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Nutrient requirements are needed when analyzing and balancing a horse’s diet. The nutrient requirements are based on the horses’ different life stages.
Foals require food to supply energy, protein, minerals and vitamins for maintenance, production, growth and performance. Recommended nutrient requirements are expressed as absolute amounts per day. These recommendations are considered averages because horses of similar body masss and production status will vary slightly in their individual nutrient needs. The amounts of nutrients needed will of course depend on the horses’ mass, life stage, activity and growth.
These recommendations are developed by years of research at universities around the world and are compiled by the National Research Council Subcommittee on Horse Nutrition.
The Nursing Foal and the growing foal
The mares milk plus the pasture, hay and concentrates (grain) mix being fed the mare, which most foals will start nibbling by a couple of months of age is sufficient to meet the foal’s three months of life as long as he mare is producing a normal amount of milk. This is indicated by a thin foal.
Creep feed is recommended at three months old. After the third month of lactation, the mare’s milk production declines while the foal’s nutritional needs continue to increase. The difference between the nutrients received from the mild and forage, and those needed, should be provided by feeding creep feed. Give .5 to .75 lbs/100 lbs. body weight a day of a creep feed consisting entirely of concentrates (grain).
The creep feed should follow the nutrient requirements:
- Crude protein 16%
- Digestible energy (DE) in Mcal/lb3.3 – 3.8
- Calcium .9%
- Phosphorus .6%
- Expected total food eaten (lbs/100lbs body mass).5lbs. -.75lbs.
- Hay to grain ratio of total food daily100% grain
- Offer the creep feed mix in more than one feeding during the day instead of free choice. This will prevent excessive consumption by the young foal which can result in epiphysitis or enteroxemia.
Weanling Four to Six Months
The weaning period has been identified as a time of psychological and nutritional stress for foals. It has been documented that many foals experience a depression in growth rate immediately following weaning.
The weanling should be fed 1 to 1.5 lbs per 100 lbs. of body poundage daily of a concentrate mix (grain). He should also get a least 1 lb. per 100 lbs. of body weight daily of good quality forage (hay). If this amount of forage (hay) is not being consumed, the quantity of concentrated (grain) available should be reduced until this amount of forage (hay) is consumed. The grain should meet the nutrient requirements below:
Weanling at four months –
- Crude protein 14.5%
- Digestible energy (DE) 2.9 Mcal/lb
- Calcium .8%
- Phosphorus .5%
- Expected total Offer (% body mass/day)2.5%-3.5%
- Hay to grain ratio of total foal nutrition daily 30% hay & 70% grain
Weanling at six months –
- Crude protein 14.5%
- Digestible energy (DE) 2.9 Mcal/lb
- Calcium .7%
- Phosphorus .4%
- Expected total food (% body weight/day)2.5%-3.5%
- Hay to grain ratio of total meal daily 30% hay & 70% grain
Yearling at 12 months –
By twelve months of age the horses’ growth rate has slowed and there is a corresponding decrease in its nutritional requirements per lb. of body weight.
Therefore the amount of grain fed to the yearling should be decreased to .5 to 1 lb/100 lbs. of body weight daily until 90% of mature poundage is attained, at which time, it should be fed the same as the mature horse for maintenance or work.
Nutrient requirements below:
- Crude protein 12.5%
- Digestible energy (DE) 2.8 Mcal/lb
- Calcium .5%
- Phosphorus .3%
- Expected total meal eaten (%body mass/day)2% – 3%
- Hay to grain ratio of total feed daily 40% hay & 60% grain
Long Yearling at 18 months –
By the time yearlings are 18 months old (long yearlings), their growth rate has slowed ever further.
Nutrient requirements below:
- Crude protein 12%
- Digestible energy (DE) 2.65 Mcal/lb
- Calcium .4%
- Phosphorus .25%
- Expected total meal eaten (%body weight/day)2% - 2.75%
- Hay to grain ratio of total feed daily50% hay & 50% grain
Two year old 24 months –
Nutrient requirements below:
- Crude protein 11%
- Digestible energy (DE) Mcal/lb2.5
- Calcium .35%
- Phosphorus .2%
- Expected total foal nutrition eaten (% body mass/day)2% - 2.5%
- Hay to grain ratio of total diet daily 50% hay & 50% grain
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