Gastro-Coat

• Horses suffering from EGUS (gastric ulcers) in combination with medications.
• All horses to improve salivation, stomach acid balance and chewing efficiency.
• Before travelling and during the journey on long-distance trips.
• Horses training and competing in racing and equestrian sports to shield the stomach lining against acid ‘splash’.
• Horses predisposed to stomach lining irritation, girthiness, reluctance to go forward, especially in canter, horses which are ‘sensitive to the leg’ when ridden.
• Can be used long term without negative effects in horses with gastric sensitivity, or those likely to develop gastric ulcers, such as horses competing or racing regularly.

• Natural mucilage compounds and phospholipids
• Synergistic ingredients including yeast extracts
• Does not contain soy, wheat products or fillers
• Sticky powder with a palatable vanilla milk flavour

Each level scoopful of Gastro-Coat provides 40 grams.

In the Feed: For picky or reluctant eaters, 80 grams of Gastro-Coat can be mixed into the regular feed to help improve appetite and support the health of the gastro-intestinal system.

In a Small Feed (most popular): Give 80 grams of Gastro-Coat in a small feed of preferably lucerne chaff 30 minutes before training, travelling or competition for girthy, sensitive or unwilling horses.

As an oil paste: Gastro-Coat can be given as an oil paste 5 -10 minutes before training or travelling for fussy horses or those reluctant to eat before or after working. Make the paste with 80 grams of Gastro-Coat and roughly 80 mls of vegetable oil or Kohnke’s Own Energy Gold oil for extra benefits.  It is recommended to paste Gastro-Coat with oil rather than water as the compounds in Gastro-Coat become activated with water (as similar to saliva) and become sticky in the oral syringe.

When to Give Gastro-Coat

Gastro-Coat is usually given daily as a 2-3 month course in one of 3 ways: in the feed, before work (recommended) or as a paste.  Afterwards, Gastro-Coat can be given 3-4 times per week on a long-term basis to maintain stomach comfort in sensitive horses or just prior to training.  Gastro-Coat can be given daily for high performance or racing horses predisposed to EGUS, as a helpful supplement in conjunction with veterinary medications.

1 kg pouch (Starter Pack, 12 days supply) available for $57.95 which is $4.64 cost per dose.

3 kg bucket (38 days supply) available for $109.95 which is $2.89 cost per dose.

6 kg bucket (75 days supply) available from your local stockist at RRP $192.50 which is $2.57 cost per dose.

10 kg bucket (125 days supply) available from your local stockist at RRP $306.95 which is $2.46 cost per dose.

20 kg bucket (250 days supply) available from your local stockist at RRP $564.95 which is $2.26 cost per dose.

** Days supply is calculated from the 80 gram dose which is suitable for horses (500 kg body weight) for daily supplementation. Prices are Recommended Retail Price (RRP) including GST (Australian Dollars). Prices may vary between different retailers.

Gastric ulcers (EGUS) or even mild gastric irritation can result in various behaviours and related symptoms.  Many horses are girthy, reluctant to go forward, unwilling to canter or tend to drop out of canter. Some owners report their horses are ‘sensitive to the leg’ when ridden.  Aggressive, avoidant or ‘naughty’ behaviour is often caused by stomach pain from gastric irritation, especially when horses are ‘touchy’ around the stomach, react with negativity to girthing, saddling up or brushing around the girth area.  Some horses may develop unwanted behaviours such as windsucking, crib-biting or eating soil.

Although veterinary diagnosis and a naso-gastric scope is needed to confirm the presence of gastric ulcers, many horse owners find that 7-10 days of Gastro-Coat can quickly help to reduce these behaviours and is a useful indication that stomach acid irritation may be the cause of the problem.

Horses that are anxious or stressed, especially those which ‘internalise’ their stress, may benefit from a course of Gastro-Coat in conjunction with Kohnke’s Own Mag-E.  Windsuckers and crib-biters may also benefit from Gastro-Coat in conjunction with preventative measures for these stereotypic behaviours.

Horses may benefit from a 2-3 month course of Gastro-Coat if they have been previously competing at racing, pacing or high performance sports may have a history of gastric ulcers, even if they have been spelled before retraining.

Gastro-Coat is sticky and contains phospholipids which form a coating on the upper stomach lining, especially over degraded or irritated areas.  This allows a horse to feel more comfortable and reduces the discomfort associated with acid splash on the sensitive upper stomach and pyloric areas of the gastro-intestinal tract.  This natural coating lasts for up to 4 hours, so horses can be comfortably worked, travelled or fed during this period.

Gastro-Coat also contains nucleotides and other nutrients which help the cells of the stomach and small intestine to efficiently repair and regenerate the damaged or irritated stomach lining.  This is a natural process but it is carried out faster and more effectively when provided with the nutrients in Gastro-Coat.

After this period, most horses may be maintained on the full dose of Gastro-Coat but given only  3-4 times per week, especially before training.  However, Gastro-Coat does not contain any substances which would build-up or cause ill-effects if given as an ongoing every day supplement.

Gastro-Coat is also highly beneficial when given prior to travelling, especially for sensitive horses which often arrive stressed, upset and irritable, unwilling to eat or drink, or girthy and unable to perform well.

Most horse owners will find that giving Gastro-Coat before ridden work, when behaviours associated with gastric irritation, such as girthiness, are most apparent.  Gastro-Coat can be given mixed into a small feed of lucerne chaff (1 Litre of chaff per 100 kg body weight) approximately 30 minutes before exercise.  This small ‘snack’ feed of Gastro-Coat is also beneficial before travelling.  Alternatively, Gastro-Coat can also be given as an oral paste, made with vegetable oil, within 5-10 minutes prior ridden work or travelling.

However, for horses which are travelling long distances, Gastro-Coat can be given multiple times during the trip (suggested every 4-6 hours), to ensure gastric comfort is maintained during travelling.

Gastro-Coat does not contain any substances which would build-up or cause ill-effects if given repeatedly or over a long term period.

Gastro-Coat is particularly helpful for horses on veterinary prescribed gastric ulcer medication to complement the treatment by helping to improve overall digestive function.

Gastro-Coat is also much more economical than omeprazole treatments and can be used long-term without ill-effects.  Dr. John Kohnke often finds that horse owners can slowly reduce omeprazole treatments in a step-wise manner whilst maintaining Gastro-Coat supplementation to support ongoing gastric comfort.

Kohnke’s Own FABBY is a highly concentrated multi-action digestive supplement containing probiotics, prebiotics and additional specific nutrients which help optimise the gut microbiome and thus digestive efficiency of the entire gastro-intestinal system, particularly the hindgut, in all horses.  The hindgut is an area of significant recent research and new scientific knowledge of its importance to equine health and digestive function. 

FABBY and Gastro-Coat are highly compatible in horses with very significant gastro-intestinal problems or those which are suspected to have hindgut issues, such as acidosis or hindgut ulcers, as well as gastric irritation or stomach ulcers. Gastro-Coat and FABBY work in different areas of the digestive system, so can be fed each day to highly sensitive or digestively challenged horses.

FABBY and Gastro-Coat are also fed in different ways and times – FABBY is perfect as a supplement in the horses’ normal feed daily, whereas Gastro-Coat is often given as a pre-exercise supplement before ridden work or travelling, in a small feed or an oil paste.  This is when the specific benefits of Gastro-Coat are most applicable.

Most horse owners observe that their horses have significant improvements in behaviour, temperament, training and general health within 1 month after starting daily Gastro-Coat supplementation.  We suggest that Gastro-Coat be given for 1-3 months to ensure the full benefits of the supplement are achieved.

Gastro-Coat contains concentrated sources of important mucilage and phospholipid compounds which are present in the natural equine diet.  However, when grains are cooked, extruded or micronized to form commercial, ready-mixed steam-pelleted feeds or mueslis, these beneficial compounds are destroyed.  Gastro-Coat is highly recommended to add to cooked or commercial grain feeds in order to maintain naturally healthy gastric function.