Feedstuffs for Horses

  1. Horses are excellent grazers, and in dry lot situations will do very well on good quality hay.
  2. Forages
    1. In general, feed 1 – 2% body weight
    2. Moldy or dusty hay may cause colic
    3. Bromegrass, orchardgrass, timothy & bermudagrass make excellent hay for horses
    4. Legume hays are difficult to cure (more dust & mold)

                                                               i.      Horses may overeat alfalfa

                                                             ii.      Alfalfa has a laxative effect in horses

    1. Pastures are excellent

                                                               i.      Exercise

                                                             ii.      Need management strategies because they are selective grazers (patches)

  1. Forage Alternatives (when forage is not available or economical)
    1. Straw
    2. cottonseed hulls
    3. peanut hulls
    4. rice mill feed
    5. high cellulose paper
    6. Beet pulp is the most common

                                                               i.      Maintains normal intestinal activity (& microflora)

                                                             ii.      Fiber is highly digestible (greater than most hays)

                                                            iii.      Free of dust (good when respiratory problems exist)

                                                           iv.      Low in some vitamins

  1. Concentrates
    1. Grains

                                                               i.      Oats is the most popular – primarily because of its fibrous hull that forms a loose mash in the GI tract

1.      fed whole but is often rolled,

2.      causes less trouble with compaction

                                                             ii.      Corn is also very popular (2nd)

1.      widely used by mixing with oats (usually less than 50% of mix)

2.      should be cracked, coarsely ground or rolled

                                                            iii.      Barley can be used also

1.      primarily in areas where there is dryland farming (Western US)

2.      should be rolled or cracked because of hard kernel

                                                           iv.      Wheat & Milo - not routinely used

                                                             v.      Wheat Bran - rich in minerals, vitamins, & protein.

1.      Valuable in horse rations because of its bulk, palatability, nutritive value and mild laxative action

2.      Usually used at 5 – 15% of diet

  1. Protein Supplements
    1. Linseed meal - many feel it produces "bloom"

                                                               i.      usually more expensive & inferior in amino acid composition than SBM

                                                             ii.      Can be dusty, so pelleted LSM is prefered

    1. SBM

                                                               i.      primary protein source for animal feeds

                                                             ii.      Can be substituted 1:1 for LSM

    1. Milk protein

                                                               i.      Dried whey, or other commercial products used in foal diets

                                                             ii.      Excellent quality protein

  1. Other Feedstuffs
    1. Cane molasses

                                                               i.      sweetens the feed

                                                             ii.      increases palatability (and therefore increases intake)

                                                            iii.      decreases dust

                                                           iv.      added at 5 – 10%

    1. Dehydrated alfalfa meal

                                                               i.      Good source of vitamins, minerals, & protein

                                                             ii.      Probably the best substitute for green pastures during the winter

                                                            iii.      Usually added at 5 – 10% diet

    1. Fats and oils

                                                               i.      Fats and oils are added to increase energy

                                                             ii.      Vegetable oils are more palatable than animal fat

                                                            iii.      Supply linoleic acid (essential fatty acid)

                                                           iv.      Reduces dustiness

                                                             v.      Increases “bloom”

                                                           vi.      Usually added at between 5 and 10%

  1. Commercial Feeds Available:
    1. Complete Feed:  formulated and mixed by manufacturer; usually pelleted, cubed, or wafers.  Most commonly used when only 1 to 2 horses are owned.  Do not have to work with several feeds.  Typically they contain 12 to 14 % CP, and roughage, concentrate, and supplemental vitamins and minerals.

                                                               i.      Pelleted feed is beneficial because:

1.      reduces sorting of protein, minersl, etc. (especially in weanling and yearling horses).

2.      Pellets should contain at least 60 – 70% coarsely grouind hay to prevent colic

3.      small amounts of unprocessed hay may be beneficial to prevent wood chewing or mane and tail chewing

    1. Concentrate:  Horse breeders who raise their own hay may purchase the rest of the diet in a concentrate mixture.  The mixture is usually ground mixed grains, supplemental protein, and minerals.  The CP is typically 14 to 15 %.
    2. Protein supplement:  Used to supplement both hay and grain.  The protein content is usually about 25%, with directions to add .5 to .75 pound to the grain and hay daily.
    3. Sweet Feed:  Usually a mixture of low-grade roughage (such as oat hulls), molasses (~10%).  It adds a pleasant aroma to the diet.

 

Feeding Management               

  1. Remember, at least 1% of the horses body weight should be hay. The rest of the diet may consist of additional hay or concentrates to meet the horses energy and(or) protein needs.  Some concentrates widely used for horses are:
    1. Oats
    2. Corn
    3. Barley
    4. Grain sorghum (milo)
    5. Wheat bran
    6. Linseed meal
    7. Soybean meal
    8. Cottonseed meal
  2. Hay and concentrates can be ground and mixed together, BUT if this is done, the horses should be hand fed rather than self fed.  If self fed, they may overeat which can cause colic.  If hand feeding, they should be fed either twice or thrice a day on an individual basis.
  3. Pelleting decreases dust, decreases bulk, and increases palatability.  It also destroys the value of the roughage, predisposing the horse to colic, if another roughage source (hay) is not available.
  4. Course grinding is a good alternative to pelleting.  It does not greatly destroy the roughage quality, and reduces wear on the horses teeth, compared to pelleting.
  5. Dustiness can be reduced by 3 to 5% molasses, or dampening feed with water at time of feeding.
  6. Horses can consume and utilize silage and haylage; however, these feedstuffs frequently have mold which can cause colic.  Therefore, haylage and silage are not usually used as horse feeds.  Silages and haylages should not replace all of the hay in the diet.  A general rule is that no more than ⅓ to ½  of the hay should be replaced.
  7. Horses should be fed to their individual needs.  Should changes be required in their diet, the changes should be made gradually.
  8. Reduce grain allowance to horses on non-work days by about 50% to avoid azoturia (Monday morning sickness).
  9. Working or performing horses need extra nutrients.

 

Feeding Open Mares and Geldings

  1. Feed according to their size and activity.  The table below serves as a good indication.

% Body Weight, Air-Dry Basis

 

 

Additional

Activity

Minimum Hay

Hay

Grain

Idle

1.0

0.75*

0.0

Light Work

1.0

0.5*

0.5

Medium Work

1.0

0.0

1.0

*This hay may be replaced with grain at a ratio of 0.6 lb. grain per lb. hay

 

  1. Usually protein supplement is not required.
  2. The following should be provided on a free-choice basis:
    1. Mineral mixture of:

                                                               i.      1 part trace mineralized salt

                                                             ii.      2 part defluorinated phosphate or dicalcium phosphate, or steamed bone meal.

    1. A source of plain, loose salt (NaCl) to make it possible for the horse to replace salt lost from perspiration, without forcing them to consume unneeded calcium, phosphorus, and trace minerals.

 

Feeding Pregnant Mares

  1. During first 8 months of gestation, feed the same “adequate” diet as open mares.
  2. During the last 3 months of gestation the following alterations should be made:
    1. Increase protein by 20 to 25%
    2. Increase energy by 5 to 10%
    3. Double vit. A
    4. Calcium and Phosphorus needs are doubled during the last 90 days of gestation, but these minerals should be provided free choice in a complete mineral mix.

 

Feeding Mares During Lactation

  1. Ensure good quality hay (about 50% preferably from legume)  (A total of ~1% BW)
  2. As much grain (oats, corn and(or) barley) should be provided to meet energy needs.  This should be ~1% BW also.
  3. If protein is needed, substitute protein meal (SBM, CSM, or linseed meal) at a 1:1 ratio for the grain mix to meet protein needs.
  4. Calcium and Phosphorus should be added to the grain mixture (limestone, bone meal, dical, defluronated phosphate, oyster shell).
  5. Depending upon the size of the mare, some supplemental vit. A. may be required.
  6. Incorporate 0.1 pound of trace mineralized salt in the daily grain mix of the mare, and allow ad libitum access to white salt.
  7. Note: Nursing foals relish mineral blocks.

 

Feeding Foals

  1. If mare is milking normally, she provides adequate nutrients for the 1st 3 to 4 months.
  2. During the 1st 3 to 4 months, start acquainting the foal to feeds it will be consuming later.
    1. Foals can be effectively creep fed starting at 2 to 3 weeks of age.  Less than 1 pound per day, and any uneaten portion should be removed,a nd fresh feed offered daily.
    2. The grain mixture can be offered in increasing amounts along with small amounts of hay until the foal is receiving 0.75 to 1.0 pounds daily per 100 pound of BW at weaning (~6 months of age)
  3. A typical concentrate mixture for foals follows:
    1. 40% Rolled oats
    2. 20% Cracked corn
    3. 15% SBM
    4. 10% Wheat bran
    5. 10% Alfalfa meal
    6. 3.5% Molasses
    7. 0.5% Limestone
    8. 0.5% Defluronated phosphate
    9. 0.5% Trace mineralized salt

 

Feeding Weanlings, Yearlings, and 2-Year-Olds in Drylot

  1. Feed to the animals needs using the appropriate nutrient requirement tables (NRC)
  2. Basically the same feeds are used for these horses as with older horses; however, better quality feeds should be reserved for the younger animals.
  3. Although younger horses can be raised in drylot, it is far better to allow them access to pasture.