Feed Advice - forage and concentrates?

[tashcat]

Hi all!

This is my first post, so sorry if I've done anything wrong!

I have a 14'2 and roughly 475kg New Forest x Connemara who is 22. He's very long in the body and is basically a 15h horse in a 14.2 body if that makes any sense!

I am unsure about feeding - there is so much confusing information out there and I simply want what is best for him!

He's ridden almost everyday but usually lightly - never any more than moderate work. In general he's a good doer, although he has had minor digestive issues in the past, put mainly down to his age which I keep an eye on.

How much haylege do you think he should be roughly having per day ? (Respiratory problems and allergy to dust means he cannot consume hay in any format, including soaked). I've heard people say 2% of his body weight a day - but does that include chaff he has in his bucket? Does it include grazing? Is that even the right figure? He is stabled at night, and grazes in the day.

In his bucket (fed morning and night) he has pony cubes and mollichaff herbal. How much do you think he should roughly have of chaff and of cubes each day? I never understand whether 'concentrates' or 'hard feed' includes chaff or if chaff is a forage!

Sorry that this seems rather like a stupid and long question, Im just confused and would appreciate advice!

 

[PorkChop]

Not stupid questions at all - I am of the camp that only feeds concentrates if the horses are in fairly decent work, and would rather up the forage. So I would start by giving him ad lib haylage, with no bucket feed and then decrease the haylage if he is putting on too much weight. As an example mine are getting about half a small bale of hay a day, they are stabled night time, all about the 16hh mark in reasonable work (competing once a week).

 

[JillA]

The 2% of his bodyweight is DRY matter (there will be some moisture in most foods except hay) and is to gain condition. To maintain condition he needs 1.5% body weight in dry matter and to lose it is 1% - that is on light work. And that is the total of what he is getting fed - if he is grazing at all it becomes very hard to work out. Basically if he is a good doer he needs at least 95% of his food as forage (yes, chaff is included but beware the molasses, sugars aren't good for them) and a small top up as a bucket feed, mainly as a treat and a carrier for any supplements you need him to have.
The general rule is plenty of fibre, a little protein, a good balance of vitamins and minerals and no more than 5% total of sugars or starches (cereals convert to starch). Most of that will be found in good quality hay or haylage.
Just bear in mind that most of his diet is grass and forage, so if he is gaining weight or losing it, that is where the most adjustment will have effect.

 

[tashcat]

Thank you both for your replies!

LJR I agree with your concept of no hard feed, but could having no concentrated feed at all be negative? He is 22 now, and I do worry about maintaining his weight and nutrients! If hard feed is not harming him, I would prefer to keep feeding him as it is his routine and he enjoys it (I know I'm a softie!). But if it is not benefitting him in any way, perhaps a change would be best.

JillA - So if I fed him majority of his feed as forage, roughly what sort of weight of concentrated feed should he be having daily, considering he is around 475kg? Would that be around 70g?! Not sure if my calculations are correct - but that does seem like a small amount of pony cubes!

 

[JillA]

Thank you both for your replies!



JillA - So if I fed him majority of his feed as forage, roughly what sort of weight of concentrated feed should he be having daily, considering he is around 475kg? Would that be around 70g?! Not sure if my calculations are correct - but that does seem like a small amount of pony cubes!

He doesn't need much as concentrates. I can't visualise 70gm of pony cubes, but if he is maintaining condition on that, then it is enough - you might need a vit & mineral balancer depending on how good your forage is.
Just one word of caution - best not feed cubes of any kind on their own, (if you do) they can bolt them and choke. Adding a handful of chop or soaked beet pulp won't add much to the calorific value but will make him chew, and chewing not only slows him down but produces saliva, which reduced the acidity in his stomach and helps him to digest better.

 

[wench]

You might be best off just giving him a veteran horse balancer?