Feeding Management Techniques for Horses Presentation Part 3: Age and Pregnancy #8895-E

Age and Pregnancy After birth, it is advised to give foals opportunity to eat mixed concentrate ration Average 14-16% crude protein Creep feed Box placed next to mare’s trough that contains ration

Age and Pregnancy Foal’s feed box has rods spaced above feed level that lets foal get its mouth in and eat – Mare cannot If several mares are kept together in a pasture, it is recommended to put creep feeder with an enclosure – Only lets in foals to eat

Age and Pregnancy Foals eat creep feed until weaned Important to make sure they are able to get to ration following weaning

Age and Pregnancy Yearlings & two-year olds should be managed as adult horses Needs should be met, not exceeded

Age and Pregnancy Older horses have hard time chewing Teeth may be: – worn down – Gone – Not floated (not filed) often enough May become anorexic or so thin they do not have an appetite

Age and Pregnancy Horses should be fed high energy feed especially formulated for older horses Prefer feed that is: – Soft, – Pelleted – Palatable Palatable feed may be able to get horse out of being anorexic

Age and Pregnancy Give plenty of time to eat & without interruption Require more energy to perform work so they need more feed per unit of body weight

Age and Pregnancy Preferred that mares be in moderate to fleshy condition when bred Body score of 5-7 is adequate

Body Condition Scores

Areas Emphasized in Body Condition Scoring

Age and Pregnancy Body condition score does not affect stallion’s reproductive ability Mares in thin condition do not show good reproductive performance Cheaper to maintain in moderate to fat condition than attempting to increase weight during breeding season

Age and Pregnancy Thin mares need more energy to gain fat than fleshy mares In last trimester of pregnancy, mares eat adequate nutrients to: – Provide enough nutrients to promote normal fetal development – Gain appropriate weight to support pregnancy

Age and Pregnancy Milk production requires a lot of energy During lactation, mares will eat enough to: – Regain body condition lost in pregnancy – Meet the demands of producing milk

Areas Emphasized in Body Condition Scoring