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The Dietary Need in Horses Feed to Keep Them Healthy
Horses’ digestive system is unique. It requires the consumption of a high fiber diet in some small amounts and for a long time. Unlike us humans, horses eat many small meals repeatedly. Most of their time is spent eating. Despite their eating habit, not all animal feed is proper for them. This is the list of horses feed to keep them healthy.
Pasture Grass
Pasture is grass and other low plants covered on land. The good pasture supplies the best nutrition for horses. The good pasture may contain silica to increase dental health. For primitive horses, the scattered feed can make them adapt to any living conditions. They rarely have problems like metabolic system, laminitis, or obesity. These are often found in modern horses. The type of horses and the lack of exercise can be the main cause.
Hay
Grazing on pasture is a luxury for the animals. If the good pasture is not available, hay can be the option. Hay for horses is in two kinds, types of grass and legumes. The grass types can be Kentucky bluegrass, timothy, or orchard grass. Compared to legumes, grass has lower protein and higher fiber.
It is also important to test the ingredients like vitamins, minerals, and other supplements inside the hay. Since the hay is mown and dried, so it needs a good wrapper or film to preserve the nutritional value. Silage film from Silopak can last more than 18 months and has high UV resistance. It is made from high-quality LLDPE, linear low-density polyethylene – the most flexible polyethylene material. Silage film from Silopak is in various sizes to preserve your horse’s feed for a long time.
Concentrates
The mixture consists of grains, beet pulps, molasses, flaxseed, bran, vitamins and minerals, and other ingredients. This concentrated mixture is a rapid source of energy. It can also be added to grass or hay.
Grains
For wild horses, the seed head of grasses is easily reached and consumed. Oats and corns can also be used as horses feed, but what cannot. Grains produced using modern methods are not good for horses. Eating too many grains can cause colic or laminitis.
Salt and Minerals
These ingredients are both good to be included in the concentrates and consumed separately. A salt block and it can be mixed with other minerals, put into the pasture, which can help the horses to overcome cravings. Salt is also good to be consumed during summer, rather than in cold weather.
Treats
Treats for horses are not only given as a reward for good behavior, but they can also be used to teach new skills. The traditional ones are apples and carrots. Other treats options can be sweet fruits like strawberries, bananas, melons, grapes, candies, or sugar cubes, or perhaps a bite of hamburger or boiled egg. As it was mentioned above, they spend most of their time eating. Just remember that too many sweets can affect intestinal flora.
Horses don’t understand their discomfort may come after eating some food. They just like to eat any food offered repeatedly. Therefore, it is important to create feeding plans for your horses.
Water
Water is not food. However, this is one of the essential parts of most living things. The need for water for horses eating pasture grass may not be as much as the ones eating hay. For both health, fresh, clean water is good.
Feed Storage Protection
After knowing the kinds of horses feed, you see that some feed may not be freshly available all the time. Some feed needs to be prepared on the bulk order and keep them to serve for another time. It is important to have some stock facing the winter or another possibility.
Silopak is experienced in manufacturing silage film and net wrap, since 2011. We have exported our agricultural products to many countries like New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and many more countries. Our products are silage film, bale net wrap, and round bale film. Using good quality and various sizes, adjusted to your farm needs.
Using the wrap will help the feed transportation and protection against any disturbers like crows and rodents. The wrap will keep out the moisture and increase efficiency. Your stock for your horse’s feed will last longer and stay healthy.