Equine Nutrition

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 FeedsFeed Dry

Matter(%)

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

BulkyMinimum 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

colicDoes not completely eliminate risk

Wheat

Seldom fed to horsesExcept 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 mealSoybean meal (higher in protein & better balance

of amino acids)Cottonseed meal

Commercial supplements vary in compositionFormulated for specific feeding programsMay 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.