Weekly Tips Jan 26

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Winter Feeding Considerations

Feeding our horses in colder months often raises some questions in our minds. We are all interested in providing the best possible care that we can for our horses and that sometimes presents some problems during the colder months. There are many myths and truths that are often pasted along. We hope to touch on some of those for your consideration.

How does your horse stay warm in winter weather?

Your horse has a unique system of insulation that helps keep it warm. Two layers of hair, one fluffy and dense for warmth and the other (guard hairs) to protect the undercoat and shed water. Natural oils also help shed water. Under that should be a layer of fat. You don't want to see "lumps" of fat, but a nice even covering of the ribs is best. You should be able to feel the ribs with light pressure as you run your fingers over them. Anything less, the horse is most likely under weight for dealing with winter conditions.

Beyond its insulation, your horse also depends on its food for warmth. In the fall, your horse will be trying to put on a layer of fat that it can use during the upcoming colder season. You should consider this in your feeding program. While you may prefer a slimmer model for summer comfort from the heat, your horse needs extra insulation in the winter. Pastures will be dwindling and lacking nutrition, body systems will be stressed from metabolic changes and an instinct to store fat. You can help by increasing calories and maintaining supplementation. We have noticed that many horse owners stop or limit supplementation during winter months because they increase feed and feel that is enough. Your horse needs the same supplementation that it was getting in summer months because even with feed increases, they are as stressed or even more stressed throughout the colder season. It is especially important to maintain vitamin and mineral supplements such as mineral blocks, vitamin E, selenium and other things that may be deficient in your area. These help boost the immune system and keep your horse healthy and free from internal and external bacterial and fungal infections.

During colder weather, your horse also utilizes digestion as part of its warming mechanism. Heat is produced in the process of digesting, absorbing and metabolizing any feed. The greatest amount of heat produced during digestion comes from the breakdown of fiber by the microorganisms living in the horse's large intestine. The higher a feed's fiber content, the more heat produced during digestion. Therefore, more heat would be produced from the digestion of high fiber feeds like hay, compared to heat produced from digesting low fiber grains like corn, barley, or wheat. Although low in fiber, even oats produce 25 percent more heat during digestion than other grains, because of the fibrous hull.

In addition to all this, there is the element of human intervention. When considering a winter feeding program, you should also take into account the amount of time the horse spends outdoors or stabled. Things like access to outside shelter, blanketing, clipping, and heated barns or indoor arenas also make a difference in your horse's cold weather needs. Clipped or short coats add approximately 10 degrees to the outside temperatures. Add an additional 10 - 15 degrees for horses with wet coats. And don't forget the wind chill factor.

For the Technically Minded . . . Counting Calories

Counting calories is also a consideration. Although many horses have the winter "off", others are still in work or regular exercise programs. This requires calories above those needed for maintenance and keeping warm. Feeding a higher quality forage such as alfalfa increases calories. Other options for raising caloric intake are: increasing grain/grain products, increasing forage, adding or increasing beet pulp, and adding or increasing fat sources. Grass hays have less calories than alfalfa. Grains provide more calories than forages. Beet pulp provides nearly the calories of alfalfa. Hay or alfalfa cubes are also a good alternative to forages and provide variance in the feed program. Adding fat in the form of oil can add up to 2000 calories per cup of oil.

Counting Calories
Feed Type	Approximate Calories
grass hay	800-900
alfalfa	900-1000
forage pellets *	900-1100
sweet feed *	1200-1400
pelleted grain feeds *	1300-1500
high fat feeds * (5-10%)	1600-1700
high fat top dressing *	1800-1900
oats	1400
corn / wheat	1700
barley	1600
beet pulp	1300
soybean meal	1600
rice bran	1500
oil	2000
amounts are in calories per pound * contact your feed dealer for specific caloric specs

The National Research Council's recommendations for daily intake is from 1% to 2% of the horse's body weight (for maintenance). Therefore, the average 1000 lb. horse needs a minimum of 10,000 - 12,000 calories per day. However, most horses that are exercising (either through work or turnout) need more like 16,000 - 20,000 calories per day. Grass hays are generally considered to be around 800 - 900 calories per pound. Alfalfa is approximately 900 - 1000 calories. Commercial feeds are in the 1200 - 1900 range depending on the ingredients (amount of fat, grains, and forage). Whole grains are higher than average commercial feeds - oats generally provide 1400 calories per pound, corn and wheat are around 1700 and barley provides 1600 calories per pound. Colder temperatures require an increase in daily intake in the range of 1.5 - 3.0% of body weight. In older horses or hard keepers increases of up to 3 - 6% may be needed to maintain weight and warmth. When this happens, the horse may not physically be able to eat the amount of forage needed to provide the amount of calories expended. Therefore, alternative sources will be needed.

While it is obvious that feeding whole grains and grain products provides more calories per pound, they do not provide more "metabolic heat". Hay and forages that stay in the digestive system longer are more beneficial for keeping your horse warm during winter chills. Additional calories from grains, grain products, fats and alternative forages are excellent when more weight is needed or when a concentrate is needed to provide additional calories for the working, aged or growing horse.

When selecting a concentrate to feed, the higher the fiber content, the better for winter feeding. Grains should include oats rather than corn, wheat or barley. Because oats are higher in fiber, they also help produce body heat. Corn and wheat are high in calories, but not fiber, therefore are not beneficial winter feeds. Beet pulp is also a high calorie source of fiber.

The importance of water

Considerations for Winter Feeding

seasonal coat and weight

amount of exercise/work

age and condition of horse

shelter provisions

type and quality of forage

other sources of calories

access to water

making dietary changes

Water consumption is also of primary importance during the winter. Horses will be eating more forage and drinking less water. Water is used in the digestion process and is important in preventing impaction, therefore providing a constant source is a necessity. Unlike some smaller animals, horses cannot eat enough snow to compensate for their daily requirements. Additionally, eating large amounts of snow adds to the reduction of body temperature. Heated water buckets and tanks provide water at around 40-45 F degrees - the temperature that horses prefer. In addition to keeping the water from freezing, this preferred temperature encourages the horse to drink more. Hay cubes and beet pulp also provide a way to increase water consumption. Soaking cubes and beet pulp prior to feeding allows you to add water to the meal. Beet pulp also provides additional bulk to the intestine that helps with water retention.

Changing the diet

It is never a good idea to make rapid changes to your horse's diet. It is also not beneficial to make changes during the winter if it can be avoided. Increases should also be done over time and not in one or two feedings. An average schedule for increasing feed should be stretched out over 7-10 days. Therefore, if you plan on increasing or adding additional feed, then it is best to start ahead in the early fall and slowly make the changes. The same is true in the spring when you might begin cutting back on feed.

Changes in feed programs can result in digestive upset. Rapid changes can cause harmful alteration in the gut pH resulting in colic and possible laminitis or founder. The best approach is to feed a continuous diet throughout the year, with only slight or no increases in concentrates and larger increases in forage during the winter months. In general, feeding approximately 1 - 2 lbs. of extra forage for every 10 degrees below 40 F degrees is a good rule of thumb for safely and beneficially increasing calories for winter warmth.

Weekly Tips Jan 19