form of Zinc is attached to an amino
acid, often listed on the feed tag as Zinc
Methionine Amino Acid Complex.
What about during the winter? As I sit here
in the warmth of my home preparing to
head out and feed my horses and cattle, I’m
reminded of just how many more calories
they are burning out there in the cold. I
myself; however, don’t seem to burn more
calories in the winter... how does that work?
Just how much more should you feed your
horse when it’s really cold outside?
SE
To answer that question, take a look at the
following example. A horse’s approximate
critical temperature with a dry, winter hair
coat is ~32 degrees F. For every 1 degree
drop in effective temperature, the horse
needs ~1% more calories. For example,
an 1100# horse with a dry winter hair
coat in 10 degree weather with a 10 mph
breeze equates to a -1 degree effective
temperature. Thus, the horse would need
33% more calories to meet his maintenance
requirement. As an example, it would take
R
O
I
N
~6# more of high quality hay OR ~4#
more of SafeChoice Senior to equal that
33% increase in calories.
To help that hard keeper or horse
needing additional calories from the hay
he eats, you may find benefit in selecting
a feed that already contains quality
pre and probiotics. The prebiotics are
essentially “food for the good bugs” that
reside in the horse’s hindgut and are
responsible for breaking down fiber,
while the probiotics are the “actual good
bugs” encapsulated and added as viable
organisms to the horse. Quality pre and
probiotics in a feed can help the horse
extract more calories from the fiber (in
the hay, pasture, feed) that he eats.
Regardless of what feed choice you
make, the most common mistake we see
is not following the feeding directions
on the tag. Grab the tag and make sure
you are feeding at least the minimum
range of pounds per day for your horse’s
ideal bodyweight. If you are below
that range and your horse is in good
Body Condition, then select a product
designed for the range of pounds per
day that you feed.
Don’t forget, forage and individual horse
caloric needs change. Continuously
monitor his Body Condition Score
throughout the year and make gradual
adjustments to his hay and feed (while
following the manufacturers feeding
directions of course). In addition to his
forage and feed, provide free choice
water and salt and you’ll be well on your
way to a healthy, balanced diet for
your horse.
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