Feeding

Question 1

Nutrient requirements?

Answer 1

Carbohydrates
Fats and oils
Protein
Vitamins and minerals
Water

Question 2

Carbohydrates:
What?
How?
Why?

Answer 2

Grass
Hay
Sugar beet
Alfalfa
In the form of fibre, sugar, and starch
Provides energy

Question 3

Fats and oils:
What?
Why?

Answer 3

Vegetable oil
Fish oils
Some pure unprocessed plant based oils
Provides energy

Question 4

What is Digestible energy (DE)? How is it measured?

Answer 4

Gross energy food contains- the amount of energy estimated will be lost in the feces Mj/kg

Question 5

Low energy feed?

Answer 5

horse maintains weight easily
7-9 Mj/kg

Question 6

Medium energy feed?

Answer 6

Horses in medium work or need just a little extra help maintaining condition
9-10 Mj/kg

Question 7

High energy feed?

Answer 7

Provide energy for hard work or help increase body weight
11 Mj/kg or more

Question 8

Too much or too little DE?

Answer 8

Too much: horse will get fat or excitable

Too little: lose weight, lethargic, irritable and prone to infection

Question 9

Protein
How?
Why?

Answer 9

Hay and feeds - sufficient for healthy horse
Concentrates if needing help maintaining body condition

Aids the repair and replacement of body tissue, increasing resistance to disease, improving coat condition and hoof horn quality

Question 10

Too little vs too much protein

Answer 10

Too little: delayed healing of wounds, increased vulnerability of infection, and poor coat and hoof condition

Too much: cannot be stored. Removal of excess protein from the body puts unnecessary strain on the kidneys, heart and lungs and increases water requirements

Question 11

What are proteins?

Answer 11

22 amino acids
12 are synthesized adequately by horses gut
Lysine and methionine are likely to be deficient

Question 12

Lacking specific amino acids and signs?

Answer 12

Lysine and methionine- hoof and coat condition

Tryptophan- increased nervousness

Question 13

Why provide Vitamins and minerals?

Answer 13

Preserve strong bone structure and healthy teeth
Aid energy metabolism and feed utilization
Assist in the maintenance of fluid balance, nerve and muscle function
Boost efficiency of the immune system

Some:
help maintain skin coat and hoof
Act as antioxidants- help deal with infections and inflammation and prevent the decay of body tissues

Question 14

Not enough vitamins and minerals results?

Answer 14

Difficulty maintaining weight
Prone to infection
Develop brittle bones or loose teeth
Poor hoof and coat condition
Suffer from anemia, delayed wound healing, nervousness or muscle damage

Question 15

Too much vitamins and minerals?

Answer 15

Adversely affect the absorption and action of others

Question 16

Majority of equine diets are deficient in this mineral?

Answer 16

Salt- allow free access to a salt block or add couple tablespoons of loose salt to horses feed.

Question 17

How much dry feed should a horse be fed daily?

Answer 17

1.5-2% of their body weight