Keeping It Simple
This farm manager relies on just three feeds to keep all of her horses healthy.
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Tender loving care and equine feeds from Southern States produce top horses for Howard.
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Kathy Howard says proper nutrition goes hand in hand with good genetics to produce a yearling that will attract premium bids. With 27 brood mares, Howard's goal as manager is to have 20 yearlings ready to sell each year on North Wales Farm near Warrenton, Va.
The farm's target markets are Keeneland, Ky., and Saratoga, N.Y., two premier annual yearling sales. Top prices go for yearlings with the highest pedigree and conformation scores.
"We've had some successes," Howard notes. In 2001, a yearling named Regal Vintage sold for $700,000. The following year, Elloluv sold as a two-year-old in Keeneland for $120,000. Her total winnings now exceed $1.2 million.
North Wales Farm is owned by Michael Prentiss, a veteran horseman and developer. Howard says genetics play a major role in ensuring the success of a thoroughbred operation. "But even with the best genetics, it can all go wrong if you don't feed a horse properly," she says. "To ensure proper nutrition, we buy all of our feed from Southern States."
North Wales breeds and foals its mares in Kentucky so that yearlings will be eligible for the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, a state incentive program. The mares are shipped to Kentucky about 30 days before they are due to foal and remain there until they are bred.
"Mares generally come into heat seven days after foaling. We try to get them rebred as quickly as possible," Howard explains. She uses Southern States' Triple Crown® 12% Supplement to keep mares in good condition for quick rebreeding. This is a pelleted concentrate that contains 12% crude protein and 3% fat, plus the vitamins and minerals needed by mature horses on unfortified grains and forage-only diets.
While on pasture in Virginia, the mares, foals, weanlings and yearlings get tender loving care. "Forage alone doesn't meet the mares' nutritional needs," Howard notes. "While we don't need to add a lot of calories, we do need to supplement their diets with amino acids, minerals and vitamins.
"What I like about the 12% pellets is their flexibility," she notes. "Our mares range in ages from five to 26 years. I don't have to change rations; I just vary the amount of pellets I feed each one."
Nutrition is critical for proper foal development. Deformities (limbs that grow crooked, inflammations and bone cysts) are the main problem. Surgical corrections are costly and can be traumatic to young horses, so Howard tries to avoid problems through proper nutrition.
She uses Southern States' Triple Crown 30% Supplement, a pelleted feed containing 30% protein. To provide extra calories, she feeds Triple Crown Growth, a textured feed with 14% protein, 10% fat and 17% fiber. The fat and fiber substitute calories from carbohydrates and produce a more consistent growth pattern with fewer nutritional joint problems.
"We want foals and yearlings to grow at a consistent, controlled rate," Howard explains.
She points out that her feeding program involves only three feeds. "I like to keep things simple," she says. The feeding program was suggested by an independent nutritionist.
Howard relies heavily on advice from the co-op's equine experts. Southern States resource persons include Dr. Marty Adams, the co-op's nutritionist and manager of horse-feed sales; Allen Taylor, store manager; and John Gochenour, equine feed sales manager. North Wales buys its feed at the Southern States store in Front Royal, Va.
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