Supporting immune defences
Growth and the "immunity gap": a period of high risk of infection
Foals are inquisitive, discovering their new environment, and playing with new individuals they meet. Each of these provides exposure to potentially infectious germs they must learn to fight.
The newborn foal is born only with the protection of antibodies (immunoglobulins) which are passed from its mother via the colostrum or first milk. These antibodies are effective for up to 4 months but from about 2-4 weeks of age the foal will produce their own antibodies.
Between the ages of 4 weeks and 4 months, immune protection from the mother falls whilst the foals own response is under developed, this can be referred to as “the immunity gap”
Supporting natural defences
The greatest immune challenge faced each day takes place in the digestive system. Creating a healthy digestive environment reduces the metabolic effort needed to provide such a defence, and the structure of the diet can help. Weanlings fed high fibre and oil diets have been shown to have significantly higher plasma concentrations of immunoglobulin’s, suggesting diets formulated in this way will support immunity.
Proven antioxidant benefits
High vitamin E levels are also important and have been proven to significantly increase antibody concentrations in both the colostrum and measured from foals. This improved level of immunity reinforces the health benefits generated by the specifically selected fibres and nutrients found in WINERGY Equilibrium.