Feeding Young Horses

Feeding Young Horses – Hints for Optimal Health and Growth

Whether you’re rearing a foal to sell on or to produce at home, the aim of feeding young horses should be to achieve a sound, healthy and successful athlete for whatever level and type of equestrian use.

Many factors influence the growth and development of foals. However, we are increasingly realising that how we feed and manage our pregnant and lactating mares, as well as their young stock, can have a profound effect on health and welfare.

Some of the main issues affecting the growth of horses, which can be assisted by appropriate nutrition, include:

♦ Bone development

♦ Digestive Health

♦ Immune status

♦ Behavioural development

Key factors to consider

♦ Protein quality is as important as quantity when feeding young horses, so ideally, choose a feed specially designed for breeding stock, as this should include quality protein at the appropriate level.

♦ Appropriate antioxidant supplementation may be more important than previously thought; particular attention should be paid to vitamin E and selenium intake during the last 3 months of gestation for potential effects on the immune status of the foal as well as protection against muscular problems.

♦ Vitamins and minerals must be provided in adequate amounts and balance with each other (consider the balance of copper to zinc and calcium to phosphorus in particular). Feeding a quality breeding feed should take care of these levels for you.

The weanling

What should be the main aims of feeding young horses?

• A steady increase in size and body weight (some plateauing may occur over winter, etc.)
• To avoid extremely rapid growth rates
• To avoid rapid compensatory growth spurts
• To avoid getting too fat or heavy

Nutritional hints

♦ The foal at weaning must be able and accustomed to eating solid creep feed.

♦ As the weaned foal grows, an increasing proportion of the daily gain is fat, and less is muscle, so the foal will require proportionally less protein and amino acids but more energy.

♦ In the first year post-weaning, compound feed intake should not exceed 70% of total daily intake. Far lower compound feed intakes may be preferable for many horses and ponies.

♦ It may be useful to allow up to 20% extra energy requirements for youngstock kept in-groups or outside. Colts tend to require more energy than females.

♦ Remember the nature of the protein is as important as the amount.

♦ Be careful of excessive iron supplementation; iron deficiency is extremely rare unless severe or chronic blood loss exists.

♦ Ensure adequate trace mineral intake.

♦ It is still advisable to avoid excessive energy intake, allowing foals to become overweight.

Conclusion 

Although providing appropriate nutrition during pregnancy, and throughout lactation to the mare as well as to the foal itself, we can not guarantee a healthy and successful adult.

There is increasing evidence in other species as well as the horse to suggest that feeding appropriate nutrition may have short-, medium- and long-term advantages and may help to reduce the risk of certain unwanted conditions, such as Developmental Orthopaedic Diseases in Horses. While the above provides a guide and some hints, it may be advantageous to obtain expert nutritional advice in order to ensure the most optimal nutrition at these key periods.

For further advice on feeding call the SPILLERS^® Care-Line on 01908 262626

You may also be interested in learning more about Developmental Orthopaedic Disease in Horses

With thanks to: Pat Harris, MA PhD VetMB MRCVCS DipECVCN : Clare Barfoot BSc RNutr