Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition of the Horse

Minerals are inorganic nutrients that are needed in relatively small quantities by the horse. The essential major minerals are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium and sulfur. The essential trace minerals needed are iron, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, iodine, and cobalt.

A horse's mineral requirements will vary based on its body weight, age, physiological condition (e.g., pregnant, lactating) and activity level. For example, late gestation and lactating mares as well as young, rapidly growing horses have a proportionally greater requirement for some specific minerals e.g., calcium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc, than do other horses. The National Research Council (NRC) 2007 publication entitled, Nutrient Requirement of Horses lists daily mineral requirement as well as the mineral content of common feedstuffs. The mineral content of most grains and supplements are consistent enough that you can use values in the NRC tables; however, the quantity of minerals in forages can vary significantly with soil mineral content, plant species, stage of maturity at harvest, harvest conditions etc. Consequently, forages should be sent to a laboratory for mineral analysis.  This can be done for a small fee of $10 through NCDA&CS Farm Feed Testing Service.  Check with your Extension agent for more information.

Providing minerals at less than the recommended quantities can result in a dietary deficiency whereas providing minerals in excessive quantities can result in toxicity. In addition to the amount of mineral required daily, the ratios of minerals with each other and with other components of the ration are important due to effects on absorption, metabolism and/or excretion. In particular, a critical consideration in mineral nutrition of the horse is the calcium to phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio. 

Although the quantity of trace minerals required for normal growth, development and metabolism is very small, they are all absolutely essential.  Providing mineral supplementation can be accomplished in a number of different ways. You can use:

1.  Trace mineral salt, either in block or loose form containing Na, Cl and trace minerals but no Ca or P. This approach assumes that the Ca and P levels as well as the Ca:P ratio provided in the rest of the ration are appropriate. 

Photo Credit: myhorse.com

2.  Commercial complete mineral supplements containing major minerals such as Ca, P, Na, Cl, trace minerals etc. The mineral supplement should be chosen to compliment the mineral content of the remainder of the ration e.g., type of forage and concentrate if any. The complete mineral supplement is fed daily at the recommended rate to each individual horse. This method ensures that each horse consumes the appropriate amount of mineral. When using a complete mineral supplement horses should also have access to a white salt block that does not contain trace minerals.

3.  Commercial grain mix which contains major and trace minerals. If fed at the manufacturer's recommended rate, this method ensures that each horse consumes the appropriate amount of mineral.  When using a commercial grain mix, horses should also have access to a white salt block that does not contain trace minerals.

Vitamins are organic compounds that are needed in even smaller quantities than minerals by the horse, although no less critical. Vitamins can be divided into two groups, the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and the water soluble C and B-complex vitamins. The National Research Council (NRC) 2007 publication entitled,Nutrient Requirement of Horses lists estimates of the daily requirements for vitamins A, D, E, and the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin. 

Vitamin A (or its precursor beta-carotene) and vitamin E are present in high concentrations in fresh green forages or newly harvested hay. Consequently, a horse grazing pasture will meet its vitamin A and E requirements. However, during the winter, when hay is stored, the levels of vitamins A and E in hay drop significantly, necessitating supplementation to meet requirements.  Sun-cured forages contain vitamin D. The vitamin D requirement is also met if the horse is exposed to sunlight for four to six hours a day because the ultraviolet rays of the sun will convert a precursor present in the skin to vitamin D.

Source: Marcia Hathaway, PhD. Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota

To view the full article click here: http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/nutrition/vitamins-and-minerals/ 

Own a Horse? How About a Horse App!

No, I’m not talking about horse apples. Horse apps!  With the proliferation of electronic devices that will make and receive calls, send text messages, surf the internet, and run apps, it is only natural that there is are plenty of apps available to install on a phone, tablet, or pad that in some way pertain to horses.  Many of those apps are even useful as tools to help manage one’s horses.  Most of those cite the advantage of having your equine records in your pocket and always available.

There are a whole lot of those apps in the app stores that are games, wallpaper, or other mostly useless stuff, but there are also some likely gems when it comes to managing a stable and keeping financial records, keeping vet records, learning dressage, reining, or pleasure patterns, planning trail rides, training horses, or training a hippology or horse bowl team.  Any one of these needs might make an app on a phone or tablet worthwhile.

I will put the disclaimer in here:  I am not endorsing any specific apps for use with a horse, stable, or veterinary service.  With that said, there are some apps out there that are from .edu sources that should be trustworthy. 

Some of these apps might be useful in keeping feeding records, breeding records, registration papers, financial records, veterinary records, or other important information about your horse.  There are apps that will estimate a horse’s weight, though there are some measurements that have to be taken to make this one work.   There are apps that show that anatomy and physiology of the entire horse, and apps that only show the parts of a horse’s hoof.  There are plenty of “how to” apps also.  Of course, there are lots of equine game apps to help pass the time between classes at shows.

When choosing an equine app for your highly sophisticated communications device, be sure to do a little research.  Before downloading and installing any app on your phone or tablet, be sure to check out any reviews, see when the last update was made, or even if the app is still available. If it hasn’t been updated in a couple of years, it may not be one to use. If the reviews are poor, it may not be very useful.  Talk with friends and folks in the horse business to see if there might be any particular app that they like and how it is best used.  Adventurous folks might try a new app and write a review to share with other horse owners.  Most of these apps cost between $1.00 and $10.00.   That’s a lot less than buying a software package for the home computer, but folks should try to find some information that will help them make an informed decision.

I don’t know if there is a linear relationship or correlation between owning a horse and also owning an Apple product, but a lot of the equine apps are only available for Apple gear.  I did see several reviews of apps that said Android versions were planned or would be released soon.  Hopefully, the best apps are available to anyone.

The University of Minnesota has a couple of apps that Apple users may be interested in.  One is a “Hay Price Calculator” app that converts the per-bale price to a price per ton for a better price comparison.  The other is called “Healthy Horse” and is a body weight estimator that folks can use to see if their horse is over or under weight, or is at the ideal weight for that type of horse.  Adjustments to the feeding program can then be made to have horses gain or lose weight, or maintain the current weight.   These can be found at http://z.umn.edu/ituneshorsehay ($0.99) and http://z.umn.edu/itunesHealthyHorse ($1.99).

Have fun deciding which equine app or apps will be most useful.  Now I’m wondering how to best wrap one of these to put under the tree this holiday season!

Caring For Your Senior Horse

We’ve all heard the phrases “Well, I’m no spring chicken” or “I’m not as young as I used to be”.  The older we get, our joints creak and pop a little more than they used to, our eyesight is not as sharp and it takes a little bit longer to get moving.  With everything that happens to us on a daily basis, it’s easy to forget that they happen to our equine friends too.  As our horses get older, there are things that we can do, steps that we can take to help them age gracefully and comfortably.  Researchers from the University of Georgia and University of Florida have detailed some of the most common problems for senior horses and their solutions and compiled them in the article below.

Caring for the Older Horse: Common Problems and Solutions    

Equine Embryo Transfer

By: Margaret Ross

Adapted from: Embryo Transfer in Mares. Fred M. Hopkins, Professor, Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science; Doyle G. Meadows, Professor, Animal Science

Embryo transfer, also known as ET, is a reproductive technology that has various uses in the equine reproductive industry. These uses include:

·      Mares under 2 years old can have offspring

·      Show mares can have offspring without being removed from the show ring

·      Mares that are less fertile can have offspring

Embryo transfer has lots of advantages and well as disadvantages, including that it is a technical and time-consuming procedure that doesn’t always have a very high success rate. To add, some breed registries have restrictions for ET use. Each registry has different rules and registrations regarding embryo transfer.

When selecting a donor mare, one should look for a successful reproductive history and the mare should be gaining weight with a moderate body condition score. They should also be experiencing normal heat cycles and have a physical examination conducted to be sure they are in good health.

Recipient mares should be les than 10 years old and also be in good physical condition. They should also be prepared for the transfer dependent upon if they are intact or if they have had their ovaries removed. Intact mares can either be teased to determine heat cycle stage or they have their estrous cycle manipulated by giving hormones to synchronize their cycles. Mares without their ovaries have a different protocol that includes administering hormones. See the full article for more information.

Seven days after ovulation, the donor mare is collected. Only 1-2 embryos are typically collected, since horses cannot be superovulated like cows. Usually in healthy mares, an embryo is actually found in 50 to 80 percent of attempts.

Surgical implantation or nonsurgical methods are options for placing the embryos in the recipient mare. Most horse embryos are transferred by the nonsurgical option using an embryo transfer gun. The rates for recipient mares implanted with embryos determined to be of good quality range from 40 to 70 percent.

See full article here.

Winter Dehydration

Even in cold winter months, dehydration can occur in horses. Dehydration occurs when horses lose too much water from their body and do not replenish it. Water is lost through urine, feces, sweating and moisture in breath exhaled from the lungs. 

Horses may reduce their water intake levels that can cause significant health problems. It is necessary to have adequate levels of water in the body because water is responsible for essential functions, such as, maintaining normal digestion, proper levels of moisture in feces, normal blood volume and the normal function of sweat glands. 

Insufficient water can cause decreased feed intake and impaction colic.

Decrease feed intake occurs because their is not enough saliva produced to mix with the food. A hydrated horse will produce about 10 gallons of saliva daily to help soften the food mass as it is chewed. Even if quality feed is offered, a horse will consume less if they are not drinking sufficient water. Less feed can mean less energy to tolerate cold weather and weight loss.

Impaction colic can be the most dangerous of the two. Feed material during digestion and fecal matter after digestion must have the appropriate moisture levels. If they become too dry, impaction (intestinal blockage) can occur because the feed material is not moved along the digestive tract in a timely manner.    

Horse owners should watch for the signs of a lethargic horse or decreased feed intake. Encouraging an increase in water consumption can prevent impaction colic.

Tips to encourage water consumption:

• Warm the water. Studies have shown when water was heated, water consumption increased by 40 percent per day.

• Additional salt. Increasing salt content will stimulate a horse to drink more water. A 1000 pound horse should be consuming about 2 ounces of salt per day. 

No matter the season, weather condition, or activity of the horse, good quality water should be provided at all times to prevent dehydration.  

Water and Hay: Critical for Cold Weather

With the brisk temperatures and frequent fluctuations of our North Carolina winter weather, it is always good to remember how critical these changes can be to our equine companions.  If you’ve been in the horse business long enough, you have probably encountered a horse experiencing colic due to temperature changes.  Keeping horses warm and hydrated in the winter, as well as in good body condition can be a challenge.  Key factors in achieving this are providing shelter from the wind and rain, along with plenty of clean water and good hay.  Here are some things to consider as the winter progresses.

Maintaining ample water intake is the most critical part of ensuring the health of your horse during cold weather.  The horse prefers a water temperature of 45-65°F.  Under normal conditions, horses will consume one gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight per day.  An 1100 pound horse will consume 10-12 gallons of water daily.  But, as water temperature decreases, horses will consume less.  An 1100 pound horse may consume as little as 1-3 gallons of water per day when water temperature is 32°F. 

 Low water intake is directly related to the increased incidence of impaction colic.  Water intake can be encouraged by increasing the amount of forage being fed prior to a drop in temperature.  The resulting increase of dry matter encourages the horse to drink more water.  Concentrate mashes can also be fed during the actual cold period when water temperature is below 45°F.  Feeding 2-3 gallons of hot water mixed in a mash with a textured or pelleted concentrate mix will provide additional water intake.  To avoid gas colic, allow for the mash to sit for 15 minutes. This will permit the feed to expand prior to feeding.  If possible, offer 10 gallons of water (at 65°F or warmer) twice daily.  Break and remove ice from water tubs, making certain to provide water that is available free choice. 

Providing good quality, nutritious hay is another critical aspect to winter management of horses.  This is the time of year where hay supplies can get thin, so planning ahead and purchasing enough hay to get through the winter is critical.  When temperatures get below freezing, winter pasture growth reduces tremendously, and hay is our only forage option.  Horses, along with other grazing animals, need hay to stay warm.  Hay and other forages are digested in the cecum and large intestine of the horse, and this digestion process is the primary source of regulating body temperature. Many horses can maintain their weight through the winter with just an increase in hay consumption.  Those that are harder to keep weight on or older will often need a gradual increase of grain as well. Horses should consume at least 1.5% of their body weight in hay during cold periods.  For example, a mature 1000 pound horse should consume 15-18 pounds per day of hay to meet these temperature needs in cold weather.  It’s important to pay close attention to body condition during these periods, and actually “feel” your horse.  A long hair coat or winter blanket can often cover up thin spots on a horse, so be sure to examine your horse closely and get a feel for where your horse’s ribs, backbone, etc. are and how much fat or “cover” there is over and around them.  If a horse given plenty of hay is having trouble maintaining weight, increasing fat to the concentrate diet may also be helpful.  Many “high fat” feeds are on the market just for this purpose. 

These are just a few tips to help you and your horses get through the brisk winter days that are starting and will be here for awhile. For more information or advice, don’t hesitate to contact your extension agent or veterinarian.

Fall Forage Information

Winter is quickly approaching and if you're like me, you're always late getting your pastures planted. The following is a description of some of the forages planted in North Carolina for winter/fall grazing.  Before planting any seed always make sure you take a soil sample to know the fertilizer recommendations. 

In eastern North Carolina we are blessed to have a great climate to plant a wide variety of forages for the fall/winter months. In our area we can plant Oats, Wheat, Triticale, Rye and Ryegrass, Fescues, Brassicas, Winter Peas and many others. If you are looking at planting triticale make sure you have contacted someone about seed early as there is a shortage of seed for this fall. The seeding rate on triticale is between 100 to 150lbs per acre. Over the years we have seen an increase of producers planting ryegrass which is seeded at 35-40lbs per acre. Ryegrass grows quickly once it is planted and is a great source for producers to turn to during fall and spring months. 

Annual Ryegrass Pasture

There has also been an increase in producers planting mixes, (2 to 7 varieties) of forages together to help build soil health and used as grazing. These mixes have come about through the research done by the Amazing Grazing team at NC State University to promote a different way of thinking about pastures. We all want as much forage per acre to feed our livestock but we also must think about the soil health as well. Such mixes as the Ray’s Crazy Mix have several varieties of seeds that have different root systems to expand the pores of the soil to create less runoff and more nutrients that can enter into the soil. The Ray’s Crazy Mix needs to be planted at a minimum of 40lbs per acre. Fescues also work well in our area and can be planted from September through November depending on weather conditions. 

Any fescue needs to be seeded at 35 to 40lbs per acre. Fescue is suited more for a clay based soil and not a sandy base soil. It is also recommend to mix clover in with your fescue to promote an added nitrogen source to the soil. If you are going to inter-seed a clover the seeding rate would be 4 to 5lbs per acre.  Turnips and radishes are a great source to use for cover crops in our area. Not only do they work well to sustain the soil through the winter months but they also expand the root systems below the surface to increase nutrient intake into the soil. The seeding rate on these is around 14lbs per acre. With so many varieties to plant for our area make sure you talk to your local extension agent to see what would best suit your farm and the goals you have for each forage season. As a final note, talk with your agent to know the fertilizer recommendations to put on these forages to get the best grazing season that you can.

Written By: Jared Harrell