Formex By Kohnke's Own

Formex is a natural supplement formulated from nutritional compounds which are often low or inadequate in the diets of horses with digestive problems resulting in poorly formed or loose droppings.  With its fenugreek flavouring, it will temp even the most fussy eaters!

FORMEX provides an excellent source of phospholipid compounds and natural mucilages as well as high quality protein, including glutamine and other amino acids, which have a role in maintaining normal intestinal integrity and function.  I may assist in:

• maintaining normal droppings in foals
• maintaining healthy digestive function and droppings in aged horses
• maintaining healthy droppings in horses thay suffer from periodic loose droppings of a non-infective nature

Dosage and Administralion

Mix well into feed, and ensure the feed is wet down.  For acute and severe chronic conditions, a loading dose of double the maintenance dose may be required for  5-7 days.  Once the dropping return to normal reduce the dose to a maintenance does for 14-21 days and thereafter as required.

• Horses (450-500kg)  - 20g (1 Scoop) in the morning and evening feed
• Ponies (250-400kg)  - 15g (3/4 Scoop) in the morning and evening feed
• Foals and Adult Minis - 10g (1/2 Scoop) in the morning and evening feed

Q. What causes a horse to produce loose droppings?

A. Soft or poorly formed droppings without a rise of body temperature can be caused by gut irritation due to heavy worm burdens, sand ingestion, gastric ulceration, ingestion of certain weeds, grazing succulent pastures, rapid or high grain intake, as well as drinking excessive volumes of water.
Diarrhoea with gut discomfort, with or without an elevated temperature, can be caused by microbial contamination of feeds or the water source, internal disease such as liver disease, drug-induced (antibiotics or high doses of ‘bute’ to foals) or bacterial contamination (Salmonella spp.) and occasionally viral infection.

Q. Why do many aged horses suffer from looseness?
A. The passing of loose, watery droppings with little form also typically occurs in aged horses as a result of reduced digestive function and possible loss of the normal phospholipid layers which coat the bowels.

Q. Why is it important to determine the cause of poorly formed, soft droppings?
A. FORMEX has a role in maintaining the normal integrity of digestive mucous membranes and will help some horses, particularly aged ones, which have a history of passing soft droppings. If the primary cause of the digestive problem is not resolved, it is likely the loose droppings will reoccur when supplementation with FORMEX ceases. It is important to monitor your horse’s water intake. Young horses may become ‘waterholics’ if confined to stables. Providing 5 litres of water per 100kg body weight morning and night in a bucket, rather than a self-drinker, will often reduce water overflow within the bowels and the droppings will firm up within a few days. If you are concerned that the diet may be an underlying cause, it is best to have an Equine Nutritionist review your horse’s diet - you can do this by requesting a ration analysis from our nutritionist by emailing info@kohnkesown.com

Q. Are soft droppings normal for some horses?
A. Racehorses and other horses in intensive work often develop hind gut acidosis as a result of ‘over graining’ for energy on low fibre based rations. This is a contributing factor resulting in soft or ‘cowpat’ droppings, often with a distinct ‘acid’ or ‘sour’ smell.

Q. Should the diet be reviewed to overcome the loose dropping syndrome?
A. Yes. A diet analysis form can be obtained from info@kohnkesown.com. It is also essential to check all feeds for mould, including the grain and hay, which may produce irritant mycotoxin compounds. It is important to consider the age, breed, diet and use of your horse to help provide a history or predisposition when determining the cause of the bowel problem. Please refer to Factsheet C18 ‘Diarrhoea in Horses’ for further information.

Q. What should I feed my horse while supplementing with FORMEX?
A. Your horse’s age, breed and exercise level will all influence the diet of your horse. Ideally, you should avoid feeding excess amounts of lucerne hay or chaff especially if it is very green, new season’s hay. Lucerne does not hold as much water in its fibrous structure, often leading to soft, watery droppings and
Common Q&A’sanal ‘dribble’ down the inside of the buttocks. The fibre in cereal or grass hay holds more water and so consumption of these types of hays may result in the formation of drier, more consistent manure balls. The intake of high levels of grains, sweet feeds, high fat diets or allowing a horse to graze on lush pastures can also result in loose droppings. Avoid sudden changes in the feed as this can result in changes in gut flora, which can lead to the rapid onset of acute diarrhoea.

Q. FORMEX provides a natural source of phospholipids. Why are they important to help ensure that your horse passes normal manure?
A. The natural phospholipids incorporated into FORMEX have a role in maintaining the physical protective layer on the stomach and the entire intestinal lining of horses. Phospholipids are often lost from the gastro-intestinal tract lining of horses with chronic loose or poorly formed droppings. Replacing the phospholipids is important to help maintain normal digestive health and function as a natural means of minimising intestinal conditions due to the loss of natural integrity of the lining.

Q. Is FORMEX a drug?
A. No. FORMEX does not contain any medicinal compounds and does not contain ingredients which interfere with medicinal drugs. It is a natural supplement which contains nutrients which are often low or inadequate in the diets of horses with digestive problems. FORMEX does not swab in blood or urine tests.

Q. When supplementing with FORMEX, how long will it take to normalise digestive function?
A. The type and cause of poorly formed, loose droppings will influence the recovery rate. We recommend an initial dose as outlined on the label (20g morning and evening for a 450-550kg horse) for 72 hours. If no improvement has been seen, the dosage can be doubled for 7 days. Once the digestive function and droppings appear normal, a horse can be gradually weaned off FORMEX.
FORMEX was trialled extensively on hundreds of horses over a 6 year period. Over 90% of horses regained normal digestive function and droppings formed within 2-4 weeks. Some aged horses with reduced digestive function may require long term supplementation. In some cases, the abnormal digestive problem may reoccur when supplementation with FORMEX ceases.

Q. My foal is passing poorly formed droppings. Can FORMEX also be supplemented as a digestive aid to foals?
A. Yes! Loose, poorly formed droppings are a common condition affecting foals. Some of the most common causes include milk overload, virus infection in the bowels, such as Rotavirus, internal parasites including intestinal threadworms and large roundworms, as well as bacterial infection. It is crucial that the diarrhoea is treated promptly to ensure the health of the foal. Supplementing with FORMEX will help normalise digestive function by maintaining healthy digestive mucous membranes. Remember diarrhoea can quickly result in depression, debilitation, dehydration and death in young foals. Contacting your local veterinarian to check the health of your foal and administer intravenous fluids is strongly recommended.

Q. FORMEX has a pleasant odour, is it palatable?
A. The palatability of FORMEX is assisted by its natural fenugreek flavouring. Research has found that fenugreek flavouring is readily accepted by most horses. The extensive 6 year trials conducted on FORMEX found that it is a highly palatable supplement, with the majority of horses accepting the full suggested dose from the first day of supplementation. Horses who are typically suspicious or ‘fussy’ eaters accepted the supplement best when it was gradually introduced to the feed over 3-5 days.

Q. In what pack sizes is FORMEX available in?
A. FORMEX is available in 2 pack sizes: 1kg (25 x 40g standard daily doses) & 3kg (75 x 40g standard daily doses).