minimum amount of good quality hay to be fed. If feeding more hay, decrease amount of Wellsolve L/S® Horse Feed by 1 lb per 2 lbs of additional hay fed. Do not feed less than 0.3 lbs of Wellsolve L/S® Horse Feed per 100 lbs of body weight daily. If horses gain too much weight at this minimum feeding rate, then horses should be changed from Wellsolve L/S® Horse Feed to Wellsolve W/C® Horse Feed.

** Add Purina Natures’s Essentials Amplify and Born to Win supplements (1.0 to 2.0 lbs/day) for horses having trouble maintaining weight on Wellsolve L/S® Horse Feed recommendations for performance horses.

*** Add Purina Nature’s Essentials Amplify and Born to Win supplements (1.0 to 2.0 lbs/day) for lactating mares or consult with a Wellsolve Horse Feed Specialist or your veterinarian regarding the use of Purina Ultium or Strategy Horse Feeds to help meet higher energy requirements.

Feed at regular times. Divide total daily feeding into at least two servings with 3 to 4 daily servings preferred. Do not feed over 6 lbs of Wellsolve L/S® Horse Feed in one serving. Do not feed free-choice. Any feed changes should be made gradually over a period of 7 to 10 days. Changes in rate of feeding should not exceed one pound per day for each horse. Always feed a minimum of 1 to 1.5% of body weight of good quality, clean hay or pasture. Inadequate amounts or poor quality hay may lead to colic and other digestive disturbances. Have salt and plenty of fresh, clean water available at all times.

Maintain an effective control program for internal parasites. Be sure that horses are free of dental problems. Horses in intense work should be fed a diet designed for horses with higher caloric requirements such as Purina Ultium or Strategy Horse Feeds. This product is not recommended for young growing horses under 2 years of age. A product such as Purina Omolene 300, Equine Junior or Strategy Horse Feed should be creep fed separately to foals of lactating mares being fed Wellsolve L/S® Horse Feed.

CAUTION
Always follow label directions. Feeding added selenium resulting in total diet levels in excess of 0.3 PPM in total diet is prohibited.

Store in a dry, well ventilated area protected from rodents and insects. Do not feed moldy or insect infested feed to animals as it may cause illness or death.