Oats for horses: how much to eat per day, what can and cannot be fed, benefits
Grain feed is an invariable product in the feeding of horses, both sports and working. Consider the importance of oats for horses, the benefits and harms, how much to give to animals and how to do it correctly, which horses should not be given an oat product and why. How to store grain at home so that it remains suitable for consumption by domestic horses.
The benefits and harms of the product
Oats contain the nutritional elements necessary for horses, and they are contained in a balanced form and in the optimal ratio. Grain is well and quickly digested, absorbed, and therefore is considered a profitable product.
The benefits and harms of oats depend on the quality. The most useful - mature, harvested after ripening. Harvested ahead of time is not as useful, it has less mealy particles. Approximately determine the ripened grain or not, if you weigh a liter volume. If the weight exceeds 550 g, then it is full-weight, of good quality, if it does not reach 450 g, it is of poor quality. Grain fed to horses must be clean, free of impurities, dry and hard. It is recommended to give grain that has lain for at least 3 months after harvesting. This is especially true for athletic breeds that have sensitive stomachs.
Harmful grain is old, moldy, dusty, damp. When ingested by an animal, it can cause digestive disorders and diseases.
How and how much can I give oats a day?
Oats are the main concentrate fed to horses. It contains a lot of protein, phosphorus and B vitamins, essential amino acids. How much an animal eats per day depends on its gender, age and performance.Stud stallions are given 3-6 kg per day, mares - 2-4 kg, working individuals, depending on the work they perform, 2-5 kg.
Sport horses need more oats - 5-7 kg, less during the rest period, more during the performance period. The maximum amount of oats per day for an animal weighing 500 kg is 6 kg, without work, and a working horse is 12 kg. At the same time, oats are not the only grain in the diet, other grain products are added to it.
Grain can be given whole or slightly flattened, steamed or soaked in cold water and swollen. Also, porridge is cooked from it, mixed with bran. Processed grain becomes softer, better eaten by animals, more fully digested and absorbed. Crushed oats are given to foals when they are accustomed to new food, as well as old, with worn teeth, and sick animals.
Daily allowance of oats should be divided into 3-4 servings and fed after 6 hours. After exercise, should be given only after 3 hours. Do not let the horse out until 30 minutes after feeding.
Which horses should not be fed oats?
There are no contraindications for the use of this type of grain. It is readily eaten by both young and adult horses of any breed. Do not exceed the feeding rate, overfeeding with concentrates can lead to obesity and the development of diseases of the digestive tract.
Is it okay to have oats in horse manure?
Undigested grains can be found in manure because grains are never fully digested without residue. A certain amount passes through the digestive cycle unchanged.This is normal and should not cause concern. It is worth worrying if there are a lot of grains in the manure. In this case, it is worth inviting a veterinarian to examine the horse.
Storage rules
Good quality oatmeal should be fully ripe and 3-4 months after harvest. Unripe can cause metabolic diseases, colic, laminitis and other problems. The product is stored in a cool, dark and dry, well-ventilated place, such as a barn, any technical room that is free from strong smelling substances. It is poured into bags, which are folded in rows. Under the right storage conditions, the product can lie and not deteriorate for a year, that is, until the next harvest.
Signs of a well-preserved product - yellow color, no spots of gray or bluish mold, characteristic grainy smell, sweetish taste, no aftertaste of bitterness. Crushed oats can be stored for 3 days, it is advisable to feed it on the day of preparation.With long-term storage in grains, vitamins, useful compounds are destroyed, oils become rancid. Such food will not do any good.
Oats for horses are considered the main concentrated feed. It can be given to animals of different ages, sex and productivity. It is a he althy vitamin product that satisfies the body's nutritional needs well. Herbivores eat it with pleasure, preferring other types of concentrates.
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