Choosing the Right Hay & Feed for Your Horse University of Maryland Horse Conference Montgomery College November 10, 2007 Erin D. Petersen, MS, PAS Extension Horse Specialist University of Maryland

How do I know what my horse needs? Requirements differ with: Individual horse Age Size and weight Body condition Health Weather Physiological state Exercise, breeding, growing, etc.

Weather

Starting Point: Determine Requirements Horse Age, Weight, Use To determine weight: Length Heartgirth 1 kg = 2.2 pounds 1 inch = 2.54 cm Nutrient Requirements of Horses Weight (kg) = girth 2 x length 11,877

“NRC” IN METRIC UNITS! Allows user to manipulate diet (forage, concentrate), horse information  ration evaluation Does NOT include commercial concentrates Most commercial feed manufacturers will give additional info on feeds when called

Forage Quality What determines forage quality? PALATABILITY - Will my animals eat this hay? INTAKE – How much will they eat? DIGESTIBILITY – How digestible is this hay? ANIMAL PERFORMANCE – How will my animals perform on this hay? NUTRIENT CONTENT – What is in the hay?

Nutrients for Horses ENERGY Carbohydrates Lipids PROTEIN MINERALS VITAMINS WATER

Other things to consider Grass vs. legume Intake Nutrient Content Digestibility Affects of maturity Species differences Timothy vs. Orchardgrass

Nutrient Requirements 1 pound = 454 grams ADG = Average Daily Gain (targeted weight gain for growing animals) DE = Digestible Energy Mcal = Megacalorie = 1000 kcal

Daily Requirements - Maintenance Body Wt (g) DE (Mcal) CP (g)Ca (g)P (g)

Daily Requirements - Growth 1100 g Mature Body Weight HorseADG (g) DE (Mcal) CP (g)Ca (g)P (g) Weanling/ 4 mos Weanling/ 6 mos Yearling mos mos mod exer

Daily Requirements - Growth 1100 g Mature Body Weight HorseADG (g) DE (Mcal) CP (g)Ca (g)P (g) 24 mos mos mod exer mos heavy ex mos. v.h. exer

Relative Change in Daily Requirements with Age

Relative Change as a function of Body Weight

Daily Requirements - Reproduction Horse/ Function DE (Mcal) CP (g)Ca (g)P (g) Stallion Pregnant mare (9 mos) Pregnant mare (11 mos) st month of lactation th month of Lactation

Daily Requirements - Exercise Horse/ Function DE (Mcal) CP (g)Ca (g)P (g) Light Exercise Moderate Exercise Heavy Exercise Very Heavy Exercise

The Hays… First Cutting Orchardgrass (grass 1) CP = 7.9% ADF = 45.1% NDF = 66.3% DE = 0.82 Mcal/# Avg. bale wt. = 35 Cost = $4.50 Second Cutting Orchardgrass (grass 2) CP = 14.8% ADF = 33.7% NDF = 53.2% DE = 1.06 Mcal/# Avg. bale wt. = 35 Cost = $6.00/bale

The Hays… Orchardgrass/ Alfalfa Mix (MGA) CP = 17.1% ADF = 35.4% NDF = 52.5% DE = 1.01 Mcal/# Avg bale wt. = 42 Cost = $5.50/bale 3 rd Cutting Midwest Alfalfa (alfalfa) CP = 21% ADF = 30.4% NDF = 38% DE = 1.12 Mcal/# Avg bale wt. = 70 Cost = $8.00/bale

Assumptions Most horses will eat anywhere from % of their body weight in Dry Matter per day Maintenance 1.5 – 2% Growth 2 – 3% Decreases with age Reproduction 1.5 – 3% Highest in early lactation Exercising horses 1.5 – 3% Increases with increasing exercise intensity

What to feed the maintenance horse?

Maintenance Require ments: 16.7 Mcal 630 g CP (1.39 #) DM Intake: 16.5 – 22 lbs HAY  Grass 1Grass 2MGAAlfalfa DE Content (Mcal/#) Hay to meet DE CP Content (%) Hay to meet CP *

Growth

Weanling, 6 months old Require ments: 15.5 Mcal 676 g CP (1.5 #) DM Intake: 9.5 – lbs HAY  Grass 1Grass 2MGAAlfalfa DE Content (Mcal/#) Hay to meet DE CP Content (%) Hay to meet CP

Reproduction

Require ments: 19.2 Mcal 797 g CP (1.8 #) DM Intake: 16.5 – 22 lbs HAY  Grass 1Grass 2MGAAlfalfa DE Content (Mcal/#) Hay to meet DE CP Content (%) Hay to meet CP *8.6* Broodmare, 9 th month of gestation

Require ments: 31.7 Mcal 1535 g CP (3.4 #) DM Intake: 22 – 33 lbs HAY  Grass 1Grass 2MGAAlfalfa DE Content (Mcal/#) Hay to meet DE CP Content (%) Hay to meet CP * Broodmare, 1 st month lactation

Mcals of DE supplied by grass and alfalfa hay of varying quality at an intake of 2% BW in DM relative to requirements 1 st month of lactation Gestation, Mo. 9 Conception - 5 mos gestation

Grams of CP supplied by grass and alfalfa hay of varying quality at an intake of 2% BW in DM relative to requirements 1 st month of lactation Gestation, Mo. 9 Conception - 5 mos gestation

Exercise

What defines performance??

Exercise Amount of energy used? Must know in order to determine amount of energy required 1. DURATION  Easy to measure… 2. INTENSITY  Many factors at play  Other factors?

Energy Requirements - Performance Defined Light Work Heart rate = 80 bpm 1-3 hours per week 40% walk 50% trot 10% canter Examples: Trail riding Beginning of training Occasional show horses

Energy Requirements - Performance Defined Moderate Work Heart rate = 90 bpm 3-5 hours/week 30% walk 55% trot 10% canter 5% low jumping, cutting and other skill work Examples: School horses, trail riding, breaking/training, frequent show horses, polo, ranch work

Energy Requirements - Performance Defined Heavy Heart rate = 110 bpm 4-5 hours per week 20% walk 50% trot 15% canter 15% gallop, jumping, other skill work Examples: Ranch work, polo, show horses (frequent/ strenuous), low-medium eventing, race training (middle stages)

Energy Requirements - Performance Defined Very Heavy Heart rate = bmp Duration varies  1 hr/week speed work to 6-12 hr/week slow work Examples: Racing (QH, TB, STB, Endurance) Elite 3-Day Event

Require ments: 23.3 Mcal 768 g CP (1.7 #) DM Intake: – 27.5 lbs HAY  Grass 1Grass 2MGAAlfalfa DE Content (Mcal/#) Hay to meet DE CP Content (%) Hay to meet CP Moderate Intensity Exercise

The problems with excess protein Makes my horse “hot” Truth or fiction? Excess protein  increase water intake  increase in urination  increase in ammonia in stable Protein is EXPEN$IVE!!

Which Hay should you choose? Maintenance  ANY No supplements* Growth  Alfalfa or Mix for weanlings, high quality grass or mix for older DE and/or CP supplementation Vitamin/mineral Reproduction  High quality grass or mix for late gestation, mix or alfalfa for lactation DE and/or CP supplementation Vitamin/mineral Exercising horse  High quality grass or mix DE and/or CP supplementation Vitamin/mineral

Choosing the right concentrate Base it on your hay! FORAGE FIRST Have a great hay? That 10% CP fortified sweetfeed may be all your horse needs! Better yet, maybe just a forage balancer Not so good hay? Higher quality, higher protein feed may be needed in larger amounts!

Example: 6 mo old weanling Grass Hay 1 Triple Crown Growth Grass Hay 1 Buckeye Gro N Win Daily Amount Can’t be done with this hay! Daily Cost$1.59$1.76 $3.35/day

Example: 6 mo old weanling Grass Hay 2 Triple Crown Growth Grass Hay 2 Buckeye Gro N Win Daily Amount Daily Cost$1.59$1.04$2.10$0.88 $2.98/day $2.63/day

Questions?