CRF Partnership Focuses on Equine Research
Mar 16, 2020
Tennessee Farmers Co-op has been a proud member of Cooperative Research Farm (CRF) for more than 50 years. CRF is a unique partnership comprised of five prominent feed manufacturers serving the livestock and poultry producers and equine owners across five continents. Each member of CRF contributes the resources necessary, which includes the human resources and long-term financial commitment, to be the leaders in advanced nutrition and research.
CRF’s equine research is built on strong relationships with multiple universities, especially the access to their experts, herds, and facilities The result is an innovative and effective equine research program that has led to a long list of accomplishments including:
• Development of GastroTech®, which is research proven to significantly improve gastric health in performance horses.
• Determining a healthy threshold for nonstructural Carbohydrate intake in both healthy and metabolic syndrome horse.
CRF’s research emphasis is presently focusing on those challenges that face the horse industry – from the pleasure horse owner to the horse racing community. Some current equine areas of interest include:
Performance Horses
Animal agriculture continues to evolve at a rapid pace and CRF’s scientists and member nutritionists are leading the way with groundbreaking research for equine, livestock, and poultry owners.
CRF’s equine research is built on strong relationships with multiple universities, especially the access to their experts, herds, and facilities The result is an innovative and effective equine research program that has led to a long list of accomplishments including:
• Development of GastroTech®, which is research proven to significantly improve gastric health in performance horses.
• Determining a healthy threshold for nonstructural Carbohydrate intake in both healthy and metabolic syndrome horse.
CRF’s research emphasis is presently focusing on those challenges that face the horse industry – from the pleasure horse owner to the horse racing community. Some current equine areas of interest include:
Performance Horses
- Improving the nitrogen balance of the mature exercising horse.
- Improving the intestinal health of horses with gastric and/or colonic ulcers.
- Fatty acid supplements.
- Evaluating post-exercise supplementation on glycogen and protein synthesis.
- Pleasure Horses (show, trail, backyard horses):
- Determine the effect of specific nutrient levels on the standard metabolic rate in horses.
- Reduce excitable behavior in pleasure, trail and show horses by varying nutrients in the diet.
- Improve the reproductive efficiency of horses.
- Determine nutrient levels and develop specific feeds to minimize DOD (developmental orthopedic disease) by optimizing foal growth rate, frame size and improving joint and bone health.
- Improve the health and longevity of senior horses.
- Develop feeds that will maintain body weight, maintain good health and improve general appearance.
Animal agriculture continues to evolve at a rapid pace and CRF’s scientists and member nutritionists are leading the way with groundbreaking research for equine, livestock, and poultry owners.