Equine NutritionEquine Science

Introduction

Feed is the greatest expense for horse owners.

Feeding horses means:

Furnishing horses with a daily supply of nutrients in the correct amounts.

Supplying palatable, easily obtained feeds.

Providing feeds economical for the conditions.

Cost can be reduced by:

Keeping horses healthy

Feeding a balanced ration according to need

Purchasing feeds that meet the needs of the animal

Nutritional needs change depending on:

Condition of the horse

Breed (size)

Activity level

Age

Gestational stage or lactation

High quality roughages are the foundation of a horse feeding program.

Concentrates and protein supplements help meet additional nutritional needs.

Minerals supplementation may also be necessary.

Nutrition Requirements

Energy (digestible energy or DE)

Protein (crude protein or CP)

Minerals (Calcium or Ca and Phosphorus or P)

Vitamins

References for determining what to feed horses:

Daily Nutrient Requirements of Horses

Nutrient Concentration of Feed

Table 1. Daily Nutrient Requirement for a 1,100-Pound Working Horse

Type of Work

Example DE orDigestible Energy(Megacalories)

CrudeProtein(grams)

Calcium(grams)

Phosphorus(grams)

Maintenance Little to no riding

16.4 656 20 11

Light Pleasure riding 20.5 820 25 18

Moderate Ranch work 24.6 984 30 21

Intense Race training 32.8 1,312 40 29

Feeds and Feed Composition

Feeds divided into five groups:

Roughages

Concentrates

Protein supplements

Minerals

Vitamins

Table 2. Feed Composition for a Few Common Horse Feeds

Feed DryMatter

(%)

DE(MCal/lb)

CP(grams

/lb)

Ca(grams

/lb)

P(grams

/lb)

Vitamin A(1000IU

/lb)Roughage

Alfalfa, early bloom

90.5 1.02 82 5.81 .86 23.00

Alfalfa, full bloom 90.9 .89 71 4.90 .99 10.74

Orchard grass, early bloom

89.1 .88 52 1.09 1.36 6.08

Orchard grass, late bloom

90.6 .78 35 1.09 1.22 3.29

Timothy, early bloom

89.1 .83 44 2.04 1.13 8.51

Timothy, late bloom

88.3 .72 32 1.54 .59 7.23

Fescue, full bloom

91.9 .86 54 .81 1.32 8.73

Concentrates/Protein supplementsBarley 88.6 1.49 53 .23 1.54 .37Corn 88.0 1.54 41 .23 1.27 .98Oats 89.2 1.30 54 .36 1.54 .02

Wheats, red 88.4 1.55 52 .14 1.77 ---

Wheat bran 89.1 1.33 70 .59 5.13 .48

Soybean meal 89.1 1.43 202 1.59 2.86 ---

Mineral SupplementsLimestone,

CaCO3100 --- --- 178.67 .18 ---

Oyster shell 99 --- --- 170.64 .31 ---

Bone meal, steamed

97 --- --- 135.12 56.58 ---

Dry Matter and Nutrient Concentration

Insufficient dry matter

Horses may become bored

Too much bulk & not enough nutrition

Horse may not be able to eat enough to meet nutritional requirements

Math of Feeding Horses

Must know: What the horse requires

What kind of feed will fill those requirements economically

What feeds are palatable

How much of a given feed the horse can eat

How to calculate the amount of a nutrient in a feed

Figuring Nutrient Content of a Ration

FIRST--

Pounds of feed X level of nutrient contained

Must be done for each type of feed in the ration and for each nutrient

THEN--

Add up the amounts and divide by the total pounds

Gives you an average level of each nutrient per pound of feed

Example:

Find the average protein in a mixture that is 200 pounds of oats and 100 pounds of soybean meal.

200 lbs oats X 54 g protein/lb = 10,800 g of protein

100 lbs of soybean meal X 202 g protein/lb = 20,200 g of protein

10,800 g + 20,200 g = 31,000 g of protein

31,000 g / 300 lbs = 103 g protein/lb

Types of Feed

Roughages

Include alfalfa hay, grass hays, clovers, lespedeza, timothy, fescue, bromegrass, prairie hay and pasture

Decrease the risk of colic and laminitis

Help maintain the correct calcium-to-phosphorus ratio

Help prevent boredom

Feed at least 1 lb. of hay per day for every 100 lbs. of body weight

Selecting Good Hay

Should be free of dust and mold

Early-cut, properly cured hays preferred

Break bales to check for dust and moldy odor

Legume hays vs. Grass hays

Legumes are higher in protein and minerals

Legumes are more palatable

Alfalfa Hay

Best of the legumes from a nutrient standpoint

Must be properly cured

High in protein, calcium and vitamins

Useful in balancing rations for brood mares and young growing horses

Timothy Hay

Popular for horses

Grown in many climates

Cures easily

Has a bright color

Free from dust and mold

Low in protein

Requires supplements when fed alone

Mature, late-cut is poor

Pastures

Natural feed for horses

Most nutritionally complete feedstuff

Reduces cost of feeding

Furnishes minerals and vitamins sometimes lacking

Hardworking horses will require supplemental energy feeds

Can reduce stable vices

2-5 acres of pasture per horse for maintenance

Concentrates

High-energy feeds

Grains are used with hay to regulate energy intake

May be grinded or rolled, but should not be ground fine

Feed in small amounts frequently

Include oats, corn, grain sorghum, barley, wheat, wheat bran and cane molasses

Oats

Bulky

Minimum danger of digestive disorders

Satisfy even picky horses

Higher in protein than most grains

Corn

Used extensively in the Midwest

Higher in energy than oats

Works well to improve the condition of thin horses and maintaining condition on hardworking horses

Often a good buy

Low fiber content

Must be careful when feeding to avoid colic

Feed in small amounts at a time

Equal parts corn and oats makes an excellent grain ration

Barley

Very satisfactory feed when ground

Fed the same way as corn

Mix with wheat bran or oats to help avoid colic

Does not completely eliminate risk

Wheat

Seldom fed to horses

Except in pacific northwest

Should be rolled or coarsely ground

Can be fed as 1/3 of grain ration with a bulky feed

Wheat bran

Highly palatable

Slightly laxative

Bulky

Preferred for animals stressed by extreme fatigue, foaling or sickness

Higher in protein than oats, wheat, barley or corn

Protein Supplements

Most average size horses need ¾ to 1 pound (1 lb = 455 g) of CP daily

Supplementation is needed when poor quality hays are fed

Common supplments:

Linseed meal

Soybean meal (higher in protein & better balance of amino acids)

Cottonseed meal

Commercial supplements vary in composition

Formulated for specific feeding programs

May be expensive

Minerals

Rations should contain more calcium than phosphorus.

Ratio should be between 1.1:1 and 2:1

Feeding Guidelines

Feed only quality feeds.

Feed balanced rations.

Feed higher protein and mineral rations to growing horses and lactating mares.

Use non-legume hays for adult horses.

Feed salt separately, free-choice.

Feed calcium and phosphorus free-choice.

Horses will eat better, digest food better and be less likely to develop colic if exercised regularly.

Feed according to the individuality of the horse.

Feed by weight, not volume.

Minimize fines (small particles) in a prepared ration.

Offer plenty of good, clean, cool water free-choice. Water should be no colder than 45°F.

Change feeds gradually.

Do not feed grain until tired or hot horses have cooled and rested.

Feed before work.

Feed all confined horses at least twice daily.

Give half the hay allowance at night, while horses have more time to eat and digest it.