KOHNKES GASTRO-COAT 1KG

Kohnke's Own Gastro-Coat is a natural dietary supplement formulated to support the stomach and upper gastrointestinal tract of horses, particularly horses exposed to training, competition, travelling, processed feeds or other situations associated with gastric irritation.

What Gastro-Coat is designed to do

Gastro-Coat has a multi-action approach to gastric health:

1. Supports the stomach's natural protective mechanisms
   Its natural mucilage compounds and phospholipids help provide a physical protective coating over the stomach lining. This is particularly relevant to horses that may experience discomfort from gastric acid "splash" during exercise or travelling.
2. Encourages chewing and salivation
   Gastro-Coat becomes sticky when activated by moisture in the mouth. This encourages chewing and saliva production. Saliva is an important natural buffer of stomach acid, helping support a more normal gastric environment.
3. Provides nutritional support for the stomach lining
   The formulation contains phospholipids, mucilage compounds and other nutritional components, including yeast extracts and nucleotides, intended to support normal maintenance and regeneration of the stomach and small-intestinal lining.

Key ingredients

Kohnke's Own identifies the major components as:

• Natural mucilage compounds
• Phospholipids
• Yeast extracts
• Other naturally occurring nutritional compounds, including nucleotides
• It is formulated without soy, wheat products or fillers.

It is supplied as a sticky powder with a vanilla-milk flavour, designed to be palatable to horses.

Which horses may benefit?

Gastro-Coat is particularly suited to:

• Horses with gastric sensitivity or irritation
• Horses that are girthy or unwilling to go forward
• Horses that become sensitive to the leg, particularly during canter
• Picky or reluctant eaters
• Racing and performance horses
• Horses undergoing regular training and competition
• Horses that travel frequently or undertake long-distance travel
• Horses considered predisposed to gastric ulcers
• Horses receiving veterinary treatment for gastric ulcers, as a supportive nutritional supplement alongside medication.

Feeding rate

For a typical 500 kg horse, Kohnke's Own recommends 80 g per day. One level scoop is approximately 40 g, so this equates to two level scoops.

Three common ways to administer it:

1. Mixed into feed
80 g can be mixed into the horse's normal feed.

2. Before work — Kohnke's Own's preferred method
Give 80 g in a small feed, preferably with lucerne chaff, approximately 30 minutes before training, travelling or competition.

3. Oil paste
Mix 80 g Gastro-Coat with approximately 80 mL of vegetable oil or Kohnke's Own Energy Gold oil and administer as a paste. Kohnke's Own recommends oil rather than water because the product becomes activated and sticky when mixed with moisture, making it more difficult to administer through an oral syringe.

How long should it be used?

Kohnke's Own recommends an initial course, commonly daily for approximately 2–3 months. The company's FAQ also states that good results may be obtained from an initial 4–8 week daily course, after which many horses can be maintained on Gastro-Coat 3–4 times per week, particularly before training.

For horses with significant performance demands or a predisposition to gastric problems, Kohnke's Own says it can be used daily on an ongoing basis.

Travelling

Gastro-Coat is particularly useful as part of a travelling program. For long-distance travel, Kohnke's Own says it can be administered every 4–6 hours during the journey when required.

Gastro-Coat and gastric ulcers

An important distinction is that Gastro-Coat is a nutritional supplement, not a veterinary medicine. It is intended to support gastric health and reduce irritation; it should not be regarded as a replacement for veterinary diagnosis or prescribed ulcer medication.

Kohnke's Own specifically states that Gastro-Coat can be used in conjunction with veterinary gastric-ulcer medications such as omeprazole, because it works through different mechanisms.

If ulcers are suspected, veterinary examination and, where appropriate, gastroscopy are the reliable ways to establish a diagnosis.

Foals

Kohnke's Own also states that Gastro-Coat can be used in foals, particularly stressed foals that may be vulnerable to gastric problems, including orphan foals. However, feeding rates for a foal should be determined according to its size, age and circumstances rather than simply applying the adult 80 g dose.