Dentistry, Digestion, Nutrition

1. EQUINE MEDICINE
Dentistry, Digestion and Nutrition

2. Function:
Deliver food into body
Process food
Eliminate wastes

3. Dental Formula:
Upper I C P M 3 1 3(4) 3
Lower I C P M 3 1 3(4) 3
*Adult formula/Multiply by 2

4. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Designed for grazing and roaming
Ideally eat for 15-20 hours per day
Known as Hindgut Fermenters
Have small, simple “monogastric”
stomach

5. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Efficient system if mainly forage is used
Excess grains pass into the hindgut unprocessed
Hindgut bacteria ferment feed releasing lactic acid
Lactic acid lowers gut pH killing bacteria and releasing toxins
Toxins cause colic, laminitis, muscle problems, and other diseases

6. Water
Necessary for almost all of the processes in the body
Horses MUST have access to fresh clean water at all times!!!
Average Consumption is 10-12 gallons per day
Amount increases when: Dry feed is fed
Hot weather is present
Intense workload is present
Mares are pregnant or nursing

7. NUTRITION
Energy
Needed for: Body maintenance
Performance
Growth
Reproduction
Up to 80-90% of feed is converted to energy
Often measured in “megacalories” (Mcal) or “kilocalories” (Kcal)
Excess in the diet is stored as fat
May be difficult to supply adequate amounts in hard working horses

8. NUTRITION
Energy
Carbohydrates:
Nonstructural-Starches & Sugars
Mostly grains
Digested in the small intestine
Structural-Cellulose & Hemicellulose
Fermented in hindgut
Fat:
Large amount present in feeds
Commonly underutilized in diets
Protein:
Needed for body tissue growth and repair
Some are made by the horse, some are needed in the diet
Absorbed in the small intestine
Commonly overfed to horses

9. NUTRITION
Fat
Used to increase energy in the diet
May be up to 10% of diet
Good supplements are vegetable oils and rice bran
Additions to the diet should be made slowly
Rice bran should be stabilized
Oils are better digested if included in feed vs. poured on
Oils need to be stored in a cool place during hot months

10. NUTRITION
Digestible Fiber
Helps move feed through the system
Diet should contain at least 12% fiber
Soybean hulls and beet pulp are good sources of fiber and energy

11. NUTRITION
Fat Soluble
A-All fresh green forage
Excess Stored in liver
Excess in diet –bone weakness
D-Gained with sunlight access
E-Helps decrease tissue damage
Works closely with selenium
K-Blood clotting
Made in intestinal tract
Water Soluble
B-complex found in high quality forage
Vitamin B₁₂ made in hindgut
Biotin often used to improve hoof wall
C-Made in the liver
Vitamins

12. NUTRITION
Major-Macrominerals
Calcium-bone
Phosphorus-bone
Ca:P ratio is very important
Potassium-sweat
Sodium-sweat
Choride-sweat
Magnesium
Sulfur
Minor-Trace minerals
Copper
Iodine
Iron
Selenium
Cobalt
Manganese
Fluorine
Zinc
Minerals

13. Forage
Legumes have higher protein content than grass hay (in general)
Grass hays contain more digestible fiber at the same plant stage
Less mature plants have more available energy and protein
Horses like soft, sweet smelling hay, and it has a good energy content
Green hay has more vitaminA
Coastal Bermuda hay tends to be fine and dry, causing impactions
Many horses are calmer on a grass hay diet
All hay diets should be supplemented with a balanced vitamin/mineral supplement
All diets should be forage based
Average 1000 lb horse needs at least
20 lbs of hay per day
Feed your horse as an individual!

14. NUTRITION
No more than 6 lbs per day should be fed
Cereal Grains
Corn-70% starch
Oats-50% starch, “grain-high”
Barley-low energy
Grain Mixes & Fortified Feeds
Mixed Grains-no vit or min
Fortified Feeds-vit & min added
Sweet Feeds-very popular!
Pellets-processing may
increase digestibility
Grains (High-Starch Feeds)

15. CONCLUSION
Horses are individuals and need
to be fed individually
All diets should be forage based
Fat is an excellent source of extra
energy
All diets should have at least 12%
crude fiber
All feed changes should be made
slowly, to allow your horse to
adjust to different feeds
To decrease the risk of colic, feed
no more that 6 lbs. of grain per
day