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Irish veterinary journal2018; 71; 4; doi: 10.1186/s13620-018-0115-3

Equine dietary supplements: an insight into their use and perceptions in the Irish equine industry.

Abstract: Nutritional supplements are frequently used by horse owners/caregivers to supplement their horse(s) diets. Some work has been done to identify the types of supplements fed and the reasons for doing so; however, this has been predominantly disciple-specific and with little focus on participants' perceptions of supplement testing and regulation. The aim of this study was to gain an insight into the use and perceptions of equine dietary supplements in the Irish equestrian industry. Methods: An online survey was designed to ascertain the following information: demographics, types of supplements fed and reasons for use, factors that influenced respondents' choice of supplement, where advice was sought and perceptions of testing and regulation of equine supplements. Results: The survey yielded 134 responses, 70% non-professionals and 30% professionals. A greater percentage of professionals included supplements in their horse(s) diets (98%) compared to non-professionals (86%). Almost 70% of professionals fed more than two supplements, whereas 80% of non-professionals reported to feed only one supplement. Joint supplements were most commonly fed by all respondents (22%) followed by calming supplements (13%). The enhancement of performance (35%) and prevention of joint disorders (34%) were the most common reasons reported by respondents for using a supplement. Over 53% of respondents sought advice on choosing a supplement from their feed merchant, followed by their veterinarian (46%). Veterinary recommendation was given as the most influential factor when choosing a supplement by 90% of respondents, followed by cost (69%). Most (93%) respondents thought that feed supplements had to meet legal standards, with each batch analysed for quality (72%) and the supplement tested on horses before being launched on to the market (92%). Conclusions: This study has identified the main types of supplements used in the Irish equestrian industry along with the reasons for their use. However, it has also highlighted major misperceptions in how supplements are tested before being launched for sale and further work on this aspect of the findings would be beneficial.
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Publication Date: 2018-01-30 PubMed ID: 29423172PubMed Central: PMC5789549DOI: 10.1186/s13620-018-0115-3Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research investigates the utilization and understanding of equine dietary supplements within the Irish equine industry. The study uses a survey to explore demographics, types of supplements being used, reasons for use, and perceptions of supplement testing and regulation.

Research Methodology and Demographics

  • The research employed an online survey to gather details including respondents’ demographics, the types of supplements fed to horses, the reasons for using these supplements, factors influencing the choice of supplements, locations where advice on supplements was sought, and perceptions on testing and regulation of horse supplements.
  • The survey collected responses from both professionals (30% of respondents) and non-professionals (70% of respondents) within the Irish equine industry.

Use of Supplements

  • From the data collected, a larger percentage of professionals (98%) included supplements in their horses’ diets, as compared to non-professionals (86%).
  • Moreover, a significant proportion of professionals (70%) fed more than two different types of supplements to their horses, while a majority of non-professionals (80%) reported feeding only one supplement to their horses.
  • Among all the respondents, joint supplements were the most common (22%), followed by calming supplements (13%).

Reasons for Supplement Use and Influencing Factors

  • The primary reasons identified for using supplements were performance enhancement (35%) and prevention of joint disorders (34%).
  • Most participants (53%) sought advice on choosing a supplement from their feed merchant, while others (46%) consulted their veterinarian.
  • Veterinarian recommendations (90%) and cost (69%) were the most influential factors when respondents were choosing a supplement.

Perceptions of Supplement Testing and Regulation

  • The majority of respondents (93%) believed that feed supplements were required to meet legal standards. They also thought that each batch was analysed for quality (72%) and that the supplement was tested on horses before being released into the market (92%).

Conclusions

  • While the study provided valuable insights into the types of supplements used in the Irish equestrian industry and reasons for their use, it surfaced significant misunderstandings about the testing process of these supplements before they are sold. This paves the way for further research to rectify such misperceptions.

Cite This Article

APA
Murray JMD, Hanna E, Hastie P. (2018). Equine dietary supplements: an insight into their use and perceptions in the Irish equine industry. Ir Vet J, 71, 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13620-018-0115-3

Publication

Irish veterinary journal
ISSN: 0368-0762
NlmUniqueID: 0100762
Country: Ireland
Language: English
Volume: 71
Pages: 4

Researcher Affiliations

Murray, J M D
  • 1School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow Veterinary School, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH UK.
Hanna, E
  • 2Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK.
Hastie, P
  • 1School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow Veterinary School, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH UK.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Veterinary Studies’ ethics committee.Not applicableThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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