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Small Farm: Feeding horses | AG1052 |
Angela Avery, Rutherglen
September 2003 |  |
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Introduction
Like all animals, the nutritional needs (energy, proteins, minerals and vitamins) of horses will depend on age, growth, activity, health and environment. Correct nutrition of foals, weanlings and yearlings is very important for both performance and soundness. When assessing if pasture can meet the needs of a horse, the state of the pasture, energy demands of the horse, growth rate and digestibility of the pasture, how much can be eaten by the horse (intake) and the horse density or stocking rate should all be considered.
Nutritional requirements
The American National Research Council (NRC) publishes the best estimations of nutrient requirements for horses of different weight and class. The table below provides the daily requirements of digestible energy and crude protein for broodmares and growing horses.
Table 1. Nutritional requirements of horses (American National Research Council)
|
| Mature Weight
(kg) | Daily Gain
Liveweight
(kg/day) | Digestible Energy (DE)
(MJ) | Crude Protein
(g) |
|
| 400
500
600 | 0.85
0.85
1.00 | 56.5
60.2
69.0 | 675
720
825 |
Weanling
(6 months, moderate growth)
| 400
500
600 | 0.55
0.65
0.75 | 54.0
62.8
71.1 | 643
750
850 |
Weanling
(6 months, rapid growth)
| 400
500
600 | 0.70
0.85
0.95 | 60.7
72.0
80.3 | 725
860
960 |
Yearling
(12 months, moderate growth)
| 400
500
600 | 0.40
0.50
0.65 | 65.3
71.9
95.0 | 700
851
1023 |
Yearlings
(12 months, rapid growth)
| 400
500
600 | 0.50
0.65
0.80 | 71.5
89.1
105.0 | 770
956
1127 |
|
| 400
500
600 | 0.25
0.35
0.45 | 66.5
82.8
100.0 | 716
893
1077 |
|
| 400
500
600 | 0.15
0.20
0.30 | 64.0
78.7
98.3 | 650
800
998 |
|
| 400
500
600 |
| 56.1
68.6
81.2 | 563
656
766 |
|
| 400
500
600 |
| 62.3
76.1
90.0 | 654
801
947 |
|
| 400
500
600 |
| 63.2
77.4
91.6 | 666
815
965 |
|
| 400
500
600 |
| 67.4
82.4
97.5 | 708
866
1024 |
Lactating
(foaling to 3 months)
| 400
500
600 |
| 95.8
118.4
141.0 | 1141
1427
1711 |
Lactating
(3 months to weaning)
| 400
500
600 |
| 82.4
101.7
120.9 | 839
1048
1258 |
Supply of nutrients by pasture
The table below provides some indications of the nutritive value of different pasture species. More accurate regional information can be obtained from local advisory agencies and pasture quality testing is provided by a number of laboratories in Australia.
|
|
|
|
| Macrominerals (%) |
|
| DE
(MJ/kg) | CP
(%) | NDF
(%) | Ca | P | Mg | K | Na | S |
Cocksfoot
Early bloom
Mid bloom
| .
9.58
8.45 | .
12.8
10.1 | .
55.1
57.6 | .
0.25
0.23 | .
0.39
0.17 | .
0.31
0.33 | .
3.38
2.09 | .
0.04
0.26 | .
0.26
NA |
|
| 8.75 | 17.4 | NA | 0.50 | 0.44 | 0.18 | 2.27 | 0.14 | 0.17 |
Lucerne
Late veg.
Full bloom
| .
12.30
13.98 | .
22.2
19.3 | .
30.9
9.2 | .
1.71
1.19 | .
0.30
0.26 | .
0.36
0.40 | .
2.27
3.62 | .
0.21
0.16 | .
0.36
0.31 |
|
| 10.63 | 17.0 | 46.4 | 0.36 | 0.33 | NA | 3.64 | NA | NA |
Red Clover
Early bloom
Full bloom
| .
10.59
9.42 | .
20.8
14.6 | .
40.0
43.0 | .
2.26
1.01 | .
0.38
0.27 | .
0.51
0.51 | .
2.49
1.96 | .
0.20
0.20 | .
0.17
0.17 |
|
| 9.21 | 17.9 | 61.0 | 0.65 | 0.41 | 0.35 | 2.00 | 0.01 | 0.10 |
|
| 9.29 | 15.0 | 34.4 | 0.51 | 0.37 | 0.27 | 2.30 | NA | 0.18 |
|
| 9.92 | 12.2 | 55.7 | 0.40 | 0.26 | 0.16 | 2.73 | 0.11 | 0.13 |
|
| 10.46 | 25.8 | NA | 1.27 | 0.35 | 0.42 | 2.40 | 0.12 | 0.16 |
Amount of feed a horse can eat
A simple estimate of how much pasture (or feed) a horse can eat as a percentage of their liveweight is shown in the table.
Class | Forage | Concentrate | Total |
Mature horse
Maintenance
Mare, late gestation
Mare, early lactation
Mare, late lactation
| .
1.5-2.0
1.0-1.5
1.0-2.0
1.0-2.0 | .
0-0.5
0.5-1.0
1.0-2.0
0.5-1.5 | .
1.5-2.0
1.5-2.0
2.0-3.0
2.0-2.5 |
Working horse
Light work
Moderate work
Intense work
| .
1.0-2.0
1.0-2.0
0.75-1.5 | .
0.5-1.0
0.75-1.5
1.0-2.0 | .
1.5-2.5
1.75-2.5
2.0-3.0 |
Young horse
Nursing foal, 3 months
Weanling foal, 6 months
Yearling foal, 12 months
Long yearling, 18 months
Two year old, 24 months
| .
0
0.5-1.0
1.0-1.5
1.0-1.5
1.0-1.5 | .
1.0-2.0
1.5-3.0
1.0-2.0
1.0-1.5
1.0-1.5 | .
2.5-3.5
2.0-3.5
2.0-3.0
2.0-2.5
1.75-2.5 |
Stocking rate
Stocking rate is the number of stock (in this case horses) a property can carry. Stocking rates are usually expressed as Dry Sheep Equivalents (DSE). The DSE rating for light horses, ponies, horses in light work and horses in heavy work are 10, 6, 13.5 and 18.7 respectively. From this it can been seen that horses in heavy work often need to be fed concentrate as they are unable to consume enough pasture in one day to meet these requirements.
A Victorian survey estimated that the average stocking rate for horse enterprises was 1.2 horses/ha, but the rate ranged from 0.26 to 6.25 horses/ha. To maintain a horse on a year round basis 1 to 1.5 ha is normally recommended. With very high stocking rates, pastures cannot be expected to remain productive and in such situations paddocks can be little more than exercise yards.
Further information
This publication has been developed as part of the Future Family Farms Initiative. For further information 136 186 or http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/farming/smallfarms
The advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of information only. The State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.
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