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Dr. Christine King Ph: (336) 608.8552 e-mail: king(at)animavet.com | ||||
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> articles - hay stats | ||||
Hay stats. When fed at a rate of around 2% of body weight per day (~20 lbs/day for the average 1,000-lb horse), good quality grass hay ably meets the adult horse's basic daily needs for the primary nutrients... | ||||
Hay stats Good quality grass hay is much more than fiber or filler. It is food for herbivores such as horses. The simple carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals it contains are digested and absorbed in the upper part of the digestive tract. But then the fiber component is processed by the constellation of microbes in the large intestine. The byproducts of this microbial breakdown of fiber further supply the horse with nutrients, most notably volatile fatty acids (VFAs), but also some vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients. The VFAs are an important energy source for horses, as VFAs are converted in the liver to glucose (which may then be stored as glycogen) and fats. Most adult horses should get at least 70% of their daily calorie needs from these VFAs - i.e. from the fiber component of their diets. Also of importance in the colder months, the microbial breakdown of fiber in the large intestine produces heat, which helps the horse maintain his body temperature. In fact, more heat is generated by feeding hay than by feeding grain-based feeds. Daily maintenance needs When fed at a rate of around 2% of body weight per day (~20 lbs/day for the average 1,000-lb horse), good quality grass hay ably meets the adult horse's basic daily needs for the primary nutrients. Here's proof: The table below lists some of the daily nutrient requirements for the average, nonpregnant adult horse in good body condition and weighing 1,000 lbs. The horse’s daily maintenance requirements (the amount needed to maintain body condition in an inactive horse) are listed alongside the amount of each nutrient provided by 20 lbs of good quality grass hay (in this case, timothy). | ||||
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Now take a look at the daily nutrient requirements for the same adult horse who is in light work (e.g. pleasure riding, showing in equitation classes). Note that 20 lbs of good quality grass hay meets all of the horse’s needs for protein, calcium, and phosphorus, and there is only a small shortfall in calories. | ||
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That shortfall can be made up by increasing the amount of grass hay by as little as 3 lbs per day, by adding a little alfalfa hay instead (a good idea anyway), or by adding a little grain (e.g. oats or barley). However... However, a hay-based diet will be lacking in certain essential nutrients, including some trace minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. These nutrients must be supplied in some other way. (More on that in the main article.) I simply wanted to point out here that good quality grass hay can meet the horse's primary needs for calories, protein, fiber, and the major minerals - as long as the hay is fed in sufficient quantity. For adult horses, "sufficient quantity" ranges from 1.5% bwt/day (or 15 lbs/1,000-lb horse) for the easy keepers and horses with some pasture access, to as much as 3% bwt/day (or 30 lbs/1,000-lb horse) for the hard keepers or those with higher calorie needs. | ||
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All content: Copyright Christine M. King, 2005-2011. Please contact me for permission & guidelines for reuse of any content. | ||
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