preview

Young Horses Research Paper

Decent Essays
Open Document

A young foal will grow quickly and from birth to age two a young horse can achieve 90% or more of its full adult size sometimes putting on as much as 1.5kg per day and feeding young horses is a balancing act and if anything goes wrong in this critical stage then it can have a profound effect on its health and soundness for the rest of its life. As the foals dietary requirements shift from milk to feed and forage your role in providing adequate nutrition is vital. The critical nutrients are protein (amino acids), minerals and vitamins. The feeding of a young horse should start from the moment of contraception by ensuring the mare receives correct nutrition throughout her pregnancy and not just during the last three months. The foetus accumulates …show more content…

For foals that are less than 3 months of age and need extra condition you can feed them with a milk-based creep feed which will provide them with calories to promote weight gain and also help balance other nutrients which are required for bone growth and tissue …show more content…

Concentrates also should be fed in small, frequent, digestible meals which are key to reducing excessive glycaemia response and avoiding starch overload. High carbohydrate (starch) content is thought to influence the hormonal responses of the youngster to their meal and affect the conversion of cartilage to bone so, if feed volumes increase, upping the number of meals per day from two to three, or even four, is beneficial. Oil is also a great addition to a young horse`s diet as it helps them to produce a glossy coat or help them to gain more calories as it is highly concentrated source of non-heating energy. High oil supplements are now available to offer a more palatable, mess-free alternative and should contain additional nutrients to support the efficient utilisation of the oil. Smaller amounts of these will help coat condition whereas ½ to 1 kg per day (or 300 – 500 ml of straight oil) will contribute significant additional calories for weight gain without adding greatly to the overall volume of feed. Specially formulated “prep” mixes are also ideal for promoting show ring condition on the youngster by providing non-heating calories with all the necessary supporting

Get Access