Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Horse owners depend on a steady supply of hay as a main food source for their horses. In fact, hay can be made of various different grasses, although alfalfa is one of the most common hay types. Alternatively, brome hay offers benefits to a horse's diet, as well as improving the soil's surrounding composition. Brome hay has distinct characteristics that separates it from common hay grasses.
Colic is the leading cause of death in horses. It is classified as abdominal pain and is often caused by distention of the intestines. While many different factors can cause a horse to develop colic, the easiest way to prevent it is to monitor the horse's diet and health. As such, it is important to thoroughly research proper feeding.
Corn is a low-cost feed choice for energy and weight gain in horses. In feed it is usually cracked, but can be fed on the cob, or as whole shelled corn. Actually, cracking corn is economically wasteful. Because of the size of the kernel of corn, a horse will chew the grain before swallowing. If a horse is passing many whole kernels in the feces, he either is bolting his feed or may need to have his teeth floated because sharp points are preventing normal chewing. Feed corn carefully to prevent colic from the high-energy, low-fiber content.
Animal nutrition has become a science over the past 50 years, growing from a small portion of the industry into one of the booming areas that fuels the success of the feed companies. The advancement of technology has made better science possible, making the nutrition of the feed produced more efficient and economical. Understanding how the two work together is essential.
Weight loss and diarrhea in horses can be as simple as a horse not feeling well, or as serious as a fatal illness. Weight loss and diarrhea, on their own, can be caused by many different factors including eating habits, illness and exercise habits. When your horse shows these symptoms, especially when they appear together, you should seek the attention and advice of a veterinarian.
Horses in the wild get all of the nutrients they need through grazing and drinking water. However, because of the limited access kept horses have to natural foods, these nutrients need to be provided through commercial feeds, hay and possibly supplements.
Horses need a balanced diet with plenty of water and roughage to keep their digestive systems healthy. The needs of each horse will be determined by age, activity, season and location. Pregnant and lactating mares will need extra nutrition plus grains to feed their growing foals and consume enough nutrients to maintain their own weight. Grooming and exercise are also a necessary part of good horse-keeping.
In this clip learn some tips and pointers for ensuring nutrition in your horse's diet.
