Nutrition of Broodmares

Forage availability should cover most needs for mares bred during spring and summer. Out-of-season breeding, lack of access to pasture, or good quality forage calls nutritional supplementation. Current evaluations broodmare are based on fetoplacental tissue requirements, but do not consider endocrine changes that the maternal diet affects long-term foal health. This article reviews pregnant mares’ current recommendations. Secondly, developmental stages gestation outlined, defining critical periods in context origins health disease. Last, examples how nutrition presented.