Texas Equine Veterinary Association

• 15 • are created equal regarding omega 3 and omega 6 concentrations. Most oilseeds are high in omega 6s, except for linseed. e highest concentration of omega 3s are found in marine oils. Crude Fat, % Digestible Energy (DE), Mcal/kg Linseed meal 10.6 3.1 Rice bran 17 3.2 Oats 6.2 3.3 Linseed oil 100 9.5 Corn oil 100 9.5 ©2014-2021 Mad Barn Inc. https://madbarn.com/feeds/ ©Equi-Analytical 2020 Minimize Feed Refusals Dried forage constitutes a high percentage of a horse's ration in average climates. Waste of forage can occur during feeding in a stall and in a paddock. Not only does this represent added expense to the owner with no benefit to the horse, but it reduces the total ration consumed by the horse, which can lead to weight loss. Studies have shown that feeding in a hay feeder or hay bag can reduce hay waste. Martinson and colleagues (2014) from University of Minnesota studied the effect of different types of round bale feeders on hay waste in pastured horses. Horses without a hay feeder wasted almost 60% of their ration, whereas horses fed in Hayhuts wasted only 9%. One-inch-hole hay nets and High-Country Plastics Slow Feeders provide an option for horses fed from small bales in a stable or small paddock. Hay feeders can provide a good return on investment. ey also have the added benefit of extending mealtime, which is gut protective. Conclusion Some horses are more metabolically inclined to be hard keepers. It is important to rule out other health-related factors that might be inhibiting a horse from properly digesting and utilizing its food. en, increasing the caloric content of the diet is the only way to increase body condition of the hard keeper, apart from decreasing energy expenditure. Selecting feeds that are highly digestible, high in calories, and low in simple sugars and starch are important. Citations: Martinson, K. L., et al. "Estimation of body weight and development of a body weight score for adult equids using morphometric measurements." Journal of animal science 92.5 (2014): 2230-2238. National Research Council. "NRC. 2007. Nutrient requirements of horses." Pagan, J.D. "Measuring the digestible energy content of horse feeds." Advances in Equine Nutrition. Nottingham University Press, Nottingham (1998): 71-76 Gill, J. C., et al. "Relationships among digestible energy intake, body weight, and body condition in mature idle horses." Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 54 (2017): 32-36. Equi Analytical Laboratory Services. Equi-Anatical Feed Composition Library, 2020. https://equi-analytical.com/common- feed-profiles/, Accessed 15 Aug. 2021. Mad Barn Inc. Fat – Feed Database, 2014-2021. https://madbarn. com/feed-types/fat/, Accessed 15 Aug. 2021. • • • • • Top le and center: High-Country Plastic Slow Feeder Saver Jr Bottom le: Hayhut Right: Example of small-hole hay net (brand unknown)

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