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Feeding Management Techniques

Feeding Management Techniques. IMS #8895-E. Objectives. Discuss the concept of group feeding for horses List types of feeding facilities for horses Explain the importance of feeding time and frequency for horses. Objectives.

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Feeding Management Techniques

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  1. Feeding Management Techniques IMS #8895-E

  2. Objectives • Discuss the concept of group feeding for horses • List types of feeding facilities for horses • Explain the importance of feeding time and frequency for horses

  3. Objectives • Discuss the importance of age & body condition on the quantity of feed required by a horse • Recognize the effects of ration changes on horses • Explain the effect of appetite and obesity relative to feeding horses.

  4. Overview • Individuals • Different tendencies • How they eat • What they eat • How they behave

  5. Overview • Small stomach & short intestine • Sensitive to changes or inconsistencies • Unable to regurgitate food • Food passes quickly through digestive system

  6. Overview • Because feed does not remain long in digestive tract, they need diet of high quality forages • Feeding not a simple practice • Art learned through experience & study of basic scientific principles

  7. Overview • Must have knowledge of nutrient needs, content, & use of feeds most commonly eaten • Most kept in separate stalls or paddocks • Hair coats in excellent condition • Perform well

  8. Overview • Some digest & use nutrients better • Others do not get as much out of their feed • Each must be looked at individually • May get too fat or too thin

  9. Percentages of horse’s digestive organs by volume. Notice the stomach in comparison to other parts of the digestive system

  10. Feeding in Groups • Tend to congregate • Social animals • If fed in groups, there are some basic management techniques

  11. Feeding in Groups • If fed in a single trough, provide enough space • Group feeding works best with young horses

  12. Feeding in Groups • As horses get older, they develop a pecking order • Meaner horses will get more than more timid horses

  13. Feeding in Groups • Individual feeders may be the solution • Allow distance of 50 feet between each feeder • Provide extra feeder so shy horses will have feeder if a bully chases him/her off

  14. Feeding in Groups • Best to feed timid, finicky, or slow eating horses separately • Group feeding with foals works well as long as there is enough space available • Feeder should not have sharp edges or projecting points

  15. Feeding in Groups • Trough should not be too wide • Feed should be spread along entire length of trough • Ensure each horse gets their share

  16. Feeding Facilities • Horses eat feed from a variety of ways • In the pasture, horses naturally eat from the ground • In the stall, feed may become contaminated with: • Dirt • Manure • Urine

  17. Feeding Facilities • Hay may be wasted as they walk around stalls & trample it • Dirty hay contains parasite eggs from manure • Ground feeding advised against • Unless cleaned several times a day

  18. Feeding Facilities • Do not place hay feeder too high • Hay particles & debris may fall into eyes • Feed troughs & hay mangers must be cleaned often • May develop colic or digestive disorders from eating spoiled grain or hay

  19. Feeding Facilities • Important to check for manure in water or feed trough • Manure makes feed & water taste terrible • May contain parasites

  20. Feeding Times • Horses need to eat at same time each day • Creatures of habit • Greatly anticipate each feeding • Love food • Will eat enough to kill them

  21. Feeding Times • Feeding at crazy times will cause horses to develop bad habits such as eating too fast • Causes digestive upsets • Should be fed more than once a day

  22. Feeding Times • Since they are herbivores that evolved as grazing animals, they are used to eating small, frequent meals • Should be fed once in the morning & once in the evening

  23. Feeding Times • If exercised a lot, should be fed three times daily • Working horses should be fed two hours before beginning work or one hour after hard work • Allows them to digest part of ration before work when their blood supply goes to muscles & not stomach

  24. Feeding Times • After work, give horse time to cool off before eating • Feeding one-half grain in the morning, one-quarter at noon, & one-quarter at night, works well for hard-working horses

  25. Age and Pregnancy • After birth, it is advised to give foals opportunity to eat mixed concentrate ration • Average 14-16% crude protein • Creep feed • Box placed next to mare’s trough that contains ration

  26. Age and Pregnancy • Foal’s feed box has rods spaced above feed level that lets foal get its mouth in and eat • Mare cannot • If several mares are kept together in a pasture, it is recommended to put creep feeder with an enclosure • Only lets in foals to eat

  27. Age and Pregnancy • Foals eat creep feed until weaned • Important to make sure they are able to get to ration following weaning

  28. Age and Pregnancy • Yearlings & two-year olds should be managed as adult horses • Needs should be met, not exceeded

  29. Age and Pregnancy • Older horses have hard time chewing • Teeth may be: • worn down • Gone • Not floated (not filed) often enough • May become anorexic or so thin they do not have an appetite

  30. Age and Pregnancy • Horses should be fed high energy feed especially formulated for older horses • Prefer feed that is: • Soft, • Pelleted • Palatable • Palatable feed may be able to get horse out of being anorexic

  31. Age and Pregnancy • Give plenty of time to eat & without interruption • Require more energy to perform work so they need more feed per unit of body weight

  32. Age and Pregnancy • Preferred that mares be in moderate to fleshy condition when bred • Body score of 5-7 is adequate

  33. Age and Pregnancy • Body condition score does not affect stallion’s reproductive ability • Mares in thin condition do not show good reproductive performance • Cheaper to maintain in moderate to fat condition than attempting to increase weight during breeding season

  34. Age and Pregnancy • Thin mares need more energy to gain fat than fleshy mares • In last trimester of pregnancy, mares eat adequate nutrients to: • Provide enough nutrients to promote normal fetal development • Gain appropriate weight to support pregnancy

  35. Age and Pregnancy • Milk production requires a lot of energy • During lactation, mares will eat enough to: • Regain body condition lost in pregnancy • Meet the demands of producing milk

  36. Areas Emphasized in Body Condition Scoring

  37. Ration Changes • When rations altered, changes should be made gradually over period of one week • Sudden changes may cause: • Colic • Finicky eating • Loss of condition • Digestive problems

  38. Ration Changes • Change ration by switching 25% of old ration to new ration every two days • Move horses from hay to pasture gradually • Start with 30 minutes of pasture grazing • Steadily increase to length of time on pasture

  39. Ration Changes • For horses returning home from strenuous performance training, gradually decrease exercise & high-energy feed over period of two weeks • Horses may get azoturia & tie up if they are brought down from exercise suddenly & fed the same amount

  40. Ration Changes • Azoturia - Condition affecting muscles • Ranging from stiffness to mild cramps to the horse being unable to stand • Caused by carbohydrate overloading & vitamin deficiency

  41. Overweight and Appetite • Obesity - common form of malnutrition • Being too kind & generous with feed scoop and/or not exercising a horse enough contributes to obesity • Weight monitored using weighing scale or weight tape

  42. Overweight and Appetite • Estimating by sight is not accurate • Weight tapes are within 5% of the actual weight • Not as expensive as weighing scales

  43. Overweight and Appetite • Place around barrel or girth of relaxed horse • Tape should not be twisted & should be snug

  44. Overweight and Appetite • Tape accuracy dependent on: • User • Breed • Age of horse • Not accurate on: • Miniature horses • Foals • High withered horses

  45. Overweight and Appetite • Body score condition is one way to make sure horses are “fat enough” but not too fat

  46. Overweight and Appetite • Thinness in horses cause by: • Poor quality feed • Inadequate feed • Internal parasites • Poor teeth • Milk production • Pregnancy • Excessive work

  47. Overweight and Appetite • Dental problems lead to improper chewing & digestive problems • Teeth should be regularly checked for unusual wear, tear, & broken teeth • With good management, conditions may be corrected • Problem must be diagnosed & corrected

  48. Overweight and Appetite • May develop a metabolic disorder • Any one of the abnormalities in normal body functions that is of a biochemical origin relating to metabolic functions of the body • Many horse owners feed by volume • Should feed by weight

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