Stablekeeping by Cherry Hill

Author:Cherry Hill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Published: 2000-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Types of Grain

Whole oats are the mainstay of a horse’s grain ration. They provide the right balance of fiber (from their hulls) and energy (from the kernels) to make them a relatively safe feed. Whole oats that are not chewed thoroughly can pass undigested through a horse, however, so oats are often “rolled” or “bruised” to crack their hulls and make them more digestible. Oats contain three times as much phosphorus as calcium, so they should be complemented by a calcium-rich hay.

Whole corn has a very thin covering that does not provide much fiber, and corn provides twice the energy of oats, so it can be too concentrated for some horses. Whole corn would be difficult for a young or old horse to chew, so the grain is often rolled or cracked into smaller pieces.

Rolled grains are easier to chew and digest but they also lose nutrients and can spoil more quickly than whole grains.

Barley is a high-energy grain, but because it tends to be dusty and has a prickly husk, it is usually mixed with other grains rather than fed straight.

Soybeans are an excellent source of high quality protein. Soy chips are beans that have been cracked.

Sweet feed mixes are usually made up of oats and/or barley, corn, and protein pellets. Molasses is added to bind the grains, cut down on dust, and make the feed more palatable. Sweet feed can spoil in hot climates, so buy fresh and store in a cool, dry place.

Pelleted grain rations are made of processed grains that have been ground and compressed.

Complete feeds are made from processed alfalfa hay, grains, and minerals. They come in wafers or “cakes” of various shapes and sizes. They provide a balanced diet so no additional hay or grain needs to be fed. Complete feeds are handy to feed on windy days when a horse’s hay ration would likely blow away. It’s best to feed long hay whenever you can, however, because complete feeds are eaten quickly and don’t provide a horse with enough “chewing” time. A handful of wafers in a horse’s normal ration can slow a horse down and keep him from bolting his feed (see photo 12.19). The quality of wafers varies and some crumble quite easily, resulting in a large amount of fines and powder in the bottom of the feed barrel.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.