My Horse University and eXtension’s HorseQuest welcome you to this live Webcast.

Feeding Management in a Time of Rising Feed Prices

Dr. Mark RussellPurdue University

Meet our presenter:

Dr. Mark RussellPurdue University

Dr. Colleen BradyPurdue University

Question facilitators: Dr. Christine SkellyMichigan State University

Goals of this Discussion• Determine the requirements for your horses• Know why/forages are the foundation of horse

feeding• Understand how to build a ration around

appropriate forages• Improve your management with what you have

Digestive Tract (100 feet long)• Stomach - small, frequent, meals; initiates

digestion, like non-ruminant • Small Intestine - site of most amino acid from dietary

protein, most soluble CHO energy on grain diet, fat digested

• Cecum - site of bacteria needed to digest cellulose to VFA’s in forages like ruminants

• Colon - absorb water, urea, no bacteria

Common Feeding Problems• Amount of forage in the diet• Particle size of diet• Feeding schedule• Timing of exercise• Availability of water

– and minerals

• General health• Management Stress

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

Feeding Guidelines• Eat 2.5 % of BW of Dry Matter Feed

– KNOW THE HORSE’S WEIGHT!

• Always more forage than grains• Access to water >1 gal/100# BW/day

– and minerals (salt)

• Need regular exercise - be athletic• Most horse are overweight

Energy & Protein Required Concentrations in Total Diet

Animal Type DE (Mcal/lb) C.P. (%)• Maintenance .80 8.0• Light work 1.05 9.8• Moderate work 1.10 10.4• Intense work 1.20 11.4• 2 Yr old - in training 1.10 11.3

Energy & Protein Concentrations in Total Diet

• Animal Type DE (Mcal/lb) C.P. (%)• Pregnant

– last 90 days 1.10 11.0 • Lactation

– first 2 months 1.20 14.0 • Weanling 1.40 15.0

Management Tips for Tough Times

• Body Condition Score the horses• Maximize stockpiled pasture• Inventory and analyze hay and feeds• Check for parasites and dental health• Divide herd into management groups• Minimize hay wastage

Body Condition Scoring• 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

Building a Horse Ration

• Start with determining the horse’s needs• Maximize forage - 2.5% BW/day if possible• Add energy if needed• Add protein and minerals if needed• Consider adding vitamins and supplements

Management Tips for Tough Times

• Body Condition Score the horses• Maximize stockpiled pasture• Inventory and analyze hay and feeds• Check for parasites and dental health• Divide herd into management groups• Minimize hay wastage

Forages are the Foundation• Grass

– Bromegrass– Orchardgrass– Tall Fescue– Timothy

• Grain Hay– Oat hay– Wheat hay

• Straw

• Legume– Alfalfa– Birdsfoot trefoil– Clovers– Lespedeza

Types of Forages for Horses• Pasture - composition, total forage produced,

maturity• Hay - square bales, big round bales

– species, maturity, quality, weeds & pests

• Haylage/Silage - very palatable, overeating, spoilage

• Hay Cubes - 3/4” chopped• Pellets - surface area, particle size, rate of intake,

digestibility, behavior

Pasture for Horses• 2 acres of pasture/ horse to meet the nutrient

needs and proper management of forage• Pasture rotation helps spot grazing and more

uniform maturity• Many horses being maintained, in early

gestation, and under light work can be on pasture with mineral and water source.

Management Tips for Tough Times

• Body Condition Score the horses• Maximize stockpiled pasture• Inventory and analyze hay and feeds• Check for parasites and dental health• Divide herd into management groups• Minimize hay wastage

Hay Quality Factors• Maturity at harvest• Species and Variety• Leafiness• Harvesting • Storage conditions• Presence of Pests or

Foreign MatterAlfalfa Plant

Grass Plant

Methods of Forage Testing • Visual appraisal

– color, leafiness, maturity, and the presence of foreign material, feel and smell as well as sight.

• Chemical analysis – analysis of the actual chemical components identifies nutritionally

strong and weak points

• Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy– estimates the major chemical constituents in forages from the

absorption characteristics in the near-infrared region of the spectrum.

Taking a Representative Sample• Time to sample?• A bale probe or core• 20 square bales or 10 round bales• Place drillings in a clean plastic bucket• Mix drillings and put one quart in a

plastic bag and send to a laboratory. • AY-460, Forage Testing-Why, How, and Where.

Troubleshooting Weight Loss• Has the horses position in the social pecking order

changed?• Has horse developed dental problems that prevent

it from eating enough food?• Is there good quality feed and water available at all

times?• Is there a chronic disease? Parasites?

Management Tips for Tough Times

• Body Condition Score the horses• Maximize stockpiled pasture• Inventory and analyze hay and feeds• Check for parasites and dental health• Divide herd into management groups• Minimize hay wastage

General Considerations• Parasites are most successfully prevented through a

combination of management and therapeutic strategies• Management

– Decrease parasite burden in environment

• Therapeutic– Deworming with proper

product at proper intervals

Parasite Prevention

• Adequate pasture acreage• Compost manure• Cleanliness• Pasture rotation• Mixed grazing (cattle and horses)

Mouth- Function• Prehension – take in feed• Chewing – break into small pieces

and mix• Saliva – adds moisture and enzymes

– 12-15 liters per day of parotid secretion– low levels of amylase for starch digestion – contains significant Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl-, HC02, HPO2

Dental Care• Headtilt, difficulty chewing while eating

– may drop feed, feed in feces

• Weight loss• Bad breath• Head tossing, bit chewing

Dental Care

Annual Dental Exam• Check for:

– Hooks– Points– Wolf teeth– Unopposed teeth

• Float teeth if necessary

Management Tips for Tough Times

• Body Condition Score the horses• Maximize stockpiled pasture• Inventory and analyze hay and feeds• Check for parasites and dental health• Divide herd into management groups• Minimize hay wastage

Divide and Conquer

Harvest as hay in May

Water

Fats

Need more or better hay

Skinniest

Need best hay and concentrates

Management Tips for Tough Times

• Body Condition Score the horses• Maximize stockpiled pasture• Inventory and analyze hay and feeds• Check for parasites and dental health• Divide herd into management groups• Minimize hay wastage

Feeding Hay• Grain boxes/tubs• Rubber tubs• Half tires• Mangers• Hay feeders

Management Tips for Tough Times• Locate/use oat or wheat hay, grasses • Utilize crop residues• Utilize alternative feeds strategies• Limit-feed nutrient dense feeds• Adjust rations for cold stress• Improve soil pH, fertility etc.• Cull horses as needed

Alternative Sources of Fiber• Wheat Bran• Soybean, Cottonseed Hulls• Oat or Wheat Hay• Dried Distillers Grains -

Supplement Energy?• Increase body condition or work• Energy supplements – corn, soybean, flax, rice oils

– Fat - up to 15% increases blood glucose / glycogen– Enzymes can calm and conserve energy – Omega-3 fatty acids may be of some benefit– DMG - N, N, - Dimethylglycine - active in mitochondria -

respiratory part of cells - increases oxygen transport to make ATP and use glycogen

Add Fat - Not Protein• Protein - expensive, added heat, water loss• Fat

– increases energy density with feed intake, decrease in volume of concentrates per day

– decreases amount of energy for heat production,– increases muscle glycogen over time,– no increase in blood glucose, glycogen sparing– Evidence of omega-3 fatty acid benefit on reproduction, hair and skin

Sources of Protein for Horses• Soybean Oil Meal• Flax - Linseed Meal• Sunflower Meal• Cottonseed Meal• Peanut Meal• Corn Gluten Meal

• Casein• Dried Skim Milk• Fish Meal• Meat Meal

Major Mineral Concentrations in Total Diets

Type Ca (%) P (%) Mg (%) K (%)

• Maintenance .21 .15 0.08 0.27• Light work .27 .19 .10 .3• Moderate work .28 .22 .11 .36• Intense work .31 .23 .12 .39• 2 Yr old - .31 .17 .09 .29 in training

Be smart as a fox as you feed horses!

Management Tips for Tough Times• Locate/use oat or wheat hay, grasses • Utilize crop residues• Utilize alternative feeds strategies• Limit-feed nutrient dense feeds• Adjust rations for cold stress• Improve soil pH, fertility etc.• Cull horses as needed

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