Feeding horses Flashcards
What are some considerations when feeding horses
Hindgut fermentation
Produce most of their own vitamins
Minerals supplemented via mineral lick
how do you BCS a horse
Several systems
Hennekes nine point system has best data
1 too thin
4 to 7 ideal
9 too fat
What does a 1 look like in a horse
Extremely emaciated.
No fatty tissues can be felt.
Bone structure easily noticeable on neck, withers and shoulder. Ribs, spinous processes on back, tail head, pin bones and hook bones projecting prominently.
What does a 2 look like in a horse
VERY THIN
Emaciated. Bone structure faintly noticeable on neck, withers, shoulder. Ribs, spinous processes, tail head, pin bones and hook bones prominent.
Slight fat cover over base of spinous processes.
What does a 3 look like in a horse
: THIN
Neck, withers and shoulder emphasized.
Slight fat cover over ribs and halfway on spinous processes but easily palpable. Tail head prominent but individual vertebrae cannot be seen. Hook bones appear rounded.
Pin bones not distinguishable.
What does a 4 look like in a horse
MODERATELY THIN
Neck, withers and shoulder not obviously thin.
Faint outline of ribs can be seen.
Negative crease along back. Fat can be felt over tail head.
What does a 5 look like in a horse
MODERATE
Neck and shoulder blend smoothly into body.
Withers rounded over spinous processes. Ribs cannot be seen but easily felt. Back is level. Fat around tail head starting to feed spongy.
What does a 6 look like in a horse
MODERATELY FLESHY
Fat starting to be deposited along neck, shoulder and withers. Fat over ribs feels spongy. May have slight positive crease (groove) down back. Fat around tail head is soft.
What does a 7 look like in a horse
FLESHY
Fat deposited along neck, withers and behind shoulder. Noticeable fat filling between ribs. May have positive crease down back. Fat around tail head soft.
What does a 8 look like in a horse
FAT
Noticeable thickening of neck. Area along withers and behind shoulder filled with fat.
Positive crease down back. Fat around tail head very soft.
What does a 9 look like in a horse
EXTREMELY FAT
Bulging fat on neck, withers, behind shoulders and around tail head. Patchy fat over ribs.
Obvious crease down back.
Flank filled with fat.
What is important about equine ingestion
Selective grazers
Prehensile, sensitive lips
Grind food with molars
Grow continuously
Eat throughout the day
Small stomach
No gall bladder
Monogastric
Mammalian digestion in small intestine
Fermentation in cecum and large intestine
What to consider with water and equines
Must have access to fresh, clean water
Storage tanks, troughs or pails
Water levels kept high enough
Reluctant to place head in a trough or pail below eye level
Optimal temperature 20-60*C
What is the normal water amount for a horse
Average minimal water intake is 5L/100kg BW/day
Increases with work requirements and diet
If feed dry hay, requirements double
Lactation or sweat losses increase needs by 50-200%
What is the max dry matter intake for horses
The most food a horse consume in a day
It increases with need and the digestibility of the feed
1.5-2% of BW, maintenance
1000 lb horse = 20 lbs
3% of BW, peak lactation
Growth 3.5% (nursing/eanling) to 2%
What are the energy needs of a non working horse
30 kcal (0.03 mcal/kg BW)
What are the energy needs of a herd keeper horse
40 kcal (0.04 Mcal)/kg BW)
What can cause variations in energy needs of a horse
Cold weather
Lack adequate shelter outside
Growth
Rapid and slow growth periods
Pregnancy and lactation
Maintenance until last 90 days of gestation
Increase in energy needs bey 10-20%
Lactation may require 2-3x maintenance
Work
Type of work, condition and training of horse, environment, skill of driver or rider
What are the protein requirements for a horse
Some microbial and absorption of amino acids occurs in cecum and large intestine
Not sufficient to meet the amino acid needs
Requirements affected by
Growth 14-16% of total ration
Mature horses 8-10% of total ration
Aged (>20 yrs) 14-16% of total ration
Pregnancy 10-11% of total ration
Lactation 12-14% of total ration
What are the calcium and phosphorus considerations in a horse
Greater needs during growth, last third of pregnancy, lactation
Phosphorus needs of older horses may be higher
Maintain a ratio of >1:1
What are common nutritional problems at growth for horses
Developmental orthopedic disease
Flexural deformity
What causes developmental orthopaedic disease
Developmental orthopedic disease
This includes deformed limbs (angular limb deformities) and bone malformations that cause problems in later life
Nutrition can be predisposing factor
Too much grain (energy)
Improper amounts of minerals
Especially calcium, phosphorus, copper and zinc
Exercise strengthens bones
However in most cases inheritance is the most likely cause
What is flexural deformity in horses and how to treat
Inflammation of the growth plates (physitis)
Secondary to insulin dysregulation from rapid digestion of easily available carbohydrates
Physitis results in pain and lack of weight bearing
Unstretched tenders cause flexural deformities
Treatment and prevention
Restrict energy-heavy feed
No alfalfa
Timothy (low energy) hay
What should the pasture for horses be
Pastures should be
Permanent
A mixture of grasses and legumes
Legumes boost the protein (and energy) content
Over mature pasture (stems and flowers) is poor quality grazing for horses
What should grazing look like in a horse
Selective grazers
Graze the palatable areas of the ground
Leave the stemmy areas to overgrow
Will not graze near fecal pats
What is the ideal pasture rotation for a horse
Multiple pastures
Pasture rotation
Parasite control (no/few survive prairie winters)
Different types for different seasons
Grass for spring
Alfalfa for summer
How to utilize your pasture for a horse
Prevention of over or undergrazing
Grazing pasture close to the ground
Move
Prevents damage to plants
Excessive pasture growth?
Mow for hay
Overgrazed pastures contribute to increase parasite burdens and favour overgrowth of weeds
Ovoid large pastures
Under and overgrazed areas
Ensure appropriate size and access
1 acre per horse
Horses avoid feces (latrines)
Avoid forages with a lot of stem
Results in roughs and lawns (good areas)
Cows eat roughs
Cows graze near feces
How to manage a psture for horses
Chain harrow to spread manure
Hot dry periods
No horses
Clip or mow or spot 2,4-D (selective weed killer) application ro remove unpalatable weeds
Once a year
How can you tell if pasture is adequate for a horse
Condition of horses
Condition of pasture
Analysis of plants
Most horses can maintain body weight when fed good quality forage, water and a mineral block
What causes pasture associated laminitis
Non structural carbohydrates (NSC)
Excessive NSC in large intestine
How does nonstructural carrbs cause laminitsi
Non structural carbohydrates (NSC)
Sugars, fructans and starch
Rapid growth pastures ( spring, summer, fall after heavy rain) favour accumulation
Ideally digestion in small intestine
Up to half the starch and all the fructans can reach large intestine where it is rapidly fermented
How does excessive NSC in LI cause laminitis
Overgrowth of bacteria that can digest starch and fructans
Produce lactic acids, lower pH
Destruction and inflammation of gut wall, absorption of toxins
Colic
Diarrhea
Laminitis
Systemic inflammatory response that contribute to destruction of lamellar epithelium and matrix
