Greetings again fellow horse owners! Hopefully everyone has had a chance over the last few months to start thinking about mineral requirements for horses in mathematical terms. To review, we have discussed the importance of Ca and P, especially in consideration of broodmares and young, growing horses. We have worked on calculating the Ca to P ratio you are providing in your diet, as well as comparing the total amount fed to the animal’s requirements. The suggested daily intake of Ca and P has been provided in tabular form, as well as some common feedstuffs’ concentration of these two minerals. Most importantly, we have worked out the math step-by-step, in order to allow you to really take a close look at your feeding program. This month we will more directly address the idea of feeding young horses properly.
Mature Weight (lbs) | 4 month | 6 month | 8 month | 10 month | 12 month | 14 month | 16 month | 18 month | 20 month |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
900 | 302 | 392 | 461 | 524 | 578 | 623 | 663 | 697 | 726 |
1000 | 336 | 432 | 513 | 582 | 642 | 692 | 737 | 775 | 806 |
1100 | 370 | 475 | 564 | 641 | 706 | 764 | 811 | 853 | 887 |
1200 | 403 | 571 | 614 | 699 | 771 | 831 | 885 | 930 | 968 |
1300 | 437 | 560 | 668 | 757 | 836 | 900 | 959 | 1004 | 1048 |
We will adjust our feeding scheme to feeding our foal 1.5 % of his body wt as forage and 1% as concentrate. Feeding such a diet that s approximately 65% forage and 35% concentrate is fairly typical for young horses. Previously young horses were believed to need a much higher proportion of grains in the diet, but recent research has shed light on better strategies for feeding young horses. This diet will now provide 2.5 kg of hay and 1.7 kg of concentrate. The feed we select to use is designed for young horses and broodmares. It contains 1% Ca and 0.55% P. When we recalculate, this diet now provides 27 g of Ca and 9 g of P from the hay, and 17 g of Ca and 9 g of P from the concentrate. Added together, the foal is now receiving 44 g of Ca and 18 g of P. He is still a little bit shy in phosphorous, but I don’t want to add more grain to the diet. Alternatively, I could select a feed that provides slightly more P.
I decide to use a select a new feed which contains a higher percentage P at 0.7% while the Ca content remains the same. All figures would remain the same with the exception of the P contribution from the new feed is 12 g of P. We have reached our goal of feeding our new guy a balanced ration (at least in terms of Ca and P)!
Now, for the sake of argument, let’s try to formulate a new ration that relies on slightly less grain for our growing foal. We will feed 2 % of his body weight in hay, 0.5% in concentrate and add a mineral supplement. The mineral supplement I chose has a concentration of 13% Ca and 12% P. It is designed to be fed at the rate of 2-4 oz per day. We will feed our baby 2 oz of the supplement per day.
Hay : 3.3 kg/day (2% of his body wt)
3.3 kg x 1.09% = 36 g Ca
3.3 kg x .35% = 12 g p
Grain: 0.8 kg (0.5% of his body wt)
0.8 kg x 1% = 8 g Ca
0.8 kg x 0.55% = 4.4 g P
Mineral supplement: 2 oz per day
Note: There are 28.35 g per oz. Therefore this colt will receive 56.7 g of supplement
56.7 g x 13% = 7.4 g Ca
56.7 g x 12% = 6.8 g P
All together the diet now provides 51 g of Ca and 23 g of P. This meets both his Ca and P requirements while allowing you to feed a more forage based diet. Now, which should you do? Well, that’s a topic for an entirely new discussion!
Next month we will continue on with minerals, but discuss one of the most confusing, miscalculated minerals there is – selenium. Until then, happy horse feeding!