AAEP Wrap-Up 2008 Sponsored by: www.arenus.com 866.791.3344 9 Keys to Equine Nutrition

By christy west

utrition is the foundation of a said Gray. Free-choice forage most closely Key #2: Forage Isn’t Everything healthy, happy horse that per- matches the constant feeding behavior of Most grasses and hays don’t have all “Nforms to the best of its abil- horses in wild situations, but this isn’t al- the minerals and/or vitamins horses need. ity,” began Lydia F. Gray, DVM, MA, medi- ways possible in today’s managed environ- There are four ways to add the right min- cal director/staff veterinarian at SmartPak. ments. She recommended feeding horses erals and vitamins to a horse’s diet: She described nine keys to understanding a minimum of 1% of their body weight as ■ Mineral or multivitamin/mineral supple- equine nutrition at the Healthy Horses forage, divided into as many meals as pos- ment: 1 to 4 ounces per day; Workshop, which was an owner seminar sible. Caveat: Overweight horses or those ■ Ration balancer (minerals plus protein): that took place during convention. with equine metabolic syndrome or other 1 to 2 pounds per day; disorders might not be able to safely graze ■ Fortified grain: 5 to 7 pounds per day; Key #1: Forage or eat hay free-choice; they might require ■ Complete feed (forage and grain in one Forage, either as fresh grass or grass restrictions, particularly on high-sugar bag): 12 to 14 pounds per day. hay, is the basic staple of a horse’s diet, forages. The strategy you choose depends on your horse; many horses will do fine with forage and a mineral supplement or ra- tion balancer, while those that are hard- working or hard keepers might need the additional calories of a fortified grain. Complete feeds are helpful for some se- nior horses that have trouble chewing for- age, or horses with airway problems (that can’t take the dust of hay), said Gray.

Key #3: Supplementation Many common feeding strategies don’t suit horses’ needs very well, noted Gray. Consider two common scenarios: The easy keeper on small amounts of grass hay to keep his weight down often will not get enough of the vitamins and minerals he needs, and the racehorse in heavy work getting lots of fortified grain for energy might be getting far more vitamins and minerals than he needs, plus the addi- tional starches in the sweet feed he’s likely getting might contribute to ulcers, colic, or even tying-up. To find out if your feeding strategy is working for your horse, see Key #4.

Key #4: What a Horse Needs The sixth edition of the government’s equine nutrition reference, Nutrient Re- quirements of Horses (http://www.nap. edu/catalog.php?record_id=11653), was released in 2007 and contains guidelines for all of a horse’s nutritional needs. From

M e g a n Arsz ma water to energy, minerals, feed additives, Forage is the basic staple of a horse’s diet. It is recommended that a minimum of 1% of a horse’s and feeding management concerns, this body weight should be fed as forage, divided into as many meals as possible. text has it all.

40 TheHorse.com/AAEP2008 AAEP Wrap-Up The Horse March 2009 AAEP Wrap-Up 2008 Sponsored by: www.arenus.com 866.791.3344

Key #5: The Digestive Tract from fat rather than starches and Gray described the form and function sugars might reduce excitability in Free BCS Chart of the equine digestive tract’s many com- some horses. For more information on how to ponents, emphasizing how their function Vitamins The horse needs these determine your horse’s body condi- affects the way we feed horses. For exam- in small amounts for essential tion score download your free chart ple, the horse’s small stomach (capacity of metabolic functions, although his at TheHorse.com/pdf/nutrition/ about 2 gallons) means the horse should body can manufacture some of eat small amounts continuously or receive the vitamins it needs. Vitamins are bcs-poster.pdf. feed in several small meals. The large in- divided into fat-soluble (A, D, E, testine (15-gallon capacity) contains bac- and K) and water-soluble (multiple B vi- to 9 (obese); know- teria that ferment fiber the horse can’t di- tamins and C). ing your horse’s score gest himself; a byproduct of fermentation Minerals Horses need several differ- gives you a good basis for discussions with is heat. Thus, feeding larger amounts of ent minerals for essential body functions. your veterinarian and nutritionist. For fiber in winter helps the horse “heat up” These are broken down into macrominer- more information on how to determine from the inside out, she explained. als and microminerals (or trace minerals, your horse’s body condition score, see those required in smaller amounts). TheHorse.com/pdf/nutrition/bcs-poster.pdf. Key #6: The Six Nutrient Classes Gray described the following six major Key #7: They’re All Different Key #9: Keep Reading! nutrient classes and their importance to Horses’ nutrient requirements vary For Gray’s complete paper and a glos- equine life: with many factors, from age to reproduc- sary of nutrition terms, see www.aaep.org/ Water This makes up 70-75% of the tion status, workload, disease status, stress health_articles_view.php?id=332. She also body and functions in metabolism and (i.e., from training/shipping), and individ- suggests that owners look into the follow- temperature control. Horses usually drink ual factors such as whether a horse tends ing resources for additional nutrition in- 5 to 15 gallons per day; clean, drinkable to be an easy or hard keeper. Many more formation. water should be available at all times. important factors aren’t so specific to the Protein An average adult horse needs at individual, such as management/housing, Books least 540 grams of protein in his diet daily weather conditions, and quality of feeds. Nutrient Requirements of Horses. Sixth (about 8% of the diet). The amino acids Keep an eye on your horse’s body condi- revised edition. Washington, D.C.: Nation- that make up proteins are the building tion (see Key #8) so you know if his diet al Research Council of the National Acad- blocks of his muscles, connective tissues, needs to be adjusted. emies Press, 2007. skin, hooves, hair, and many enzymes, Briggs, K. Understanding Equine Nutri- hormones, and more. The horse can pro- Key #8: Body Condition Scoring/ tion. Lexington, KY: Eclipse Press, 2007. duce 10 types of amino acids on his own, Measurements Magazines and another 10 are essential to have in the Is your horse gaining or losing weight? The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health diet because he can’t make them himself. When was the last time you weighed him Care (TheHorse.com) Lysine is the most important amino acid on scales or wrapped a tape around his The Horse Journal (www.Horse-Journal. because the horse can’t manufacture the middle? An undesirable weight change is com) proteins his body needs if he doesn’t get one of the clearest signs that the diet isn’t enough of it (it is termed the first “limit- right for your horse, or it could be a signal Web Sites ing” amino acid). that disease is changing his needs. Facts on pasture, fructans, and feeding Carbohydrates These are the horse’s You can monitor your horse’s weight by the insulin-resistant horse: www.safer- primary energy source, and fibrous car- using weight tapes, although their accuracy grass.org bohydrates help keep the large intestine will vary with your horse’s body type. Tapes Horse weight prediction equation: in good shape. There are different ways to might be best used to identify changes in http://animalscience.tamu.edu/images/ classify carbohydrates, but the most basic weight over time rather than to get specific pdf/equine/equine-estimating-horse-body- way is to divide them into nonstructural weight measurements. If you want a more weight.pdf (or see www.SmartPakEquine. carbohydrates (NSC, primarily nonfibrous accurate estimation of your horse’s weight, com for a weight calculator) sugars) and structural carbohydrates that measure his barrel at the highest point of Hay analysis: www.Equi-Analytical.com make up plants’ cell walls. his withers and his body length from the Pictures and instruction on body condi- Fat/fatty acids While horses only need point of his shoulder straight back to the tion scoring: www.umext.maine.edu/on- small amounts of omega-6 fatty acids in point of his buttock. Then plug those num- linepubs/htmpubs/1010.htm or TheHorse. their diets, fat can safely be fed at up to bers into this formula: com Body Condition Score Poster (www. 20% of the diet (on a dry matter basis), Heart girth (inches) × heart girth (in.) thehorse.com/pdf/nutrition/bcs-poster. and it is often used to supplement calories × body length (in.) ÷ 330 = body weight pdf) for hard-working horses or hard keepers. in pounds. Rutgers University information on nu- Some fatty acids, such as the omega-3s, Body weight isn’t the only thing you trition and horse management: www.esc. might help decrease inflammation in the should be monitoring; there’s also body rutgers.edu/publications.htm body, especially in the skin and respiratory condition, or fat cover, to consider. Body Online classes on equine nutrition: tract. Lastly, feeding more calories that are condition is scored from 1 (emaciated) www.drkellon.com h

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