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What
Roughage Means in a Horse’s Diet
As in the case of the human diet, a higher
percent of fiber content is required for horses. This is to
keep the normal function of the digestive system working. The
normal requirement of roughage for a horse is determined in
relation to its body weight. Ideally speaking, a horse should
get 1.5 percent to 2 percent of its body weight in roughage
a day. But ideal situations are rare and as such it should
be ensured that the animal gets roughage totaling a minimum
of one percent of its body weight.
Roughages
are a vital component in the diet of a horse including
hay and pasture feeding, also. It is the source of necessary
digestive energy, protein, and a small percentage of vitamins
and minerals. The total requirement of food per day for an
average animal is estimated at around 3 percent of the body
weight of the animal. However the suggested percentage cannot
be applied without consideration of a few basic facts. The
feed needs to be adjusted based on the grain content in the
food, the stage of growth of the animal, lactation, and the
volume of work besides the expected body condition.
As already explained, the term “roughage” means high
content fiber feed with an expected minimum fiber content of not less
than 18 percent in crude form. Though hay and pasture are the
normal roughage foods, there are many other alternate feeds
that can be effectively used to replace both hay and pasture
feed.
It is quite normal for horse owners to compromise on their
hay and pasture feed supply in the daily diet of their horse,
especially during a period of severe drought when they become
too expensive. In such situations they may either be replaced
completely or their quantity curtailed. It is in this context
that the relevance of grains with moderate levels of fiber
content comes into the picture. It is expected that such alternate
feed contain eleven to fifteen percent of fiber. It should
be remembered that such low fiber content cannot replace the
hay and pasture benefits completely, but the amount of hay
can be reduced successfully. The change in the feed may not
be done immediately but should be done gradually. One needs
to ensure that the horse gets at least one percent of its body
weight in roughage per day and that the remaining portion is
filled by the required quantity of moderate fiber feeds.
Though it has been stated earlier that a horse ideally requires
one to two percent of their body weight as roughage
in the daily feed, the same cannot be applied uniform for all type
of horses. As per the standard prescribed by the nutrient requirement
of horses, a normal mature idle horse may require roughage
of 1.5 to 2 percent of its body weight. In the case of working
horses though, it all depends on the intensity of work on an
average day and can be taken as one to three percent. A mare,
either in late gestation or lactation, may be seen as a work
horse for the purpose of feed content, while weanling and yearling
requires comparatively lesser quantity of roughage.
Having
seen the importance of roughage in the diet of a horse, here
are some of the alternate feeds that can
either partially or fully replace for the hay and pasture
feeding. Alfalfa hay
is a good supplement for the hay and the pasture feed in this
category because it contains higher protein and calcium and
less quantity would suffice. Grass hay and the Bermuda grass
hay are also complete supplements for the normal hay and pasture
feeding. Millet hay has less nutrient value when compared to
other grass hays. This has a laxative effect when exclusively
fed as roughage however, so owners should be attentive.
Other feed substitutes for roughage in full is sorghum grass,
although it is not recommended because of its bad effect on
the health of the animals and studies showing it leading to
neurological problems. The other major supplements are haylage,
oat hay, straw, beet pulp, soy hulls, alfalfa hay, Bermuda
grass hay, and millet hay. These can be successfully used as
a roughage substitute. Besides the above there are other sources
of moderate fiber feeds that can be used as partial substitute
for hay and pasture feeding in the horse feed, like rice, bran,
wheat, bran, and oats. #
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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