Equine Nutrition and Health Services Blog
Showing category "Nutrition Tips & Advice" (Show all posts)
The guaranteed analysis on a feed tag provides concentrations of specific nutrients. This is the information that should be used to correctly pair a concentrate with the type of forages being fed, to fully meet the horse's nutrient requirements. Feed manufacturers are required to list:- Minimum levels of crude protein, crude fiber and crude fat (expressed as percentages)
- Minimum and maximum percentages of calcium (percent)
- Minimum values for phosphorus (percent), copper (parts per million or ppm)...
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Vitamins in the horse’s body serve as antioxidants and are necessary for several metabolic processes, often acting as catalysts in biochemical reactions. Unlike minerals, which are inorganic, vitamins are organic compounds that can be classified as either water- or fat-soluble, depending on how they are absorbed and stored within the body.Water-soluble vs. Fat-soluble VitaminsWater-soluble vitamins are dissolved easily in water and, therefore, are quickly excreted from the body on a daily b... Continue reading ...
Looking through and examining the many types of equine feed available in today’s market can be an overwhelming and frustrating experience. Textured, processed, complete, what does it all mean? In order to pick out the best and correct feed for your horse’s nutritional needs, a basic understanding of the terms used to define commercial equine feed is crucial.Commercial Feed Classification:- Equine feeds are broken down into four general classes:
- Textured concentrates (traditionally referred t...
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Minerals are inorganic molecules, also called elements, which are derived from the earth. Minerals can be incorporated into living tissue (organic) but eventually return to earth in the inorganic form when excreted by the horse, or as ash once the animal is buried or cremated. Minerals are essential to the physical and mental well-being of horses and are components of all cells, including blood cells, as well as nerve, muscle, bone, teeth, hormones, and soft tissue. Many minerals are also an ... Continue reading ...
There are a number of myths and misconceptions when it comes to feeding the horse. Many traditional feeding methods have been passed from generation to generation of horsemen, and while some of these methods are still useful, many are outdated and even detrimental to the horse’s nutritional health. The topic of feeding myths has been brought up before in our blog posts “The Scoop on Protein” and “The Truth Behind Bran Mash – Its Uses & Disadvantages” and now here are two more myth... Continue reading ...
Over the past several years, testing horses for horse feed allergies has become very popular in veterinary practice. When a horse develops a skin and/or respiratory problem, the feed the horse is eating immediately becomes suspect as a causative agent. What is problematic about this situation is that the horse is limited to all vegetarian dietary ingredients and with the list of possibilities that can be used to make horse feed limited to twenty, it has not been uncommon for the allergy test ... Continue reading ...
With hundreds of vitamin and mineral supplements on the market today it can be difficult in knowing what kind of vitamin/mineral supplement to feed and what type of situation warrants extra supplementation, as well as what products you should avoid.Cases for SupplementationVitamin and mineral supplements are designed to provide additional fortification to the rations of horses enduring higher levels of stress. Situations that may warrant supplementation include:- When poor quality forage is fed...
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The equine digestive tract is a fragile system and the rigors of training often cause disruption of normal function to occur. Gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastric ulcer syndrome, are common among the equine population and are often treated with a variety of pharmacological agents. While we can treat some gastrointestinal disorders with certain drugs, we must also instill good preventive care of the digestive tract so we can lower the incidence of such disorders and help the horse maint... Continue reading ...
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) are compounds that are called essential because they are not synthesized by the body and, therefore, must be obtained from dietary sources. EFA’s, Omega 3 Fatty Acids in particular, serve as components of nerve cells, cellular membranes, and the very important regulatory substances known as prostaglandins.
Prostaglandins are responsible for functions such as:- Regulating response to pain, inflammation
- Dilating or constricting blood vessels
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 Feeding horses with a selective palate can become a frustrating matter, but horses that become particular about what they want in their feed tub are not an uncommon. Horses that compete and train at levels that expend great amounts of energy can have trouble consuming enough feed to meet energy (calorie) demands. Older and recuperating horses also tend to back off their feed as well. In order to maintain your horse’s nutritional demands and overall body condition, well organized feeding str... Continue reading ...
 The energy level of the horse is one of the most commonly analyzed factors of performance. Horses that compete in energy-oriented competitions need the proper amount of fuel to perform at their best. While the main source of energy in feeds for performance horses is carbohydrates, other sources should not be dismissed. Carbohydrates:Carbohydrates can be broken down into two categories: nonstructural (“sugars”), such as those found in grains, and structural, like those found in forages. Her... Continue reading ...
 The myths and misconceptions about protein are abundant. Have you ever known someone who attributed their horse’s bad behavior with protein intake or heard someone say high protein levels can cause developmental problems in foals? These claims against protein are incorrect and have unfortunately carried on in horse owner’s feeding methods. Here is the scoop on the two most common myths associated with protein and the truth behind them.Myth – Protein Makes Horses Behave Badly This co... Continue reading ...
When discussing the quality of hay, we often hear the terms “first cutting”, “second cutting”, and “third cutting”. The type of cutting that hay is derived from has often been used as an indicator of quality, but this method of evaluation is not the most accurate. The thought that first cutting hay is not as good as second or third cutting hay may or may not be true; it depends on the factors that make up quality hay, which include:- Level of fertilization of the field
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Do you ever wonder if your horse’s feed is affecting his behavior? The way we feed our horses and the ingredients in feeds can contribute to behavioral changes, but with knowledge of how feed can affect behavior and diligence in the way we feed our horses, we can prevent behavioral upsets.
Grain Load in the Diet
Large amounts of grain feeding are associated with increased gut acidity and higher frequency of stereotypic behavior is observed when horses are fed high grain diets (typicall... Continue reading ...
Using bran mash as a weekly ‘cleanser’ is a popular tradition among horse owners and stables. The thought behind the weekly bran mash is that it adds bulk to the stool, helps with hydration, is a good source of fiber, and assists digestion. Despite being fed with good intentions, giving a weekly bran mash actually causes a dramatic alteration to the daily ration and can cause a disturbance in the normal population of microorganisms that reside in the hindgut. Here are some myths and facts...
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As the days shorten, good planning in conjunction with quality feeds and facilities can make the transition from warm autumn days into wintry nights a little less difficult for all involved. One of the most productive ways of keeping horses warm and supply nutrients is to provide free choice, good quality hay. The heat of fermentation when the hay is digested by microbes in the horse’s hindgut is the main source of warmth for the horse. The heat is produced during the biochemical conversion... Continue reading ...
Often when we hear the word calcium we think of it as a bone building nutrient, but calcium also serves many vital functional roles in addition to structural roles. As discussed in our previous blog post, Keeping the Horse Replenished – Equine Electrolytes,
calcium is one of the most important electrolytes, which are mineral
salts that create electrical current in the horse. When evaluating the
distribution of calcium in the horse we see that: - Approximately 99% of the calcium in the body ...
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Feeding and Managing the Overweight Equine is a two-part blog post. Today’s post discusses how to properly feed and manage the overweight equine. For the first part of this series, please click here.Equine obesity comes with its fair share of complications, just as it does in humans. As discussed last time, organ failure, intolerance to exercise, laminitis, and predisposition to certain conditions are all unfortunate consequences of being an overweight horse. Insulin resistance, the body’... Continue reading ...
Feeding and Managing the Overweight Equine is a two-part blog post.
Today’s post introduces the topic of obesity in horses and the
complications.
The obesity
crisis no longer applies to humans. More and more nutritionists and
veterinarians are seeing an increase in obesity within other species,
including equines. Obesity in the equine population can partly be
contributed to better quality nutritional products and pasture
management, which over the years has made it easier for horses t... Continue reading ...
With summer in full swing, the topic of equine electrolytes
becomes very relevant. Electrolytes are mineral salts that create the
electrical current in the horse and are necessary for a variety of biological
processes, including:
- Muscular contraction
- Water balance
- Regular heartbeat
As the summer gets hotter you find yourself with a sweaty
horse, but a quick hose down is not all he needs after a good workout. Horse
sweat is hypertonic, meaning it contains more mineral salts or electr... Continue reading ...
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