Horse Nutrition. Horses should have access to clean, fresh water at all times. A mature horse drinks...

Horse Nutrition

Horses should have access to clean,fresh water at

all times. A mature horse

drinks on average5-10 gallons a day.This will vary withthe activity and temperature of

the environment.For example:

Summer-moreWinter-less

Important note: Hot, exhausted horses should wait 30 minutes

before drinking water after heavy exercise. They are however,

allowed to consume hay during this cooling down period.

Nutrient requirements vary for Nutrient requirements vary for your horse?your horse?

•Stage of Production•Maintenance•Work•Lactation•Pregnancy•Early growth •Age

•Mature Size•Activity Level

Equine Digestive System

•Mouth to anus = 100ft

stomach small intestine cecum

large colon

descending colon

rectumhindgutforegut

esophagus


•Mouth, esophagus, stomach = 3-4 feet •Stomach Capacity = 8-15 quarts


large colon

descending colon


esophagus


•Small intestine = 70 feet long •Small intestine capacity = 48 quarts


large colon

descending colon


esophagus


•Large intestine = 20 feet long •Large intestine capacity = 130 quarts


large colon

descending colon


esophagus


•Mouth breaks down food •Wets feed with saliva--3 gallons per day


large colon

descending colon


esophagus


•Stomach has 10% of the digestive system capacity •Therefore horses are constant grazers


large colon

descending colon


esophagus


•In the small intestine we: break down carbohydrates to glucose, proteins to amino acids, fats to free fatty acids, and add bicarbonate.


large colon

descending colon


esophagus

DIGESTIONDIGESTION

•Total process = 65 hours•15 minutes in the stomach•1 hour in small intestine•63 hours in large intestine

• Adjusted feeding based on an activity level. Maintenance feed levels can be based per 100 lb of weight (1%). Supplemental feeding over maintenance should be based on the level and duration of work.

CTVT p.367

• Page 366 CTVT

COMMON FEEDSTUFFCOMMON FEEDSTUFF

Alfalfa

% DM Mcal/# % Protein

90 .94 18

Brome 89 .80 11

Orchard 88 .85 11

Straw 91 .70 4

Oats 89 1.3 12

Corn 88 1.5 9

VITAMINS

•Vitamin A--from green grass and green hay

•Vitamin D--from forage

•Vitamin E--from forage

•Vitamin K--from forage

SALT should be fed free choice

MINERALS•Calcium--major source from roughage

•Phosphorus--major source from grains

•We want the calcium to phosphorus ratio at 1.5

•May consider for the area supplementing with Selenium

Salt Blocks contain trace-mineralized salts (microminerals) needed as supplements, when

they are not available in the horses diet.

Chopped hay Pulp Flaked corn Pellets

Crimped oats/Sugar beets/Micronized flaked barley/Sweet feed

Bran

Square Bale of HayAvg. weight: 60 lbs

Round baleof hay

Avg. wt: tons

This is called a flake of hay. A flake can weigh from 1.5 – 5 lbs.

Dry Matter Intake

• Most maintenance horses (this means pasture raised horses, not working horses) can be fed with hay: 1.5 to 1.8 lbs hay/100lbs (BW/Day)

• Work increases the need for water, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium) and energy.

Corn (cracked or crushed)

Sweet Feed

Pelleted Feed

The Hays

Make sure you check the quality

Quality • Forage quality varies greatly by soil

quality, species of grass, season of the year, rainfall, overgrazing, pasture rotation, weed control and the presence of toxic weeds

• Laboratory analysis of forage for moisture, energy, protein, fiber and microminerals and micronutrients is fundamental in assessing roughage nutrient control

• Hay analysis is performed at little or not cost by regional agriculture extension services

Coastal Bermuda Hay Bales

Sudan Grass Hay

Johnson Grass Hay

Prairie Hay

CTVT p.367

The End!

Horse Nutrition. Horses should have access to clean, fresh water at all times. A mature horse drinks...

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