The Horse

DEC 2017

The Horse:Your Guide To Equine Health Care provides monthly equine health care information to horse owners, breeders, veterinarians, barn/farm managers, trainer/riding instructors, and others involved in the hands-on care of the horse.

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42 TheHorse.com THE HORSE December 2017 and other issues," she says. "But gradu- ally adding a few more pounds of hay during cold stretches would be an appro- priate management step." The generally accepted food intake for the average (1,000-pound) horse is 2-2.5% of his body weight, or 20-25 pounds of feed per day, including forage and grain. But obviously the feed's quality and energy density—which aren't apparent without a forage analysis to determine digestible energy (DE)—play into that amount, as do the horse's activity level and metabolism. Another factor that affects that amount is the lower critical temperature (LCT), which varies by horse according to the temperature range he's accustomed to, the length and thickness of his hair coat, the amount of body fat he has, whether he's blanketed, and to what kind of shelter he has access. A horse's LCT is the temperature at which he needs additional feed to maintain his core body tempera- ture and can range from less than 20 to upward of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. "If a horse is shivering, if his hair is standing on end (called piloerection) instead of lying flat, or if he's seeking shelter from wind or precipitation, it's likely that his LCT has been reached," says Carey A. Williams, PhD, associate extension specialist at Rutgers Univer- sity's Department of Animal Sciences, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. "For each degree Fahrenheit the air is below the horse's LCT, the caloric needs will gener- ally increase by about 1%. It's estimated that the average horse will need about 25% higher energy intake during the coldest winter months." "Below LCT, if the horse doesn't have additional calories in the form of hay, he might start losing body weight," says Martinson. "If your horse is plump, that's not an issue in the short term, but if your horse is thin to start with or if you want to maintain body weight over an entire four- or five-month period, that could be- come a major health issue pretty quickly. "If you're feeding lower-quality hay and you notice that your horse is losing body weight or body condition score, gradually transitioning that horse onto a higher- quality hay may be all you need to do to get him back up to an acceptable range," she continues. "The most important thing, if a horse owner is struggling with a horse's body condition score, is that they first have their hay tested and then work with an equine nutritionist to fill in the gaps. Some universities have faculty that specialize in equine nutrition, and most equine feed companies have one or more equine nutritionists on staff. If you're feeding a specific brand of feed, calling the number listed on the feed bag is the best place to start." Yet another factor you must "weigh" when deciding how much to feed your horse is the amount that's wasted. Robert Coleman, PhD, associate professor and equine extension specialist at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington, recommends applying a 15-20% waste factor to the amount you feed. "If you're feeding large round bales without a feeder, your waste can be as high as 57%," he says. Grain Martinson says the vast majority of horses should get at least 75% of their energy from forage, whether hay or pas- ture, and the rest can be supplemented with a grain product or with a ration bal- ancer, which is a condensed vitamin and mineral supplement fed daily in small amounts to fill nutrient gaps. If you decide to add grain to your horse's ration, Coleman recommends choosing one that's processed to increase nutrient availability. "Corn will benefit from processing—steam-flaking being preferred over cracking," he says. "Oats can be fed whole, as the starch is easily digested. Barley can be used, but should also be steam-flaked to aid in starch di- gestion. And, when adding grain, be sure to gradually increase the ration over three to four weeks to ensure the horse adapts slowly." Supplements Your horse's activity level and health needs might lead you to feed supplements in addition to his regular ration. "Management and feed- ing alterations may dictate the need for supplements that wouldn't be required in summer months," says Williams. "Supple- menting a poor-quality hay diet with a multivitamin/mineral supplement specifi- cally formulated for horses is a good idea during the winter months. However, there Horses with lower body condition going into winter have less insulation and require more energy. ISTOCK.COM NUTRITION To prevent freezing make sure waterers are well- insulated and protected. ISABELLE ARNON

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