Archive for the ‘Horse Nutrition’ Category
Dr. Robert A. Mowrey, Extension Horse Husbandry Specialist
The Benefits
On high-fat diets, horses perform longer without fatiguing, incur fewer injuries, and maintain body weight with less grain intake, while maximizing forage intake. Adding fat to a horse’s diet permits safe weight gain while reducing the chance of colic or founder; it may also allow lactating mares to breed back more quickly. Digestion of fat yields less internal body heat when compared to high carbohydrate or protein diets.
Most importantly, perhaps, high-fat diets enable horses in high-performance situations -- for example,while pregnant, lactating or working at moderate and intense levels -- to more efficiently and safely meet their high energy requirements. Unfortunately, the horse’s relatively small digestive tract limits the total volume of feed it can consume. As a result, horses requiring high-energy intake must be fed an energy-dense concentrate mix. Traditionally, this has been accomplished by increasing the concentrate (high-energy) portion of the diet while limiting forage intake. Forages, such as hay and pasture, are more fibrous and lower in energy than the grains found in concentrate mixes.
Under ideal management conditions, a
horse should consume no less than 50 percent of its
daily intake in the form of forage. Horses that
are “hard keepers” and maintain low body fat
reserves typically require greater than a 50 percent
daily intake of concentrates to maintain their
body weight during high-production situations.
Unfortunately, the replacement of forage
with high-starch concentrates in levels greater
then 50 percent of the total diet negatively affects
the pH and activity of the digestive microbes
found in the horse’s cecum and large intestine.
The net effect is an increased incidence of
founder and colic.
Energy Comparisons
Since fat contains 2.25 times more energy than either carbohydrates or protein, increasing the fat level of the diet is the easiest and safest way to increase the energy density of the diet. Higher energy levels can be obtained by feeding fewer pounds of a high-fat concentrate mix, compared to a concentrate mix containing lower-energy carbohydrates. Farm grains, such as corn and oats, are high in carbohydrates but fairly low in fat. High-fat sources such as soybean oil, corn oil and animal fat contain three times more energy than grains on an equal volume basis (Table 1). Research has indicated that adding 5 percent to 10 percent fat to the total diet has maintained the body weight of horses with a 21 percent to 25 percent decrease in concentrate intake.
| Density (lbs/qt) | DE (Mcal/lb) | DE (Mcal/qt) | DE (Mcal/cup) | |
| High-Fat Feeds | ||||
| Vegetable Oil | 1.92 | 4.08 | 7.8 | 1.95 |
| Animal Fat | 1.80 | 3.61 | 6.5 | 1.62 |
| Grains | ||||
| Cracked Corn | 1.50 | 1.54 | 2.3 | 0.57 |
| Whole Oats | 1.0 | 1.30 | 1.3 | 0.33 |
Concentrate mixes comprised of grains
without supplemental fat added will contain 2 percent
to 2.5 percent fat. Vegetable oils, such as corn or
soybean oil, are more palatable than processed
animal fat. Rice bran is another high-fat source
that is both palatable and effective in horse
diets. The horse can consume a concentrate mix with as
much as 15 percent added fat without palatability or digestive
problems such as diarrhea. However, research reveals that a
fat level of 6 percent to 8 percent in concentrate mixes will produce
performance results similar to fat levels of 10 percent to 20 percent and
will cost considerably less. Most commercial feed companies
add vegetable oils to the concentrate mix to produce a
5 percent to 8 percent fat content.
Switching horses from a carbohydrate concentrate to a high-fat concentrate mix (greater than 8 percent fat) should be done gradually over several days. The higher fat intake may initially produce a looser stool. Allow at least 21 days for the high-fat diet to affect your horse’s performance and improve feed efficiency.
Traditionally, horse owners have supplemented 1 to 2 ounces of corn oil daily to improve hair-coat sheen. A significantly higher level of supplemental fat or oil is required to affect the energy intake and enhance your horse’s performance. Replacement of 10 percent of the recommended grain intake with a high fat source will improve energy intake .
Vegetable oil sources are about three times as expensive as farm grains. Generally, it is more economical to purchase a high-fat commercial grain mix when supplementation of more than 0.5 pounds of fat are required per day. Fat is an important energy source for the high-performance horse. High-fat diets provide a safe, efficient energy source that will improve your horse’s performance, minimize the risk of colic and founder, and usually be more cost effective.
Fat Supplementation to Horses at Different Performance Levels
Example One
1,100-pound show horse at light work (one hour of work five times per week). This includes working hunter, western pleasure and pleasure driving.
- Daily diet without added fat:
- 15 pounds hay
- 5 pounds balanced grain mix
- 20 pounds total feed (digestible energy = 21.9 Mcal)
- 10 percent fat substitution calculation:
- 5 pounds grain x 0.1 = .5 lb supplemental fat
- New fat-supplemental diet:a
- 15 pounds hay
- 4.5 pounds grain mix
- 0.5 pounds (1 cup) corn oil
- 20 pounds total feed (digestible energy = 23.3 Mcal)
Example Two
1,100-pound show horse at moderate work. This includes horses undergoing intense daily training, three-day event horses and competitive driving horses.
- Daily diet without added fat:
- 15 pounds good quality hay
- 10 pounds balanced grain mix
- 25 pounds total feed (digestible energy = 28.8 Mcal)
- 10 percent fat substitution calculation:
- 10 pounds grain x 0.1 = 1 lb supplemental fat
- New fat-supplemental diet:a
- 15 pounds hay
- 9 pounds grain
- 1 pound (2 cups) corn oil
- 25 pounds total feed (digestible energy = 31.5 Mcal)
a) Grain intake may be reduced an additional 10 percent after 21 days of fat supplementation. Adjust grain intake downward to maintain the desired body condition.
In Tennessee, horses are commonly owned throughout the state. Tennessee law requires that all animals have necessary water, feed, shelter and care. This publication defines what are considered the minimum requirements for horses in these areas. It is important to remember that these represent only the minimums, and horse owners should strive to provide care above these levels.
Jenifer Nadeau, M.S., Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Equine Extension Specialist, Department of Animal Science
Having your hay analyzed is a great idea. It is the only way to determine the actual nutrient content of the hay. It is important to know this so that you can be sure your horse is consuming an adequate diet. You may or may not need to feed grain, depending on the quality of your hay. The better the quality of the hay you feed, the less grain you will need to feed. This can be a significant savings.
Two types of analyses can be performed: visual and chemical. If you have already purchased hay, then you have probably performed a visual analysis. Chemical analysis is done when the hay is sampled and the nutrient content of the hay is determined by a laboratory.
In visual analysis, there are several factors that should be considered. These include:
- Maturity of hay– The more mature, or older, a hay is, the more fiber it contains, and the more stemmy or unpalatable it will become.
- Leafiness of the hay – The more leaves a hay has, the more nutrients it is likely to contain since nutrients are concentrated in the leaves, where photosynthesis occurs.
- Color of the hay – Generally the greener, the better but see chart on next page.
- Odor and condition of the hay – Throw out hay that is musty, dusty or moldy.
- Presence of foreign materials in the hay – These can be injurious (poisonous plants, wire) or non-injurious (weeds), but either decreases the overall quality of the hay.
In order to have your hay analyzed chemically, you will need to get a hay sample. Use a core sampler and try to sample from at least 20 to 25 different bales. Be sure to penetrate into the center of the bale with the core sampler. If you do not have experience in hay sampling, see your county extension office for information on how to use the core sampler or to borrow one. Mix the samples together and then put them in a tight, clean, plastic bag or the bags that the forage testing lab provides. Mail the bag to the forage testing lab as soon as possible and have it analyzed.
Interpreting Hay Analysis Results
Interpreting your hay analysis results may not be the easiest part of this process. If you cannot determine what the results mean, you may want to consult an extension specialist in forage crops or agronomy at your county extension center, an animal scientist or a county extension agent. Some of the main things to focus on when you see the analysis reports are:
- Dry Matter (DM)– This tells you how much of the sample is left after water is removed. It is the moisture or dry matter content of the sample. Hay will generally be about 89 percent dry matter or greater.
- Digestible energy (DE) – This is a measure of the digestible energy in the hay. For a light-working horse, DE should be 20.5 Mcal/day. Hay may have .76 to .94 Mcal/pounds or higher of DE.
- Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) - This is a measure of the total digestible nutrients in the hay or its energy value. TDN may be used in place of DE or offered in addition to DE. It may range from 40 to 55 percent.
- Crude Protein (CP)– This is a measure of the protein concentration of the hay and can range from 6 percent to 8 percent in native grass hays to about 15 percent or higher in high quality legume hays.
- Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) – This is a measure of the plant’s cell wall content, shown as a percent. The higher this is, the less hay the horse will eat.
- Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) – This is a measure of the fiber concentration of the hay, shown as a percent. As ADF increases, digestibility and nutrient availability decreases.
- Non-Structural Carbohydrates (NSC) – This is a measure of the non-structural carbohydrates in the feed. If your horse has Cushing’s disease or is prone to colic or laminitis, you want to select hay with a lower NSC value. Timothy and alfalfa hay may have a 15 percent or 20 percent NSC value, respectively. If you want this analysis done, you should check to see if the lab offers it, as it is not a common analysis at this time.
- Starch and Sugar- This is a measure of sugars and starches in the feed. You should feed no more than 15 percent of total daily calories from starch and sugar to horses with EPSM (equine polysaccharide storage myopathy) and PSSM (polysaccharide storage myopathy) EPSM is a muscle disease found in over 100 draft breeds that may cause severe weakness and muscle wasting in horses of all ages, poor performance, abnormal hind limb gaits and shivers, in which the muscles keep twitching. PSSM is a muscle disease found in horses with Quarter Horse in their breeding, such as American Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas. Symptoms include reluctance to move, muscle stiffness, sweating, shifting lameness and tremors in the flank area.
Now you know some basics about analyzing hay. Be sure to consult your county extension agents or state specialists for help if you are not sure how to apply these results. By analyzing your hay, you will be able to feed your horse more effectively and efficiently.
References
- National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Horses. (1989). National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
- Wright, Bob W. Hay, Haylage and Treated Hay for Horses. (Sept. 2004) Online fact sheet. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
- Vough, Lester R. Evaluating Hay Quality (2000). Online fact sheet, FS-644, University of Maryland. Available online at http://www.agnr.umd.edu/MCE/Publications/Publication.cfm?ID=110
Of the five basic nutrient groups - protein, carbohydrates and fats (energy sources), water, minerals and vitamins - water is the most essential to your horse. Research has clearly shown that horses deprived of water for three to four days will not consume feed. A minor reduction in water intake or an increase in sweat loss will eventually cause dehydration, which can result in decreased performance, shock and possibly death. This publication will clarify the water requirements of horses and provide guidelines for effective electrolyte supplementation.
Water Intake and Electrolyte Supplementation
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In order to provide a horse with the proper nutrients it needs to survive, we must first understand the horse's digestive system and how it functions. This publication will walk you through each part of the horse's digestive system and provides further feeding management guidelines.
Digestive System of the Horse and Feeding Management
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