EQUINE NUTRITION

Horse Industry Feeding Problems Age of horses is increasing Diversity of horses increasing Economy increases demand/value? Willingness to experiment Increase use of supplements Minerals/Vitamins/Lubricants Fats

Factors affecting requirements Size, body type and weight Age Work: production stage Breed: temperament Fat insulation Environment: climatic conditions External & internal parasites Vices Mouth

Mouth Initial breakdown of feeds Salivary secretions from Parotid gland Secrete saliva only during eating, ~10 gal/day

Anatomy of Digestive Tract Esophagus Can’t vomit, strong cardiac sphincter muscle in stomach prevents Digestive upset = Colic Choke Obstruction within esophagus Fast eaters

Digestive Tract Stomach - small, frequent, meals; initiates digestion, like non-ruminant 10% of tract Limited digestion Gastric ulcers

Digestive Tract Digestion of Fast rate of passage No gall bladder Small Intestine - 30% of tract Digestion of Starch 65-75% Protein, AA’s 60-70% Fat 90% Ca absorption 95-99% Phosphorous 20-25% Fast rate of passage No gall bladder

Large Intestine Cecum - primary site of water absorption Rate of passage slower than in other portions of digestive tract 36-48 hours

Digestive Tract Large Colon Absorbs H20 VFA’s AA Phosphorus, 50% NaCl Small Colon Absorption of H20 Fecal ball formation

Comparisons of digestion Human Ruminant Equine Stomach 30% 70% 9-10% Sm. Intestine 33% 19% Cecum 7% 3% 16% Lg. Intestine 45%

Water Essential for all body functions Temperature regulation Feed digestion Amount of water intake Level of exercise Ambient temperature Quality of feeds in ration Proportion of diet that is forage Minimum 1 gallon/100 lbs BW/day

GI Tract Health Forage Concentrate – Grain Supplements

Digestible Carbohydrate Digestion of Feed Stomach Small Intestine Large Intestine Fermentable Fiber Fat Digestible Carbohydrate Fatty Acids Volatile Fatty Acids Glucose Fat Glycogen

Digestive Categories of Horses Maintenance - basic requirements of life Growth - youngest has highest requirements Gestation - last three months Lactation - first three months Work - depends on activity light, moderate, intense Geriatric

Maintenance Size: body weight Environment Individual digestive & metabolic efficiency Dry matter intake: 1.5% of the BW Most - energy requirements are met with forage alone

GERIATRIC HORSES Fiber digestion decreases Ability to manufacture or absorb certain vitamins decrease B vitamins Vitamin C Decreased kidney function Calcium stones may build up Decreased liver function Jaundice, weight loss, lethargy, loss of appetite, intolerance for fat and protein in diet B vitamins and Vit C are generally produced by the microbes in the hind gut. In aged horses they have shown a decreased ability to manufacture these vitamins.

THE GERIATRIC HORSE Confinement? No! Turnout with a friend. Weight loss reasons: Poor dentition Reduction in digestion - parasites, microbial constituents, B Vits Selection of Feed Highly palatable Easy to chew & swallow Clean & dust free Highly digestible pellets or extruded feeds Contain enough high quality fiber to aid digestion. High quality hay – no alfalfa. Chopped hay, hay cubes or pellets Soaked feeds or mashes

Levels of Performance/Work Light - western and English pleasure, trail riding, equitation, hacking Moderate - dressage, ranch work, roping, cutting, barrel racing, jumping Intense - race training, polo, cutting,

Required Energy Activity Examples DE (Mcal/d) Maintenance Pasture 16 Light work Pleasure riding 20 Moderate work Reining, jumping 24 Intense work Racing, endurance 32 Note that for intense work the amount of energy per day goes up 100% above maintenance requirements.

General Guidelines For Feeding Working Horses Hay requirement Feed at least 50% of total ration as forage (pasture &/or hay) Preferably high quality grass hay or alfalfa/grass mix Exercising horses do not need high levels of protein More important – quality of protein Horses should be fed to meet their immediate needs I.e. cut grain on rest days If stalled, overfeeding can  stocking up or colic

The Growing Horse Goals Nutrient balance is important Maximize genetic potential for growth Sound musculoskeletal system Nutrient balance is important Requires higher quality feeds Growth rate & age determines requirements Growing till reach 30 months

Weanlings Minimize stress Minimize post-weanling slump. 1.5-2.5 lbs grain/100 lbs body wt 0.75-1.0 lb hay/100 lb body wt Ca > P Monitor feed & water intake

As foals get older, the ration should be increased by adding more good quality hay, leaving the grain mix relatively constant.

Feeding Yearlings Turnout Forage Forage balancer Sales/show High quality .75-1.0 lb/100 lb body wt. Concentrate Formulated for growth 1.0-2.0 lb/100 lb body wt. Turnout Forage High to moderate quality 2-2.5 lbs./100 lbs. body wt. Forage balancer

Monitoring The Growth Process Daily Intakes Body Weight Average daily gain Signs of Skeletal Abnormalities Physitis Joint effusion Lameness

Nutrition of The Broodmare Lactation 0-3 months 4+ months Months 0-8 Months 9-11 Gestation

Gestation: Nutritional Concerns Provision of nutrients for: Fetal growth & development Other products of conception Last 3 month of gestation: 60 % foals’ weight Mare needs to gain 0.3 – 0.8 lb/d

Average daily milk production in mares

Feed Consumption (% BW) Mare status Forage Concentrate Total Early pregnancy 1.5-2.0 0-0.5 Late pregnancy 1.0-1.5 0.5-1.0 Early lactation 1.0-2.0 2.0-3.0 Late lactation 0.5-1.5 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

Nutrition of the Breeding Stallion Primary Concern Maintenance of Body Condition Non-breeding Forage + vitamin/mineral supplement Breeding 0.5% concentrate 1.75-2% hay

Body Condition Score Maximum Reproductive Efficiency Moderately fleshy to fat mares can be expected to Cycle earlier in the year Have fewer cycles per conception Have a higher pregnancy rate Maintain pregnancy more easily Mare prior to breeding should have a BCS of 6 or greater and fed to maintain weight. BCS of 5.0 is marginal especially for lactating mare.

FEEDING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES Feed By Class Feed According to Body Weight

FEEDING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES Feed to Condition Scores 1-3 Poor-Thin 4 Can see ribs, vertebra ridge evident 5 Back flat, can’t see ribs, but can feel them 6 Crease down back, fat deposits 7-9 Fleshy - Extremely fat

Time & Additional Grain Required To Improve BCS by 1 level Improving 1 Condition Score Days Needed Daily Gain Additional Grain Needed 60 0.75 lbs/day 4.5 lbs/day 90 0.50 lbs/day 3.0 lbs/day 120 0.40 lbs/day 2.3 lbs/day

FEEDING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES Feed Adequate Long-Stemmed Roughage Feed Hay From Well-Designed Mangers

FEEDING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES Recognize Feeding-Related Behavior Problems Group Feeding Should Account for Dominance Hierarchies Encourage Aggressive Horses To Eat Slowly Protect Trees From Bark-Chewing Horses

FEEDING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES Never Feed More Than 0.75% of BW (concentrate) at any One Feeding Multiple Feedings Set Feeding Times

FEEDING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES Check for Refusals Change type and amount of feed gradually. 7-10 d period Provide Salt