Forages for horses: Types, safety and proper nutrition. Horse feed

The horse is a herbivore and in the wild it feeds on grass all year round: fresh in summer and dry or even frozen in winter. This was quite enough for the survival of the species. During domestication, man required that the animals work all day long – plowing, carrying loads, participating in wars. Since then, people have begun to prepare horse feed and use not only grass, but also cereals and various by-products of mill production in order to better cover the horses' increased needs for energy and nutrients.

Meal structure

In the professional literature, fodder for horses is divided into two main groups: coarse (bulky) fodder - these are grass, hay, straw, haylage; and concentrated feeds - cereals and products of their processing. Coarse fodder is further divided into coarse (hay and straw) and juicy (grass and silage). The main difference between concentrated and bulk feeds is in the nutritional and energy value, where the leading position is occupied by concentrates. However, despite this, from a physiological point of view, coarse forage is much more important for the horse's health. Therefore, when preparing meals, experts are guided by the rule that the proportion of coarse feed should be at least 60%-80% of the total daily meal. While the portion size of concentrated feeds should not exceed 20%-40%. Also, for the variety of nutrition, vegetables and fruits (up to 10%), additional energy sources - vegetable oils and biologically active additives are often included in the horse's meal. In order not to get lost in the variety of modern horse feeds and, of course, in order not to harm the horse's health, it is worth contacting nutrition experts or studying the intricacies of this science in detail.

Roughage Grass is the staple food of horses in the summer, they eat it willingly and digest it very well. Grass contains a lot of water and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, in the colder part of the year (and in many stud farms in the summer too) it is not always possible to provide a horse with enough fresh grass (6-10 kg per 100 kg of body weight!), so it is replaced with hay, and much less often with haylage.

Hay , like grass, is perfectly absorbed by the horse's body and is therefore suitable for the role of basic food. Properly prepared hay should smell pleasant, be yellowish-greenish in color, have a moisture content of no more than 17%, and should not contain dust and mold. The highest nutritional value is given to hay that contains the following cereal plants: timothy, fescue, ryegrass, chives, axillary fescue, and common sedge. The time of mowing these grasses is also important, because plants that are mowed in the early vegetative phase are easily absorbed by the body due to their still low fiber content.

As for the feeding norm, for an adult it ranges on average from 8 to 15 kg per day, depending on body weight, physical activity and the proportion of other food.

Hay is a very good type of feed for horses , which is unfairly forgotten in our country and is rarely included in the diet of horses. Its nutritional value is comparable to grass and is much higher than that of hay. It is excellent if you can completely or at least partially replace hay feeding with hay, but keep in mind that, in order to avoid complications, you should get used to the food gradually, and the hay must be of high quality. Horses like to eat hay because it is juicy and contains more sugar. Due to the increased water content, its norm should be 1.5 times higher compared to the norm of hay.

Grass meal ("greens") is a granulated form of grass, subjected to high-temperature drying. Grass meal is a very useful and nutritious feed. In principle, it should be referred to as coarse feed, but in terms of protein level it occupies an intermediate position between coarse and concentrated feed. The manufacturer usually recommends feeding norms of 1.5 to 3 kg per meal (when using grass meal as a supplementary feed). Due to the climatic characteristics of our region (high probability of rain during the haymaking or harvesting season), the frequency of cases of preparation of hay or oats containing mycotoxins is high. The situation is completely different with grass meal - the preparation technology does not depend on weather conditions and, if the grass meal does not spoil during storage, it does not contain mycotoxins. Therefore, if a horse has hives, grass meal is a good alternative to poor hay or oats.

Feeding Safety

When introducing any type of horse feed into your diet, it is important to always check the quality of the feed. Avoid moldy or dusty hay, as it can cause respiratory problems and colic. Always accustom your horse to a new type of horse feed gradually, over a few days. Observe your horse's behavior and health after introducing a new horse feed . If you are in doubt about choosing a horse feed , always consult a veterinarian or nutritionist.