Feeding Our Long-Eared Friends
The most important thing about feeding donkeys and mules is to feed them like donkeys and mules — not horses. They are remarkably more efficient animals, and a normal diet for a horse will likely result in an overweight donkey (or mule).
The Ins & Outs of Feeding Donkeys
Like horses, donkeys are hindgut fermenters and foragers that rely on small, consistent amounts of fibrous plants for nutrition and healthy digestion. The major difference is that they are more efficient animals.
More on Feeding DonkeysBuild the Perfect Supplement Plan
Step 1: Choose the Right Wellness Formula
The Equine Wellness & Performance Formula
This veterinarian-developed formula supports every aspect of horse health and performance including joints, muscles, hooves, skin & coat, mane & tail, digestion, and much more by delivering omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and trace minerals.
The Equine Wellness & Performance Formula + Complete Joint
Our most potent joint support formula combines a whole-horse wellness formula with comprehensive joint support. Popular with performance horses and senior horses, Platinum Performance® CJ is the only supplement of its kind. Developed in veterinary practice, it provides extensive joint support with ASU, hyaluronic acid, cetyl-myristoleate, MSM and glucosamine for joint health.
Wellness + Digestive Care
Platinum Performance® GI is a comprehensive foundation formula that combines wellness ingredients including omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and micronutrients with pre- and probiotics to support digestive efficiency and help maintain an optimal weight.
Step 2: Choose Additional Formulas for Targeted Support
A Daily Probiotic for Digestive Health
Platinum Balance® is a pre- and probiotic blend with added glutamine to support gastric and hindgut health. The ingredients work synergistically to nourish an efficient and thriving hindgut microbiome allowing the horse to get the most out of the daily feeds consumed.
For Stomach + Hindgut Health
Platinum Gastric Support® focuses on a healthy stomach and hindgut environment. It supports healthy levels of gastric acid and intestinal proteins combined with S. boulardii, a daily probiotic, to support intestinal microflora.
A Healthy Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, Healthy Weight is supportive in many ways including skin, coat, gastric, and muscle health. For horses that need to gain weight, Healthy Weight provides calories in addition to forage. It is made from flax oil, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which makes it a healthy alternative to corn oil.
Marvels of the Mule
Mules are both enduring and surprising, with immense versatility as athletes and a sure-footedness that lends them to hard work and difficult terrain. While they may be sturdy, they require nutritional support to remain sound and able to perform at their best.
More About Nutrition for Mules
“The biggest problem currently presenting itself is that we’re overdoing it with the wrong nutrition while underdelivering the right nutrition for mules and donkeys.”More from Dr. McLean
— Amy McLean, PhD, Assistant Professor of Teaching Equine Science, UC Davis Animal Science
It Starts Within Podcast
Inside The World of Mules and Donkeys
So much more than the work animals we’ve known them to be throughout history, Dr. Amy McLean helps us discover the surprising athletic versatility, charming personalities as well as feeding and care nu- ances of these beloved long-eared animals.
Listen NowRequest a Magazine
Platinum Magazine
Read inspiring stories of success, companionship and collaboration
At Platinum Performance, we love to showcase the success of our clients, their horses and the veterinarians that care for them. All issues of Platinum Magazine are complimentary.
