NUTRITION AND FEEDING OF HORSES - CHAPTER 11

ENERGY REQUIREMENTS

A Varies with: stage of life cycle, type of work, speed, terrain over which the work is done.

B. Requirements are expressed in terms of TDN or as Mcal of DE (see table 11-1)

C. __________ creates a great demand for energy.

D. Pregnancy does not increase energy needs appreciably; slight increase last _______ of gestation

E. Energy requirement for lactation depend on the amount of milk produced. (.36 Mcal or .18 lb TDN/ lb milk as energy requirement for lactation)

F. Need to estimate energy from forage.

PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS

A. see table 11-1 for recommended protein requirements

B. high-qualtiy proteins with adequate amino acids are recommended (esp. with young growing horses)

C. As horses grow and reach their mature wt., the need for supplemental protein diminishes; however, this may depend on __________________ quality.

D. ____________ lb of CP per 1000 lb of BW is a suggested maintenance level for protein.

E. Mare in their last 3 mos. of gestation may require _______ lb of CP per day above maintenance level.

F. The mare should be provide with an addition _____ lb of CP per lb of milk produced.

G. Need sot estimate protein from forage.

MINERAL REQUIREMENTS

A. Minerals are needed to develop sound feet and legs. Ca, P and others (see table 11-1 and 11-2)

B. Ca and P:

3 conditions needed to obtain a proper Ca:P ratio:

1.

2.

3.

C. Salt - nutrient and condiment in the diet (.5% of total diet)

D. Trace mineral supplementation

1. safe guard

2. cost is very small (may be as low as $.24 per horse per year)

3. Fe, Cu, I, Zn, Mn, Co, Se, and S

VITAMIN REQUIREMENTS

A. When to supplement Vit. A? Why?

B. When to supplement Vit. D? Why?

C. Vitamin E may prevent muscle degeneration in foals and "tying-up" syndrome in light horses

D. Vit C and Vit K supplementation is not needed.

E. If vitamin B supplementation is desired use recommendations for the pig.

FEEDS FOR HORSES

A. Forages (hay and pasture) - fed at a rate of _________ to _________ lb/100 lb BW per day

1. Quality is extremely important.

a. moldy or dusty have may cause _____________ and ______________ in horses.

b.feeding poor quality hay is large amounts is not recommended. Why?

2. High quality clover and small grain hay fed with high grain may result in loose feces and colic

3. Bromegrass, orchardgrass, timothy, and bermudagrass make excellent hay for horses

4. Legumes hays are heavier and more difficult to cure...

5. Alfalfa is more laxative than grasses... not a problem

6. DANGER: sorghum and sorghum-Sudan hybrid are not recommended for horses. Why?

7. Horses requiring grain supplementation when good quality forage is available

a. rapidly developing weanlings and yearlings

b. lactating mares

c. show and performance horses

B. Concentrates - fed to make up deficiencies of nutrient not supplied by forage

1. Grains - oats, corn, corn+oat mixture, barley, milo (not used much), wheat bran (5 to 15%)

2. Protein supplements

a. linseed meal - bloom luster in the hair coat, pelleted, compared with SBM lower in

amino acid content and more expensive

b. SBM - used extensively; high quality protein and economical

c. milk protein - starting foal diets

3. Other feedstuffs

a. molasses (5 to 10% of total diet)

b. dehydrated alfalfa meal (5 to 10% of diet)

c. limestone, dical...

d. fats and oils: bloom, increase energy, decrease dustiness (5 to 10% of diet)

FEEDING HORSES

A. Feeding Suckling Foals and Weanlings

1. most nutritional requirements met by milk firs 3 to 4 mos.

2. see 11-4

B. Feeding yearlings and two-year-olds

1. at one year of age or 800 lb change to yearling diet (Table 11-4)

2. rely more on hay and pasture

3. work of training will increase energy requirement (see table 11-1)

4. individual feeding of horse that are working

C. Feeding mature , dry mare or gelding - forage with mineral supplementation

D. Reproduction

1. Gestation

a. maintenance diet during __________ gestation

b. during the last _______ days of the gestation period, about ______% of the wt. of Th.

fetus develops

c. mare should gain about ___% of her normal BW wt. during last 3 mos. of gestation

(see Table 11-4 fore suggested diets)

2. Lactation - use same diet fed to yearling and two-year-olds

a. mare should be in good flesh prior to foaling

b. few days prior to foaling provide a the mare with a more ______ diet to reduce problems with _______________________.

c. allow 7 to 10 days after foaling to bring mare to a full feed providing 1 to 1.5 lb of

concentrate per 100 lb of BW.

d. peak lactation occurs between ____ to ____ months postfoaling.

e. a 1100 lb mare may produce over _____ lb milk daily at peak lactation

3. Follow a good worming program

4. Nutritionally related diseases (see Table 11-5)