1. Identifying Grains
EQS 125

2. icon located on the bottom right hand side of the slide
Lecture Menu
You may use the menu to the left to jump to main topics in the lecture or resume clicking your mouse or spacebar to progress through the lecture
What is Concentrate?
Common Grains
Oats
Corn
Barley
Processing Grains
If you wish to come back to this menu at anytime during the lecture click the
icon located on the bottom right hand side of the slide

3. What is Concentrate?

4. What is Concentrate?
Concentrate includes the seed portion of plants or the by-product derived from the seeds
The nutrient content is more consistent and compact than forages
Essentially it is a concentrated source of nutrients, hence where the term concentrate comes from

5. Higher in energy content
What is Concentrate?
Concentrate includes the seed portion of plants or the by-product derived from the seeds
Concentrates are characteristically…
Higher in energy content

6. Concentrates are characteristically…
What is Concentrate?
Concentrate includes the seed portion of plants or the by-product derived from the seeds
Concentrates are characteristically…
Low in fiber content

7. Generally more expensive than forages
What is Concentrate?
Concentrate includes the seed portion of plants or the by-product derived from the seeds
Concentrates are characteristically…
Generally more expensive than forages

8. What is Concentrate?
The term “grain” is often used interchangeably with the term “concentrate”
Sometimes we will say grain in the context of a bagged feed, not a single grain
If we are talking about a single grain we will typically refer to it by its name, such as oats, corn, and barley

9. Does the Horse Need Grain/Concentrate?
Remember that grain/concentrate is optional!
Horses do not need grain in their diet unless:
They are under high physical demand
In an important life phase – growing, pregnancy, lactation
The forage portion is lacking in sufficient nutrients

10. Concentrate in the Diet
Horses do not have “nutritional wisdom”
They will continue to eat as long as it is in front of them – never allow concentrate as free-choice!
When large amounts of grain are fed (5lbs+), it should be provided in 2-3 smaller amounts daily
Grain should never be more than 50% (by weight) of a horse’s total daily ration unless it is a weanling or in heavy race training

11. Horses must have grain in their diet
Knowledge Check
Horses must have grain in their diet
True
False
Incorrect
Grain is not required in the diet unless the horse is under high physical demand, in an important life phase, or the forage is lacking in sufficient nutrients
Correct!

12. Common Grains

13. Single Grains
Prior to advances in nutrition, horses were often fed a diet that consisted of forage and single gains
Today, we often feed our horses a commercially prepared feed that consists of many grains and by- products which has been nutritionally balanced
Single grains though make up the base or foundation of our bagged feed - we will look at three common cereal grains used in the equine diet

14. Oats
Oats are a traditional grain that make up more than 30% of all commercially prepared feed
They have a low energy density compared to other grains
It is considered a “safer” grain because it has a low starch content than hull- less grains, such as corn
This is due to a fibrous hull which makes up a large part of the oat seed
Oats are very palatable but more expensive than other grains

15. Corn
Corn makes up more than 80% of the grain fed to animals in North America
It is slightly less palatable than oats, but more than other cereal grains
Corn is a common feed component because it provides almost 2x the amount of DE than oats

16. Corn
Corn makes up more than 80% of the grain fed to animals in North America
It is slightly less palatable than oats, but more than other cereal grains
But it is also very high in starch – an overload of corn to the hindgut can create gastrointestinal upset (remember what type of carbohydrate starch is and where it is digested!)

17. Corn
Corn makes up more than 80% of the grain fed to animals in North America
It is slightly less palatable than oats, but more than other cereal grains
Because of the DE provided, many people accuse corn of being a “hot” grain but that is often due to people feeding corn at the same rate as oats and not adjusting based on the increased energy provided

18. Corn
Corn makes up more than 80% of the grain fed to animals in North America
It is slightly less palatable than oats, but more than other cereal grains
Corn must be processed in order to be digested due to its hard kernel

19. Barley is a major component in commercial pelleted feeds
Barley resembles oats, but has smaller and harder hulls and has a slightly higher protein content
Because of this, barley needs to be processed in order to be digested
Barley may also be cooked in warm water to make it more digestible and palatable

20. Cutting Your Feed
While we will discuss bagged feed later on, it is important to understand that this is not a sound nutrition practice – each of these grains has its own nutrient content and by adding them to an already balanced feed, you may be unbalancing the vitamin and mineral content
The Thoroughbred industry has a long kept practice known as “cutting” feed – which is taking a single grain such as oats, corn, barley, etc. and adding it to a commercially prepared balanced feed

21. Oats provide 2x the DE than Corn
Knowledge Check
Oats provide 2x the DE than Corn
True
False
Incorrect
Oats are the lowest energy dense grain – corn provides 2x the DE when compared to oats
Correct!

22. Which of the following does not describe oats?
Knowledge Check
Which of the following does not describe oats?
Very Palatable
Low Energy Density
Needs to be Processed
More expensive
Incorrect, Try Again
Correct!
Incorrect, Try Again
Incorrect, Try Again

23. Processing

24. What is Processing?
Some of the grains mentioned, such as corn and barley, stated they need to be processed in order to be digested by the horse
Processing changes the physical form of the feed to make it more digestible
If this coat is not broken, the horse will not be able to extract the nutrients inside
The hard seed coat of some grains is not affected by enzymatic or chemical digestion

25. Processing Considerations
Rolled Oats
Processing will make the seed vulnerable to mold and insects
Inappropriate storage of these grains may increase this risk
While many grains will have increased digestibility after processing, oats are the only cereal grain in which processing has no effect

26. Mechanical Processing
The most basic form of processing, this technique breaks the seed coat and makes the contents more accessible and digestible
The following are examples of mechanical processing
Crimping
Rolling
De-hulling
Flaking
Cracking

27. Heat Processing
A type of thermal processing, this technique uses heat to pre-digest grain to make it more available for absorption
Steaming or cooking, the use of wet heat (water), is an example of heat processing

28. Pelleting
Pelleting is a complex form of heat processing that increases digestibility of the grains and creates uniformity in the feed
This prevents the horse from sorting out individual ingredients
Pellets are formed by grinding the grain(s) and/or hay particle(s), mixing, and compacting those particles through forced steam and a mold to create the pellet shape

29. Which of the following is not an example of mechanical processing?
Knowledge Check
Which of the following is not an example of mechanical processing?
Crimping
Pelleting
Rolling
Crimping
Incorrect, Try Again
Correct!
Incorrect, Try Again
Incorrect, Try Again

30. Processing can make the grain vulnerable to mold and insects
Knowledge Check
Processing can make the grain vulnerable to mold and insects
True
False
Incorrect
The hard seed coat of a grain is its protection. Any processing that breaks this coat increases the risk of mold and insect infestation
Correct!

31. Finish

32. End of Lecture
You have finished Lecture 11.1 – Identifying Grains. Continue on to Lecture 11.2 – Feeds & Labels and then complete Homework 11 prior to taking your Homework quiz in Blackboard