Horse Nutrition and Feeding Standards PDF

Basic nutrition, feeds and feeding standard for horses: 1.Common feeds for horses a. digestive system b. types of feeds & pasture grasses 2. Feeding systems 3. Feeding standards 4.Special aspects of nutrition for performance of stud, mare a...

Basic nutrition, feeds and feeding standard for horses: 1.Common feeds for horses a. digestive system b. types of feeds & pasture grasses 2. Feeding systems 3. Feeding standards 4.Special aspects of nutrition for performance of stud, mare and foals Horse I. What are his most basic needs? II. How do you know if he is well? III. How can you improve his environment? IV. Is your horse happy? V. Are you being fair to your horse? What are his most basic needs Water Food Shelter Companionship Basic requirements of a horse  Food  Water  Shelter  Health care  Hoof care  Exercise Nutrition & Feeding  Requirements based on  Temperature (season)  Type of use / activity  Age  Merck’s Manual pp2060-2061  Feeding Plan  Roughage source  Concentrate feed  Trace mineral salt block Pasture  Amount required per animal depends on  The use of the pasture   The kind of pasture  The amount of available moisture  1 hectare/horse will provide little more than an exercise area  2 hectares if well managed are sufficient for the grazing season Legume Hay  Mown grass/legume and dried for use as fodder  Alfalfa is the best  More palatable than grass hay  Higher protein and mineral content  Grass-legume mixtures are often used for horse hay Silage  May replace up to ½ the hay in the horse ration  Corn silage is best  Alternatives: Grain sorghum, grass and grass-legume silages  Feed high quality silage that is chopped fine and free of mold  Do not feed silage to foals and horses that are being worked hard Legume Hay  Mown grass/legume and dried for use as fodder  Alfalfa is the best  More palatable than grass hay  Higher protein and mineral content  Grass-legume mixtures are often used for horse hay Grass Hay  Common hays  Timothy-the standard hay for feeding horses  Bermuda  Cereal hay  Generally do not yield as much feed per hectare  Lower in protein, calcium, vitamins Water First above everything else Clean, fresh water Give a quick check that a horse has water After feeding check, and refill their water buckets Check again 4 hours after their last feed Cannot be disturbed if he is drinking. In the winter (Temperate country), when it is very cold sometimes horse will be more reluctant to drink. A little warm water to their buckets. A horse would die of hypothermia before he could ever consume enough water by eating snow. FOOD Second list complex nutrition  A horse can go longer without food than he can go without water. It is the owner that will be responsible for the horse’s food plan. A horse receive the calories he needs for the work Signs of losing weight or getting fat can indicate that the feeding program is not optimal or horse’s welfare is not a top priority. SHELTER Horses are quite hardy and can live outside. Do not leave horses in extremely hot or cold conditions. Often in Winter, they need more hay to keep their weight up but help keep them warm. Heat is produce through the digestion of feed. COMPANIONSHIP Is by nature a herd animal How did you know if your horse is well? BE OBSERVANT How did you know if your horse is well?  Pay attention to what is normal for him.  Does his bed seem disturbed in an unusual way?  Has he eaten all his food (unless you know he is a pick eater)?  Has he had drink of water? (Difficult to tell with automatic waterers.  Does he seem listless or uninterested in the goings on in his environment?  Does he have droppings in his stall?  Is his breathing rapid, shallow, or erratic in some other way?  Are his eyes clear or is there discharge?  Are his nostrils clear or is there discharge?  Are there any visual signs of injury, cuts, swelling, etc.?  Does his coat seem shiny with a healthy oily look?  If he is lying down, is he rolling or thrashing?  Is he resting a front foot? Check what is normal Pinching of skin on his neck: Return to a flattened position within 1.5 sec. Recognize swellings on his lower limbs: lumps & bumps Respiratory Rate bpm @ rest: 8-12 bpm Heart rate: 36-42 bpm (through stethoscope, pulse in facial artery, fetlock, back or side of his pastern. ) Horse’s Body Temperature: 37.3 °C to 38.4 °C (99.1 to 101.1 °F.) Gums of the horse: Salmon pink (return in 1-2 seconds after pressing the horse’s gums) Gut sounds: silence and too much gurgling can be sign of problem. How can you improve his environment? It is natural for a horse to be inside, in a stall, for days on end. = can create issues for horses (Stable vices) such as cribbing, stall walking, weaving An open space is vital to their health, physical and mental well-being.  Clear obstacles: Anywhere that the horse is going to pass should be kept clear of any hazards. The fencing needs to be safe and there should be no protruding nails or anything sharp they can cut themselves on. Doors should be opened fully before a horse passes through (Door latch, bolts that stick out). Horse needs more room to turn safely. Dust free environment as possible (air of good quality) IS YOUR HORSE HAPPY? Horse doesn’t need too much in terms of things in order to be happy/ First & foremost, horse doesn’t like to be all alone. Considers himself ‘hunted’ he can never completely relax. In a herd or even with just one animal he can rest for a brief period. A horse is happier when there is a calm routine. A horse is happier when he is handled gently and calmly and when no one is loud or erratic around them. A horse is happier when he knows what is expected of him. A horse is happier when he is physically able to do the task he is asked to do. A horse is happier when he is turned out and allowed to play with other horses in an open space. A horse is happier when he trusts the people who handle him. Are you being fair to your horse? Average life span of a wild horse is about 8 years. Mistreating horses: done accidentally and lack of knowledge Miss important warning signs Note: The more you know about horses, the better care you can give. Becoming a better steward of the horse’s welfare: It is unfair to a horse not to know that he shouldn’t be overfed or underfed. It is unfair not to provide fresh water and shelter. It is unfair not to ensure he has his feet attended to regularly. It is unfair not to know that he shouldn’t be worked hard and then left to stand in his stall before he has cooled down from the work. It is unfair not to recognize when he is unwell or sore. It is unfair not to take notice of his tack fits incorrectly. It is unfair not to know if he is fit and athletic enough to accomplish the goals you set for him. It is unfair to force him into compliance rather than gain his understanding. WATER Over 60% of an equine’s body is water. It is vital for life. Any deprivation is not only cruel but will depress appetite and reduce the equine’s ability to work. It is therefore the most important requirement. It should be clean and free from salts. In fact, equines and particularly donkeys are well adapted to an arid environment – they will absorb any water available in their diet. Donkeys are more thirst tolerant than horses and will maintain their appetites in conditions of water deprivation. Overall requirements are the same.  Water should be provided to all working equines regularly during their work and ad lib during their resting time. Normal Feeding Patterns In the wild a horse will spend approximately 18–20 h/day foraging and feeding. Donkeys feed for slightly less, 14–16 h/day. This may be because donkeys are more efficient at digesting food. Working animals must be given sufficient time to feed as they also need time to rest. Unlike pleasure horses and donkeys in the developed world, which are often too fat, working equines are normally too thin. The Role and Structure of the Equine Gut The equine gut, unlike that of the ruminant, has a relatively small stomach, approximately 9% of the total gut capacity. On the other hand it has a large hindgut, which consists of a colon and a caecum, representing 38% and 16% of total gut capacity, respectively. The equine rectum represents 7% of total gut capacity, and is extremely efficient at removing the water content of the droppings. The long small intestine represents 30% of total gut capacity, and it is rarely full; in fact, the total gut fill is usually less than one-third of total capacity. One kilogram of concentrated feed requires 1000 chews, while 1 kg of poor-quality roughage needs three times that number of chews. Further along the gut there is a process of fermentation, where the animal is assisted by enzymes produced by bacteria, protozoa and fungi to break down the fibrous food into nutrients that can be absorbed and utilized by the body. The fibre consists of hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin. Hemicelluloses are digestible fibre, but cellulose requires fermentation by microorganisms before it can be absorbed and utilized by the animal. Energy Requirements Energy is required to live and to work. In the young animal extra energy is required to grow. In the adult animal energy is required for reproduction; this includes oestrus, mating, pregnancy and lactation. The main energy requirement is going to be supplied by ingestion of carbohydrate. In developed countries horses are often fed large amounts of so-called non-structural carbohydrates, which are mainly starch. These short feeds include corn, which is usually either oats, barley, wheat or maize, which are quickly converted by the liver to glucose. Horses, and particularly ponies and donkeys, tend to be too fat. This is poor husbandry; it compromises the animal’s welfare as it causes many easily avoidable diseases. The ideal diet for an equine is a high-roughage diet containing a large amount of structural carbohydrate. The problem with a high-roughage diet is that it takes time to chew, in the region of 18 h/day. A horse will consume approximately 1.5% of its body weight of DM daily. If a horse weighs 500 kg (or that is the weight it should weigh), then it will eat 7.5 kg of DM.