FeedXL Equine Nutrition Team

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Entries by FeedXL Equine Nutrition Team

Protein: Can You Feed Too Much?

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Protein is a very important component of all horse diets and as discussed in our FeedXL Newsletter #30, ‘Understanding Protein Quality’, the quality of protein used in diets will largely determine how well that diet can support functions that rely on protein including growth, reproduction, athletic performance and muscle building.

But can we get carried away with protein in a horse’s diet? Can too much protein be fed? And are the very high protein pastures that are so common nowadays a problem for horses? The answer to those questions is ‘yes and no’, it all depends on the circumstances your horse find itself in. Let’s look in more detail at when high protein diets may be a problem.

Magnesium for Horses: Which Form is Best?

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With much focus at present on magnesium in equine diets the question of which form of magnesium is best arises. There are many ‘forms’ of magnesium available and suitable to be fed as magnesium supplements. Unfortunately, there are currently no extensive studies that look at the comparative bioavailability of these various forms of magnesium in horses. In fact, there are very few studies in any monogastric animal species, including humans, on the bioavailability of different types of this nutrient. To help us understand which forms of magnesium are best for horses, let’s first look at where and how magnesium is absorbed.

Feeding on the Move

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Horses in modern day society travel a lot. In fact it is amusing to think that throughout history, a horse’s most basic function was to transport humans from point A to B, and yet now we spend so much time and money transporting them. Transport for horses can be stressful, both physically and mentally. But as with all things, having a well prepared horse at the start of a journey means you have a far better chance of having a healthy horse at the end of the journey. Feeding and nutrition have a big role to play, both in preparing horses for a journey and keeping them healthy and content during the journey. The following article provides help with feeding before and during travel with horses.

Spring & Autumn Pastures

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As temperatures warm up heading into spring or cool down heading into autumn you will start to notice your pastures changing as temperature and moisture conditions change. In spring you will usually see a rapid growth of lush pasture while in autumn, depending on the climate you may see a flush of growth similar to that of spring in warmer climates, or you may simply get a slower growth of lush pasture in cooler areas with possible early frosting. While this new growth is usually a welcome site and means horses are able to return to or remain out on pasture, this new growth pasture can present some unique problems for horses.

Pasture: Is it Affecting Behaviour?

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During times of the year when pasture is young, lush, very green and growing quickly it is common to find horse owners having problems with their horse and particularly their behaviour. Normally quiet, calm horses can become ‘spooky’, behave erratically and become excited easily, show signs of incoordination, muscle tenseness, soreness or twitching and in severe cases may become dangerously aggressive and exhibit unusual herding behaviour.

Understanding Protein Quality in Horse Feed

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After energy, protein is the most important nutrient in a horse’s diet. Protein is needed to build good quality hoof, hair, skin, organ tissue, muscles, eyes, blood and bones. Protein is also a crucial part of enzymes and hormones. Protein is an absolutely essential nutrient in a horse’s diet and after water, is the most plentiful substance in a horse’s body.

Omega 3 for Horses: What, Why, How?

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‘Omega 3’ is a term used to describe a group of fatty acids that cannot be made by an animal. They are therefore classified as essential fatty acids because they must be consumed in the diet. There are three ‘Omega 3’ fatty acids; the ‘short chain’ alpha-linoleic acid (derived from plants) and the ‘long chain’ eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docohexaeonic acid (DHA) (available almost exclusively from oily fish). Alpha-linoleic acid is the only form of Omega 3 present in a horse’s natural diet. This form of Omega 3 can be transformed (elongated) into EPA and DHA via a metabolic pathway in the horse’s body. EPA and DHA are the two biologically active forms of Omega 3.

Identifying Pastures Part 2: Bighead Grasses

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Following on from Newsletter Number 24 that looked at how to identify grasses that could cause mycotoxin problems for horses, this newsletter will help you to identify grasses that have the potential to cause Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism, also known as ‘Bighead Disease’. Bighead occurs due to a severe calcium deficiency and one way this is caused is by grazing sub-tropical or C4-type pastures (for more on Bighead, read FeedXL Newsletter # 25 – Bighead).

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