Download FACTfile Forage for Horses

FACTfile
Horse Master
Forage for Horses
Making the Most of Your Grass
It is widely known that horses have evolved to survive on forage grazed grass alone, but how can
we maximize forage as a feed source for the modern day horse?
The demands placed upon these horses means that the natural grasses which fed their ancestors
are not a sufficient food source alone. However, modern, selectively bred grasses bear little
resemblance to the meadows of old, with new grass varieties having improved nutritional value,
persistency and resistance to wear and tear.
Grass is a natural dietary component of a horse. Absence of forage in the horse’s diet can lead to
digestive disorders. The horse has an absolute requirement for stimulation from forage so that its
digestive tract will function normally. This requirement can be supplied either as grazed pasture or
hay.
Generally, forage accounts for 70% to 100% of a horse's diet, depending on age, workload etc.
Forages contribute energy, protein, minerals and vitamins at various levels depending on the grass
species and quality. Horses have limited ability to utilize poor quality forage, so good pasture
management is vital if the horse is going to use the forage to its utmost.
Horses consume from 2.5 to 3% of their body weight in feed a day. The greater the nutrient density
of the forage consumed, the smaller amount is required to meet nutritional needs.
Quality
Forage quality can be determined to a limited
extent by visual inspection, but to be more
accurate by nutrient analysis.
A forages
nutrient content is dependant upon the grass
species present.
Preferred grass species are perennial ryegrass
(low sugar types), timothy, fescues and smoothstalked meadow grass. These species have
been specially bred and selected to provide
the optimum performance, in specialist horse
mixes. A natural, un-improved sward within the
UK is mainly annual meadow grass, which has
very low nutritional value.
FF/ForageForHorse/08.07
FACTfile
Horse Master
Forage for Horses
Making the Most of Your Grass
Quality
The quality of forage is vastly affected by maturity of the plants. Pastures in mid summer contain
adult grasses which are “stemmy” with little leaf.
This is important as the leaf contains twice the
amount of nutrients as the stem. Also the stem is
where higher quantities of Fructins (sugars) are
found, which has been linked to laminitis
Freedom from weeds and grass diseases is also
an essential element of quality forage. Horses
are very susceptible to digestive disorders when
grazing forages containing too many weeds
(ragwort).
Horses grazing on pasture with open poached swards (limited grass cover) tend to ingest too much
soil with the grass, which can cause colic.
Modern grass varieties have been bred to provide higher resistance to naturally occurring diseases,
improved persistency, and sward density. Once a dense sward (good grass cover) has been established it is difficult for unwanted weeds to establish.
Good quality forage can provide a large proportion of nutrient requirements. The nutrient content
of the forage can be assessed, to ensure that the horse’s diet is properly balanced. This enables the
owner to vastly reduce the cost of feed and supplements.
Value for Money
Well managed pastures can provide most of the feed requirements for horses at the lowest cost.
Poorly managed, mature pastures supply little feed with low nutritional value.
Fertilisers are often used to promote grass growth. Older pastures require higher fertilizer rates to
achieve similar production to new pastures. Fertilizer is expensive as the cost is directly linked to the
price of oil, which is used during the manufacturing process.
Preferred forage species perform well with lower inputs of nitrogen, saving money and being more
environmentally friendly. These grasses are ideal for grazing pastures and providing hay crops.
FF/ForageForHorse/08.07
FACTfile
Horse Master
Forage for Horses
Making the Most of Your Grass
Summary
The most important issue is to provide a balanced diet for the horse, providing the correct nutrition.
Decisions on how to supply that feed will depend upon many factors such as activity, where and
how we keep the horse, and the size of our budget.
Forage alone may not be the answer all of the time; however the quality of modern forages is often
overlooked. Using the correct grass species will greatly improve nutritional content and provide vast
cost savings.
The true answer is to adopt a balanced approach, which works best for the horse and for the owner
to provide for a healthier, happier horse.
Horse Master is a dedicated mixture range, especially designed by Barenbrug
for specialist equestrian applications.
For further technical advice please telephone Barenbrug UK Ltd on 01359 272000
or email [email protected] or visit our website www.barenbrug.co.uk
FF/ForageForHorse/08.07