Succeed = better IgG levels in newborns? Answer- YES!

[ahf]

Did I read somewhere on here that there was evidence that using Succeed in the broodmare resulted in increased IgG levels in her foal?

Searching on the term succeed and the other terms did not "succeed". (ahem)

[ahf]

Whoops. Found a source for the information online (I added the name of the manufacturer) and got a release on the subject BY the manufacturer. Small study. 26 mares total - but the 13 mares receiving Succeed the last 90 days had twice the antibodies in the colostrum than the 13 control. But they didn't study transfer to the foals (why the heck not?). Just the colostrum values.

Oh well. I have a mare that is 2 for 4 in partial FPT...so I'm going to give it a shot. Cheaper than a transfusion.

[Tiki]

Yes, cheaper than a transfusion, but as you say, how was her colostrum (not so good?) and the foal get all she had for the partial FPT?, or was her colostrum good but it wasn't passed to the foal???

[ahf]

I am seriously sold on this stuff now.

I have a mare with the propensity to throw partial or complete FPT foals - and this was not helped by the fact that around day 300 she ceases to eat anything but hay - and she's a hard keeper to begin with. Ration Plus, Gastoguard, Ulcerguard, a myriad of different feeds, corn surup, maple surup, nothing will entice her. We always assumed ulcers and she lived on the gastroguard - and i finally had her scoped last pregnancy. No only no ulcers, no evidence of ever having ulcers. This mare also liked to overcook her foals.

I put her on Succeed at day 290 this year. Not only did she continue to SCARF her grain two times a day until she foaled - she foaled out at a reasonable 342 this year (her earliest ever) - strong lively colt with (and this is the big news) a >800 IgG.

Boy, am I happy!

[Edgewood]

Congratulations Kate on your new foal!

That is really interesting that she kept her appetite. What's in Succeed? Does it say?

[ahf]

General Succeed content info for those of us without advanced degrees in chemistry or biology:
http://www.succeeddcp.com/formulation.asp

Kris - for you: :D

http://www.succeeddcp.com/Nutritive_Supplement.pdf

[Edgewood]

General Succeed content info for those of us without advanced degrees in chemistry or biology:
http://www.succeeddcp.com/formulation.asp

Kris - for you: :D

http://www.succeeddcp.com/Nutritive_Supplement.pdf


Thanks Kate. Interesting as I didn't realize it was a feed supplement for ulcers. I wonder why it helps improve FPT? I will have to read up on this more after work. It certainly seems to have helped your mare in that she had a good appetite.:D

[ahf]

Kris -

Here is a link to the study done of the colostrum of Succeed mares:
http://www.succeeddcp.com/Colostrum_Study.pdf

[dianehalpin]

Congratulations, Kate! Big hug for mom and new colt! Who's the papa? Is it Fielding? (Of course, don't know which mare, either).

[Cherry]

Keeping the mare eating is probably the biggest factor in the quality of the colostrum. The longer the pregnancy goes on the more room the foal takes up and the less room the mare has to put food, so feeding smaller, more frequent meals is suggested.... There is yeast in the Succeed and that will stimulate the appetite, for sure.

The only amino acid in Succeed is threonine. I would think that Uckele's Tri-Amino (lysine, methionine and threonine) would work as well, along with Diamond V yeast for those on a budget. Lysine is recommended for those mares who are hard to get in foal.... ;)

For those not feeding any of these products right now this could be a welcome revelation for current or future pregnancies. :yes:

Interesting post, thanks!

Congrats on the new baby.... :)

[Lesley Feakins]

Interesting post. Especially as one of the foals we had recently had a low igg and needed plasma. The foal was somewhat over due at 369 days and the mare is being rebred. Maybe I will have to consider this for her next year.

[ahf]

Cherry -

I'm certainly budget concious - that Succeed was pretty much the cost of plasma. And that was a great suggestion!

BUT - I'm fairly anal about diet, and have done a lot of tweaking (including the use of Uckele's single-element supplements to get exactly where I want to be). I'll try plugging in the tri-amino into FeedXL and see where that lands me in the lysine department

[Indy-lou]

Very interesting observations. Thank you for posting. I would love it if someone with some advanced physiologic knowledge about this would chime in. Or even someone who has got a good handle on this, advanced degree or no. OK, so we know important nutrients are absorbed via the gut, and we think Succeed does something to improve gut health, and we think that as a result of this, IgG levels are where they should be...the study is a small one, but favorable to the idea that Succeed improved outcomes for IgG ( I am not in a position to critique the methodology of the study). I guess I am never surprised when nutrition is a key/basic factor in overall health, but I would be fascinated to learn more about this topic. And since horses have one heck of a large digestive system, and we all know it is area of vulnerability for horses, well, I just think it fascinating and would love to learn more.