The specific nutrient requirements of horses may be supplied economically from pasture forage, harvested roughages, and concentrates. When pasture forage is not enough, supplementation with grains such as oats, corn, barley, wheat, and milo can provide the necessary nutrients. It is important to note that horses are susceptible to forage poisoning and respiratory complications, so moldy or dusty feeds should be avoided.
What are the best sources of protein for horses?
Good quality grass-legume pastures, along with iodized or trace-mineralized salt, will supply adequate nutrients to maintain an adult horse at light work or mares during pregnancy. High-quality legume hays, such as early bloom alfalfa, are preferred for horses, especially those that are growing or lactating.
What grains are good sources of protein for horses?
Oats are the preferred grain for horses because of their bulk, but corn (maize), barley, wheat, and milo can be used when they are less expensive. Most grains, including corn, barley, and sorghum, contain too little of one or more essential amino acids. Feeds having poor-quality proteins are useful when blended with other feeds that restore the balance in essential amino acids.
How much protein do horses need?
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. Horses normally reach mature weight at less than four years of age and 80 percent of their mature weight at less than two years of age.
What are complete horse rations?
A large and ever-growing number of horses stabled in cities and suburbs where sufficient roughages cannot be grown provide a large market for complete horse rations, including roughage, which are tailored to the total needs of specific animals according to their particular function at a given time, such as growth, pregnancy, lactation, or maintenance.
How do horses’ protein requirements vary?
Horses will vary from the normal requirement in terms of weight, temperament, and previous nutrition. Foals will eat some pasture grass, forage, or hay when they are three days old and grain when they are three weeks old. Lush, early spring pasture is very high in water and protein contents 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. Conversely, late fall- and winter-pasture forage is low in water and protein and may require protein and vitamin A supplementation.
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