Yes, horses can survive on forage alone, as grasses and legumes offer essential nutrients. However, the nutritional content of forage varies with the seasons and the horse’s workload, so supplements may be needed to ensure optimal health.
Can Horses Live on Forage Alone?
Horses can indeed survive on forage alone, as pasture grasses and legumes provide a significant source of feed for them. Forage includes pasture grasses, hays, silage, root crops, straw, and stover (cornstalks). Good quality grass-legume pastures, along with iodized or trace-mineralized salt, usually supply adequate nutrients to maintain an adult horse performing light work or for mares during pregnancy.
What Kind of Forage is Best for Horses?
High-quality legume hays, such as early bloom alfalfa, are preferred for horses, especially those that are growing or lactating. Grass hays like timothy, prairie grass, orchard grass, and bluegrass were preferred by early horsemen because they were usually free from mold and dust and tended to slow down the rate of passage through the intestinal tract.
When Might Horses Need Supplemental Feed?
Lush, early spring pasture is very high in water and protein and may need to be supplemented with a high-energy source, such as grain, to meet the needs of horses performing medium to heavy work. Late fall- and winter-pasture forage is low in water and protein and may require protein and vitamin A supplementation.
What are the Nutritional Needs of Horses?
The specific and exact nutrient requirements of horses are poorly understood. Usually, these may be supplied economically from pasture forage, harvested roughages, and concentrates. Weanling foals require three pounds of feed per hundred pounds of live weight per day; as they approach maturity, this requirement drops to one pound of feed per hundred pounds of live weight daily.
What are Some Common Horse Feeds?
Animal feeds are classified into concentrates and roughages:
- Concentrates High in energy value, including fat, cereal grains and their by-products (barley, corn, oats, rye, wheat), high-protein oil meals or cakes (soybean, canola, cottonseed, peanut), and by-products from processing of sugar beets, sugarcane, animals, and fish.
- Roughages Including pasture grasses, hays, silage, root crops, straw, and stover (cornstalks).
Oats are the preferred grain for horses because of their bulk, but corn (maize), barley, wheat, and milo can be used whenever they are less expensive.
What Should Be Avoided When Feeding Horses?
Moldy or dusty feeds should be avoided because horses are extremely susceptible to forage poisoning and respiratory complications. Silages of all sorts should be avoided since horses and mules are extremely susceptible to botulism and digestive upsets.
People Also Ask (PAA) Section:
How Much Should a Horse Eat Daily?
The amount a horse eats daily depends on its weight and activity level. Weanling foals need about 3 pounds of feed per 100 pounds of their body weight each day. As they get closer to being fully grown, this amount goes down to about 1 pound for every 100 pounds of their weight.
What are the Best Supplements for Horses?
When horses don’t get enough nutrients from their regular food, supplements can help fill the gaps. For instance, during the late fall and winter, pasture forage might not have enough water and protein, so adding protein and vitamin A supplements can be beneficial.
How Important is Fresh Water for Horses?
Fresh water is very important, especially when the horse is shedding its winter coat. However, the animal should never be watered when it is overheated after working.
In summary, horses can survive on forage alone, but the quality and quantity must be managed according to the horse’s needs and activity level.
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