Many horse owners experience problems with a watery discharge accompanying the stool. The watery brown discharge which runs down the horse’s legs before and after the stool is not just unpleasant to look at, it is also a sign that the animal’s digestion is out of balance. JELUVET^® lignocellulose increases the crude fibre content of horse feed and evens out variations in cellulose content in natural feeds. Crude fibre has a beneficial effect on digestion and can reduce the occurrence of watery stools. More information on watery stools and their causes can be found below.

Crude fibre improves stool consistency

As with many other animals, stool consistency in horses is an important indicator of intestinal health. A healthy digestive system is essential for a stable immune system and the animal’s well-being. Cellulose, also known in the field of human nutrition as dietary fibre, is, for humans and for many animals, an important component of a healthy diet and a well functioning digestion. The consistency of the stool is a useful indicator of whether or not a horse’s diet contains enough crude fibre.

Horse feed needs to contain sufficient cellulose

The horse’s intestinal tract is designed to digest high-fibre plant material. Cellulose, the chief component of plant cell walls, is fermented in the horse’s large intestine with the help of bacteria. If a horse is given too much concentrated feed such as grains, starches will not be digested fully in the small intestine and some will pass through to the large intestine. Easily fermentable nutrients in the large intestine cause a build-up of volatile fatty acids which lower the pH. Excessive acid causes poor fermentation, colic and metabolic disorders which can lead to laminitis. Irritation and inflammation of the intestinal mucous membrane can also occur. This results in reduced absorption of nutrients such as minerals, trace elements and vitamins. A certain amount of cellulose in horse feed is essential for maintaining a healthy large intestine and a healthy intestinal flora.

Lignocellulose stabilises the quantity of crude fibre

Depending on context and the analytical methods used, cellulose may be described as crude fibre, dietary fibre, ADF minus ADL or insoluble fibre. In plants, it is present in combination with hemicellulose and lignin. The amount of lignin varies according to how woody a plant is. Cellulose is a major component of roughage such as hay, straw and grass meal, as well as of wheat bran, sugar beet pulp, soya husks and rice bran.

The amount of cellulose and components such as lignin and hemicellulose found with it in natural feeds varies. A plant’s crude fibre content depends on the season in which it is harvested, growing conditions, the type of plant and its maturity. The quality of natural feeds is also affected by the length of time for which it is stored and storage conditions. Careful checks are necessary to minimise the risk of bacterial colonisation and mycotoxins.

JELUVET^® raw fibre concentrate

JELUVET^®is a raw fibre concentrate which is added to horse feed and stabilises the horse’s daily cellulose intake. JELUVET^® evens out variations in the crude fibre content of natural feeds and standardises the crude fibre concentration of horse feed. Regular laboratory tests and the latest manufacturing processes ensure that JELUVET^® is of impeccable quality.

JELUVET^® is free of mycotoxins and consists of:

65 % crude fibres
(Weende feed analysis)

87 % NDF (hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin)
67 % ADF (cellulose and lignin)
25 % ADL (lignin)
(Van Soest detergent analysis)

JELUVET^® raw fibre concentrate can be used to increase the amount of crude fibre in horse feed, thus improving the horse’s digestion and gut health. JELUVET^® predominantly consists of insoluble fibre which has a minimal effect on nutrient digestibility, is protein-free and improves stool consistency. JELUVET^® lignocellulose enables insoluble fibre to be dosed independently of nutrients and can reduce the occurrence of watery stools.

Watery discharge accompanying the stool
A watery brown discharge running down the horse’s legs before or after the stool is the result of a digestive problem. The precise cause is unclear. It is believed that a number of different factors combine to cause a horse to suffer from watery stools:

- stress and nervousness in the stable and on pasture
- gastric ulceration, chronic inflammation or caecal obstruction
- mouldy or rotting basic feeds
- not enough crude fibre in the feed
- dental problems
- disturbances to intestinal flora

JELUVET^® lignocellulose allows the crude fibre content of horse feed to be increased without affecting the concentration of nutrients.