Maintenance requirement of horse and feeding practice

Question 1

Nutrient requirement for maint

Answer 1

Is equal to nutrient requirement

Question 2

9 things to mention initially

Answer 2

1. DMI
2. DE
3. CP
4. Protein
5. Crude fibre
6. Ca and P
7. Ca:P ratio
8. Water and NaCl
9. BCS

Question 3

DMI

Answer 3

1. 5% of BW
   e. g 7.5kg for a 500kg horse

Question 4

DE

Answer 4

Horses weighing less than 600kg have a different formula to horses over 600kg

Approx 70 MJ/day

0.14 x BW

Question 5

CP

Answer 5

for maint= 690g/day or

9.5 x DE

Question 6

Protein

Answer 6

We are supposed to use DCP for horses but we use CP in practice (this is 0.6g/kgbw)

Question 7

Crude fibre

Answer 7

16-18%

Question 8

Ca requirement

Answer 8

4g/100kgbw (roughly 20g a day)

Question 9

P requirement:

Answer 9

3g/ 100kgBW (roughly 15g/day)

Question 10

Ca: P ratio

Answer 10

SHould be 1.5-2 : 1

Question 11

Water and NaCl

Answer 11

2L per kg of DM or 5L per kgbw: amounts to about 25L per day

Salt should always be available because feedstuff is low in salt

Question 12

BCS

Answer 12

Depends on breed and use

BCS 4: racehorse

BCS 6: dressage/ breed mare

Question 13

Daily DM and Feen intake (5)

Answer 13

1. Grass
2. Hays
3. Silage
4. Straw
5. Concentrates

Question 14

Daily DM and Feed Intake: grass

Answer 14

Timothy over blue grass

NO sudan grass- prussic acid (HCN)– causes cystitis

Question 15

Daily DM and Feed Intake: Hays

Answer 15

9-10 MJ/kg DE

1. Alfalfa- high is protein and Ca and so is good for lactating/gestation
   
   1. Problems: the high Ca- urinary and kidney stones
   2. High protein- rapid growth of foals- DOD’s, incr body temp and incr NH3
2. Meadow hay: stallions in the breeding season
3. Minimum daily hay requirement: 1.5-2% of BW which roughly equates to 10-10.5kg for 500kg horse: give 1/4 in the morn, 1/4 at noon and 2/4 in the eve

Question 16

Silage

Answer 16

10kg/day

Question 17

Straw

Answer 17

Is high in CF

Low in protein

Low in DE

Question 18

Concentrates:

Answer 18

Max 0.5% of BW- to improve the body condition

Oat, barley and wheat gran and corn

To incr the E content:

1. Molasses
2. Dry brewers grain
3. Sugar beet pulp

Question 19

Forage to conc ration

Answer 19

Light work 65:35

Moderate work 50:50

Intense work: 35:65

Question 20

Feed supplements (3)

Answer 20

1. Protein
2. Fats
3. Vits and Minerals

Question 21

Feed supplements- protein

Answer 21

When requirement is greater than maint e.g if pregnant or lactating

Max of 4kg- to prevent obstipation

• Wheat germ
• Wheat bran- is valuable
• Extracted meals
• Legume seeds

Question 22

Feed Supplements: Fat (4)

Answer 22

Remember horses have a high fat tolerance

Max 1g/kgbw- and divide over 3 meals, give either via bottle or pour over grains

Give more conc if giving more fats

Veg oils: sunflower, flax, rapeseed

Question 23

Feed supplementation: Vitamins and Minerals (5)

Answer 23

• For race horses: Vit A+E, beta-carotene, antiox, taurine, iron and chromium
• Spring give Mg to avoid grass tetany
• Summer- NaCl– salt lick
• To prevent DOD: Cu, Mn, Zn

** Give 2-3kg of carrot/apple/pumpkin/potato