Horse Nutrition. Horses should have access to clean, fresh water at all times. A mature horse drinks...
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Transcript of Horse Nutrition. Horses should have access to clean, fresh water at all times. A mature horse drinks...
Horse Nutrition
Horses should have access to clean,fresh water at
all times. A mature horse
drinks on average5-10 gallons a day.This will vary withthe activity and temperature of
the environment.For example:
Summer-moreWinter-less
Important note: Hot, exhausted horses should wait 30 minutes
before drinking water after heavy exercise. They are however,
allowed to consume hay during this cooling down period.
Nutrient requirements vary for Nutrient requirements vary for your horse?your horse?
•Stage of Production•Maintenance•Work•Lactation•Pregnancy•Early growth •Age
•Mature Size•Activity Level
Equine Digestive System
•Mouth to anus = 100ft
stomach small intestine cecum
large colon
descending colon
rectumhindgutforegut
esophagus
Equine Digestive System
•Mouth, esophagus, stomach = 3-4 feet •Stomach Capacity = 8-15 quarts
stomach small intestine cecum
large colon
descending colon
rectumhindgutforegut
esophagus
Equine Digestive System
•Small intestine = 70 feet long •Small intestine capacity = 48 quarts
stomach small intestine cecum
large colon
descending colon
rectumhindgutforegut
esophagus
Equine Digestive System
•Large intestine = 20 feet long •Large intestine capacity = 130 quarts
stomach small intestine cecum
large colon
descending colon
rectumhindgutforegut
esophagus
Equine Digestive System
•Mouth breaks down food •Wets feed with saliva--3 gallons per day
stomach small intestine cecum
large colon
descending colon
rectumhindgutforegut
esophagus
Equine Digestive System
•Stomach has 10% of the digestive system capacity •Therefore horses are constant grazers
stomach small intestine cecum
large colon
descending colon
rectumhindgutforegut
esophagus
Equine Digestive System
•In the small intestine we: break down carbohydrates to glucose, proteins to amino acids, fats to free fatty acids, and add bicarbonate.
stomach small intestine cecum
large colon
descending colon
rectumhindgutforegut
esophagus
DIGESTIONDIGESTION
•Total process = 65 hours•15 minutes in the stomach•1 hour in small intestine•63 hours in large intestine
• Adjusted feeding based on an activity level. Maintenance feed levels can be based per 100 lb of weight (1%). Supplemental feeding over maintenance should be based on the level and duration of work.
CTVT p.367
• Page 366 CTVT
COMMON FEEDSTUFFCOMMON FEEDSTUFF
Alfalfa
% DM Mcal/# % Protein
90 .94 18
Brome 89 .80 11
Orchard 88 .85 11
Straw 91 .70 4
Oats 89 1.3 12
Corn 88 1.5 9
VITAMINS
•Vitamin A--from green grass and green hay
•Vitamin D--from forage
•Vitamin E--from forage
•Vitamin K--from forage
SALT should be fed free choice
MINERALS•Calcium--major source from roughage
•Phosphorus--major source from grains
•We want the calcium to phosphorus ratio at 1.5
•May consider for the area supplementing with Selenium
Salt Blocks contain trace-mineralized salts (microminerals) needed as supplements, when
they are not available in the horses diet.
Chopped hay Pulp Flaked corn Pellets
Crimped oats/Sugar beets/Micronized flaked barley/Sweet feed
Bran
Square Bale of HayAvg. weight: 60 lbs
Round baleof hay
Avg. wt: tons
This is called a flake of hay. A flake can weigh from 1.5 – 5 lbs.
Dry Matter Intake
• Most maintenance horses (this means pasture raised horses, not working horses) can be fed with hay: 1.5 to 1.8 lbs hay/100lbs (BW/Day)
• Work increases the need for water, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium) and energy.
Oats
Corn (cracked or crushed)
Wheat
Sweet Feed
Pelleted Feed
The Hays
Make sure you check the quality
Quality • Forage quality varies greatly by soil
quality, species of grass, season of the year, rainfall, overgrazing, pasture rotation, weed control and the presence of toxic weeds
• Laboratory analysis of forage for moisture, energy, protein, fiber and microminerals and micronutrients is fundamental in assessing roughage nutrient control
• Hay analysis is performed at little or not cost by regional agriculture extension services
Coastal Bermuda Hay Bales
Sudan Grass Hay
Johnson Grass Hay
Prairie Hay
CTVT p.367
The End!