Grains for Horses and Their Characteristics (2024)

FAQs

What grains are good for horses? ›

The most common are oats, corn, and barley. Milo (sorghum) and wheat are other grains that are fed to horses as well. Grains such as oats, barley, and corn can be fed whole, though many are typically processed to increase digestibility.

When searching for the right feed, consider the age of your horse, what is physiological stage or use of the horse, are there any relevant medical issues, what is the current physical condition of the horse, and what type of forage do you have available.

The main source of starch in a performance horse diet is cereal grain (oats, corn or barley).

Energy in the diet is provided by four components—starch, fat, fiber, and protein: Starch, a carbohydrate, is the primary component of cereal grains (oats, corn, and barley). Oats are about 50% starch, while corn and barley have more than 60% starch. Starch is the dietary energy source of choice for glycogen synthesis.

For horses housed and fed outside in the more severe winter climates, it is strongly recommended that forages be offered in feeders located under a three-sided shelter. Horses kept outdoors will have higher energy requirements and the higher energy forages such as alfalfa or clover hay mixed with grass hay can be used.

Therefore, the supplemental source of protein used in horse feeds should be high quality. Alfalfa, milk proteins, and soybean meal are all good sources of quality protein for growing horses. Protein supplements which are deficient in lysine include linseed meal, cottonseed meal, and peanut meal.

Horses are naturally grazers, they eat little and often. Their natural diet is mainly grass, which has high roughage content. Horses should be provided with a predominantly fibre-based diet, either grass, hay, haylage or a hay replacement in order to mimic their natural feeding pattern as closely as possible.

Roughage/Forage Roughage, found in hay or grass, is the bulk of the horse's food. Grass or alfalfa hay, or a combination of the two, are good sources of roughage. Grass hay is generally higher in fiber and dry matter than alfalfa, but alfalfa may be higher in protein, energy, vitamins and calcium.

Diets high in grains can lead to digestive issues — to prevent stomach ulcers and colic, a horse's ration should be less than 25% grain.

If you feed your horse grain, give it in multiple smaller meals rather than one large one. Most horses are given grain twice a day for the convenience of their human caretakers. If for some reason you must give your horse a large quantity of grain, consider an additional lunchtime feeding.

What horse grain has the most fat? ›

The fat content in the diet can be increased by selecting feedstuffs in the concentrate part of the diet with a high fat content or by adding fats or oils. Feedstuffs high in fat include vegetable oils (100%), rice bran (15-18%), flax seeds (30-40%), and heat-treated soybeans (15-22%).

Starch. Starch is a carbohydrate found in cereal grains such as barley, maize and oats and provides a good source of fast release energy, particularly useful for horses working hard for short periods.

Corn contains a greater energy density than other cereal grains and is usually the standard to which other cereal grains are compared.

Feed ingredients such as oats, corn, barley, alfalfa and molasses have been identified by horse owners as causing “hyper”, “fizzy” or “hot” horses. Grains contain starch and sugar that may result in large fluctuations in blood sugar and result in mood or behavior changes.

Hay is the best way to produce heat. The process of breaking down hay takes a long time and creates more heat over a longer period. Feeding as much hay as a horse will consume without waste is the best way to help keep him warm. Most horses will consume 2% of their body weight in hay a day.

Horses can also be less feed-efficient when temperatures drop below their comfort zone. In general, feeding an additional one-quarter pound of grain per 100 pounds of body weight daily to non-working horses can provide adequate calories during cold, windy and wet weather.

"Sweet feed is primarily composed of grains (usually oats, barley, or corn), a supplemental protein, minerals, and vitamins, with relatively high levels of molasses." The grain is whole or coarsely crushed and is plainly visible and discernible in the mix; the supplement is usually in pelleted form.

Whole-grain spelt is highly nutritious as it contains essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. The USDA claims that spelt is an ancient grain with the highest protein level of any grain.

Hulled barley, also known as pearl barley, is one of the highest fiber-containing high-protein grains; 1/4-cup serving provides 32% of your daily value of fiber, and while barley is not wheat, it does contain gluten.

What are 4 types of horse feed? ›

High quality protein includes legumes, young grass pastures, soybean meal, canola meal, and linseed meal. Soybean meal is rated the highest quality due to the amino acid profile being superior to most other plant products. Moderate to low quality protein include cereal grains.

Include alfalfa in the feed for horses with ulcers. Research has shown that alfalfa is a better buffer to acidity than other fibre sources due to its protein and calcium content.

A typical ration for a 1000 lb horse might consist of free access to top quality hay, preferably a straight grass or grass/alfalfa mix or pasture, plus 2 to 8 lbs of a feed designed for old horses, plus free choice water and salt. Avoid straight alfalfa.

Hay is the most popular and one of the least expensive forms of fiber. Hay may be processed as round bales, square bales, cubes, or pellets. There are three major types of hays: legumes, grasses, and cereal. The major legume hay fed to horses in the United States is alfalfa.

Allowing 24/7 access to pasture or hay (or as much forage as possible). If increased amounts of hay aren't enough, try offering a higher quality hay such as alfalfa or an immature grass hay. Alfalfa tends to be higher in energy and protein and lower in sugar. Alfalfa can be fed as hay or as cubes/pellets.

Rye grain is similar in energy, fiber, and feeding value to corn, but is higher in protein. Rye can be fed to horses but should be mixed with other grain and not over one-third of the grain mix should be rye because of its low palatability. Rye should be closely inspected for ergot that is highly toxic to horses.

Then remove all grain from the diet of the horse (no weaning is necessary – just stop all at once). This includes corn, oats, barley, wheat, wheat middlings, sugar beet pulp, rice and wheat bran, oat hulls, etc.

Consumption of large quantities of high starch grain can have drastic consequences to a horse's intestinal health, causing digestive upset, abdominal pain (colic), and diarrhea. The most notable consequence of this occurrence is the development of laminitis (founder), which might only become evident days later.

For example, if you have a 1,000 pound horse who is in light work, a good diet might consist of 17 pounds of hay or hay cubes and 3 pounds of grain per day. The same 1,000 pound horse in a heavy work program may need 10 pounds of hay and 10 pounds of grain, since the grain is higher in energy.

Can horses go a day without grain? ›

Horses on high quality pasture for most of the day will not need extra grain. Good grass will provide most, if not all, the nutrients and calories they need. Horses evolved to be roughage eaters, so their bodies are naturally designed to subsist off of quality grasses.

1200 lb horse, in light exercise. In this example, this horse would need to eat between 4.8 and 7.2 lbs per day of this feed to receive the nutrition he needs. Some horses that are easier keepers can fall to the lower end of the range, while harder keepers may need to push the upper limit.

Improve digestion and balance PH levels: Apple Cider Vinegar works to acidify the horse's stomach for better digestion, cleansing the digestic tract. It can also aid in the absorption of minerals and helps balance the acid/alkaline ratio which is important for good health.

Linseed oil is the best option to use as it contains high levels of Omega 3, has good palatability, isn't too pricey and is suitable for a large range of horses and ponies.

For boosting calories and keeping omega balance in check, canola or soybean oil would be a far better choice than corn oil,” explained Whitehouse. Fish oil has superior fatty acid content, with an omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of 6:1, but it is generally not fed to increase energy consumption.

Corn is one of the most energy-dense feeds and contains a high content of carbohydrate. Corn has a high energy content per unit of weight and a high weight per unit volume. Therefore, a given volume of corn contains approximately three times the amount of energy as an equal volume of oats.

Fibre and oil provide slow release energy whereas sugars and starch provide quick release energy. For lazy horses where more sparkle is required, cereal grains are usually fed as they provide lots of starch and therefore quick release energy.

Many pleasure and trail horses don't need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn't enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse's calories should always come from roughage. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.

Their natural diet is mainly grass, which has high roughage content. Horses should be provided with a predominantly fibre-based diet, either grass, hay, haylage or a hay replacement in order to mimic their natural feeding pattern as closely as possible.

Oat starch is more digestible in the small intestine than corn starch, and this feature makes oats the safer feed choice when large amounts of cereal grain must be fed. Oat starch reduces the risk of hindgut acidosis, which is caused by starch entering the hindgut and undergoing rapid fermentation.

What are 3 things horses should not eat? ›

Possible consequences of this grain overload are diarrhea, colic, colitis, endotoxemia, metabolic acidosis and laminitis (founder). There are several factors that will influence the progression of events after such an overeating incident.

Alfalfa is higher in calories and protein than grass hays, which makes it an excellent choice to help to add weight to a thin horse. If your horse tends to be wasteful with his hay, he may eat more when offered alfalfa hay cubes or pellets.

Horses can also be less feed-efficient when temperatures drop below their comfort zone. In general, feeding an additional one-quarter pound of grain per 100 pounds of body weight daily to non-working horses can provide adequate calories during cold, windy and wet weather.

Horses are able to consume about 1.5 to 2% of their body weight in dry feed (feed that is 90% dry matter) each day. As a rule of thumb, allow 1.5 to 2 kg of feed per 100 kg of the horse's body weight.

Aged horses that are healthy with a BCS of 5 to 7 require 1.5-2.0% of their BW DM/day of good quality grass or legume mix hay. Typically, no grain is required but if desired or needed, choose one with restricted starch/sugar and contains added fat (4-7%).

Water is the MOST IMPORTANT nutrient; horses can't live long without it! Always make sure there is an adequate, clean supply of water. Horses generally drink about 2 quarts of water for every pound of hay they consume.

When feeding horses, it is important to recognize that there are six basic nutrient categories that must be met: carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Often, feed companies will balance the first five nutrients for us; however, it is critical not to forget about water.

Fibrous feeds that are fermented in the hindgut to release energy are the most natural and also the 'coolest' sources of energy for horses. Using forages like pasture, hay, and chaff to provide the majority of the energy in your horse's diet will help to keep your horse calm and responsive.

Even though oats are the grain lowest in sugar and starch, at around 45 to 50% starch they are still far too high in starch for horses on a low sugar and starch diet, eg insulin resistant horses, horses prone to laminitis, those with disorders like Cushings or PSSM etc, as well as many horses who are prone to ulcers, ...

What are the disadvantages of feeding oats to horses? ›

Finally, oats do not have a good amino acid profile, which means they are not a sufficient source of protein for horses in hard work or breeding.”

A chief advantage of sweet feed (also known as textured feed) is its excellent palatability. Most horses accept it readily, so it is a good choice for equines that tend to back off other feeds.