Pegus News

There is a long tradition of using grains and cereal-based concentrates, especially those derived from oats and barley, in horse rations. Such ingredients are commonly an important part of rations for work horses and horses in training, since these have increased demands for energy which are difficult to meet from forage alone. Oats are commonly fed whole or crushed, while barley and other grains are main ingredients in concentrate mixtures, whether in the form of pellets/nuts or muesli/mix. The distinctive thing about grains is that they contain about 50% starch and…

  Group feeding of horses during winter Many horses are kept outdoors and fed as a group during winter. For this, we have to take into account extra challenges presented by cold weather conditions. Horses are very adaptable to cold weather, but factors such as age, body condition, breed, acclimatization and feeding will all influence the tolerance of cold in each individual’s case. A good management and feeding regime is therefore especially important during winter. What determines the cold tolerance? How well will horses tolerate cold weather conditions? This can…

An ABC of ration formulation When you compose a daily ration for your horse, several factors have to be taken into account. What type, quality and amount of roughage should be included in the ration? Will the horse need additional compound feed or grains? What about mineral and vitamin supplements? Here are some basic points to help you formulate good rations for your horse. Roughage type and quality The first thing to consider should always be the type and amount of roughage. The type of roughage will usually be a…

April 2015 – Feeding the brood mare in late gestation and early lactation Now that the mare is in the latter part of gestation the nutritional requirements increases significantly. The fetus is now growing more and more rapidly as the time of foaling approaches and you must respond and follow this up with appropriate feeding. After foaling, the requirements increase even more as the mare starts to produce milk. This means that it is important to pay close attention to the bodyweight and condition of the brood mare. It can…

The availability of minerals in rations for horses In forages and grains the minerals are incorporated organically into plant cells and structures. Most compound feeds have been fortified with extra minerals during production. The mineral premixes used in feed production may have their active minerals bound to organic molecules (often called chelated ), or come as finely ground rock minerals (often called inorganic minerals). For some minerals, like selenium, organic forms seems to be more easily absorbed, while there are less conclusive evidence on other minerals. Minerals like calcium, zinc,…

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) B-vitamins are a group of 8 water soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. They can not be produced by the body itself, but can be produced by bacteria, fungi and plants. In the horse, microorganisms in the gut (mainly the hind gut) is capable of synthesizing B-vitamins and nutrient requirements have only been established for thiamin (B1) and riboflavin (B2). In this article we will look at the function, dietary sources and requirements for riboflavin (vitamin B2). Function Riboflavin is a precursor to the…

Most horses have some type of compound feed included in their daily ration. This is mainly to supply additional energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. Of special interest with horses is the type of feed ingredient providing the energy . It makes a difference if the energy substrate is starch, fat or fibre. Feed manufacturers often have a wide range of compound feeds that vary in composition and nutrient content. Therefore, it is important for the horse owner to be able to make informed choices about the product that best meets…

When a young horse starts to train we must make sure it receives enough calcium to support the development of its bones. Young horses are commonly put into training after the end of the grazing season. Young trotters and thoroughbreds will usually be around 18 months old when training starts, while riding horses are one year older. After happy days and 24-hour activity in the summer months, very different living conditions await the young horse when it is stabled. This is usually individually and in boxes, with limited access to…