Horse Nutrition

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Feeding Management

Feed at the same time each day Feed horses on an individual basis Feed horses at least twice daily or if confined, allow access to hay throughout the day Horses need some amount of fiber in their diet daily (minimum of 1% of body weight in hay) Feed horses grain only if needed - growing, hard working or lactating horses Change diets gradually: over at least 4-5 days

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Practical Feed Management

Determine the activity- Make A Plan! Determine the horses Condition Score Determine the horses fitness level Determine the increase in feed needed for the activity level Increase workload and feed gradually It takes about 6 wks or more to go from an unfit state to a fit and functional state

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Body Condition Score

Body Condition Score is based upon how much fat the horse is carrying
The scoring system uses a scale of 1 to 9 Useful to group horses for feeding management

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Energy Requirements

Maintenance:
Rest, No Work/Use, etc.
35 30 25 20 3-D Colum n2 3-D Colum n3 Mcal/d

Light Work:
Pleasure, Trail, etc.

Moderate Work:
Longer and/or Harder Rides, Light Ranch Work, etc.

15 10 5

Heavy (Intense) Work:

Heavy Ranch Work, Racing, Polo, etc.

0 Ma Li Mo He

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Nutrients

Water Protein Vitamins Minerals Energy Yielding Nutrients

Carbohydrates Fats

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Water

The most important nutrient Important for nutrient digestion, nutrient absorption, and temperature regulation Obtained by drinking and from feeds Consumption varies according to need
Maintenance:

4-10 gallons/day Heavy Work: 20 gallons/day

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Protein

Protein is commonly measured in the diet in the form of Crude Protein (CP) Protein commonly makes up 7-20% of the horses diet Protein is required in a greater amount for young and growing animals

Provides amino acids for building and maintenance of muscle, bone, enzymes, and hormones

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Protein

Amino acids in protein are required in the diet (essential) or can be made from other amino acids supplied by protein (non-essential)
Lysine is considered to be the first limiting amino acid- young growing animals need adequate lysine High concentration of protein in legumes (alfalfa, soybeans) and seeds (especially oil seeds) Protein is expensive - therefore we balance rations to not overfeed protein

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Vitamins: General Principles

Vitamins are generally needed in small amounts Vitamins are important factors and/or co-factors for chemical reactions in the body Horses receive vitamins from high-quality hays and grains.however, hays stored over 1 year usually lose a great deal of vitamin activity Vitamins are fat -soluble (A,D,E,K) or water-soluble (B vitamins and C) Fat soluble vitamins can be stored in fat or liver; water soluble are not stored in the body

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Vitamins: Specific Aspects

Vitamin A (essential for vision): usually present in high-quality leafy forages or through grazing; can be stored Vitamin D (essential for Ca absorption & bone growth): can be obtained through sunlight or UV light exposure and feeds

Vitamin E (important for its antioxidant properties - to keep cell membranes healthy): found in high quality hays and grains

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Vitamins: Specific Aspects

Vitamin K (important for blood clotting): found in high quality forages and intestinal bacteria, can be synthesize B vitamins: usually supplied in adequate amounts in good quality feeds; B 12 is synthesized by bacteria in cecum and colon THIAMIN: the only B-vitamin that may need supplementation Vitamin C: not considered dietary essential because it can be made by the horse

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Minerals

Required in very small amounts (ppm) Inorganic elements required by the body for chemical reactions and structure/foundation (bones and teeth) Macrominerals (required in greater amounts) - Ca, P, Mg, Na, Cl, S, K

Microminerals (required in smaller amounts) Cu, Zn, I, Fe, Mn, Se

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Minerals

Calcium & Phosphorus - important in bones and teeth plus metabolic functions (i.e. muscle contraction) We balance rations for Ca and P Ca is present in moderate/high levels in hays/forages

P is present in moderate levels in grains

The absolute amount as well as the ratio of Ca:P is important in horse diets

Normal dietary requirements of Ca:P is about 1.43:1

The Ca:P ratio should never be less than 1:1; or over 3:1 in young horses, 6:1 in mature horses

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Minerals

Sodium (Na) and Chloride salt (important in osmotic balance): not enough present in normal feeds (supplementation); usually add .5% - 1% to horses diet or free-choice Magnesium (important for bones and metabolism): found in normal feedstuffs Sulfur - usually not a problem; horses tend to get enough S from S-containing amino acids Potassium (important in intracellular action): potassium is relatively high in forages

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Minerals

Cu, Zn (important for connective tissue and skin integrity): need to watch levels in growing horses; too much Zn can cause Cu deficiency I (essential for T3 and T4 that control basal metabolism): usually adequate in feed with iodized salt - can be over-fed! Fe (component of hemoglobin): usually adequate in feedstuffs Se (detoxification of substances that are toxic to cell membranes): can be toxic in soils in some areas, can also be deficient
Req: 0.1 mg/kg of diet Toxic: 2.0 mg/kg of diet!

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Energy Providing Nutrients

Carbohydrates & Fats Carbohydrates are typically the most common source of energy for horses

Energy is the fuel for all body functions

Grains are considered a high energy source There has been some work with feeding additional fat to horses (up to 12% of ration)

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Choosing Grains & Hays

Grains:

Hays:

Corn, Oats, Barley, Sorghum, Wheat Clean, Plump No Fines No Dust, Mold or Foreign Objects

Legume or Grass Leafy, Green, Small Stems No Mold Minimal Dust or Foreign Objects

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Horses Digestive System

One way system - horse cant vomit Small stomach

Small intestine - fast rate of passage

Large Intestine - bacteria and protozoa
Cecum (pouch at beginning of large intestine) Colon (part of large intestine, cecum to rectum)

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Digestive System---Drawing

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Small Intestine Digestion

Carbohydrates: soluble (sugars, starches)

Fats

Protein
Fat soluble Vitamins Minerals

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Large Intestine Digestion

Water: re-absorbed in cecum and colon

Carbohydrates: (hemicellulose) - colon Carbohydrates: (cellulose) - cecum

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Digestion

Water soluble vitamins - all along tract; some only in hindgut Upper tract: liquid due to saliva and digestive fluids and enzymes

Lower tract: more solid due to water reabsorption

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Suckling Foals and Weanlings

Suckling foals 3 to 4 months old need usually need no supplementation After 4 months start foals on type of concentrate they will be fed as weanling Foals should consume 6 to 8 pounds of concentrate per day and 1 pound of hay per 100 body weight at weaning time

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Yearlings and Two Year Olds

.5 to 1 pound of grain per 100 pounds of body weight 1 to 1.5 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of body weight Feed for desired condition and workload

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Mature Horse

Idle---1.5 to 1.75 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of body weight, requires 0.5 to 0.75 pounds of high protein supplement
High Work Load---0.5 to 1.75 pounds of grain and 1 to 1.5 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of body weight

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Pregnant and Lactating Mares

First Half---1.5 to 2 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of body weight and 0.5 to 0.75 pounds of high protein supplement
Last Half---0.5 to 1 pound of grain and 1 to 1.5 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of body weight

Lactating---1 to 1.5 pounds of grain and 1 to 1.5 pounds of hay per 100 pounds of body weight.

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Feed Consumption (% BW)

Mare status Early pregnancy Late pregnancy Early lactation Late lactation Forage 1.5-2.0 1.0-1.5 1.0-2.0 1.0-2.0 Concentrate 0-0.5 0.5-1.0 1.0-2.0 0.5-1.5 Total 1.5-2.0 1.5-2.0 2.0-3.0 2.0-2.5

Adding concentrate to late pregnancy mares accounts for limited energy & acclimates microbes Allow 1 wk to 10 d for mares to adjust to intake changes Heavy milkers may require as much as 1.75-2.0% of BW in concentrate feed/day
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Lactating Mare
milk is 3 % BW

Daily Milk Production (lbs)

Month 1 3 = Month 4 6 =
milk is 2 % BW

28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 15 30 45 60
Time (days)

Requirements of energy, protein, mineral, and vitamin double vs. maintenance

90

120

150

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Nutrition Requirements

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Nutrition Content

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Ration Calculation

First figure roughage requirement (1-2% of body weight) ex. 0.0175 x 1100 lbs. = 19.25 lbs. Then figure D.E., C.P., Ca. and P provided by this amount of hay Next figure how much concentrate to feed based on D.E. deficit remaining Double check- does it make sense?

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Example of Ration Calculation

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