Feeding Young Growing Horses
As breeding season approaches, we take a look at feeding the young growing horse – and it all starts with the broodmare.
Feeding growing horses is a balance between providing adequate nutrition, achieving steady growth and monitoring body weight. Nutrition starts with the broodmare as the foetus forms skeletal structures and stores key minerals in its liver. Growing horses have a higher requirement for protein, which forms the building blocks of tissue development. Key minerals are also involved in the bone formation and must be supplied from the diet. The weaning-yearling period is critical and requires essential energy, protein and minerals that support growth and development. Excess body weight and rapid growth spurts should be avoided. Balanced nutrition and consistent, gradual growth are vital to reduce the incidence of skeletal problems, such as Developmental Orthopaedic Disease (DOD). Energy requirements change as the young horse grows, therefore, it is important to feed according to life stage: foal, weanling and yearling.
Sound skeletal development of the young horse starts in utero. During the final trimester of gestation, the foetus begins to store key minerals: copper, zinc, iron, manganese in its liver for use in neonatal bone development. The mare’s milk is lacking in these micro-nutrients, so providing the mare with mineral supplementation during 3rd trimester is essential to facilitate this process. However, take care not to overfeed the mare with excess calories, as obesity in mares comes with a number of issues. Take a read of our article on the impact of gestational obesity.
Once the foal is born, the mare’s milk provides the main source of energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus it needs. Foals will often start to nibble on their mum’s feed from about 4 weeks of age. A creep feed can be offered from about 3 months of age, as milk production begins to decline. This feed can simply consist of the mare’s breeding feed, such as Pegasus Studmaster, or Pegasus Equibalance, mixed with lucerne chaff. Creep feeding is an excellent way to assist with a smooth feeding transition at weaning.
Weanlings should be offered a diet that meets requirements for energy, protein, amino acids, minerals and vitamins. This includes quality pasture or hay, combined with a specialised breeding feed such as Pegasus Studmaster or, for good-doing breeds, a balancer pellet such as Pegasus Equibalance. The period from 5-12 months of age is when the skeleton is most vulnerable to disease. It is important to monitor growth and body condition to avoid excess weight gain or rapid spikes in growth. For easy tracking of growth, use KER Gro-trac software, which allows breeders to monitor and compare horses’ growth rates to industry standard.
Paddock turnout is essential for bone development in weanlings. When planning the diet, consider dietary impacts of seasonal pasture changes, which may affect the overall energy, protein and calcium components. High quality pasture may lead to unwanted spikes in growth. When pasture is abundant the pelleted feed may need to be adjusted to reduce calorie intake whilst still providing minerals. If pasture is limited, supplement with suitable forages, including grass or lucerne hay, to ensure adequate roughage intake in combination with a balanced breeding or growing horse breed.
For horses identified as growing too rapidly, nutritional requirements can be met using a concentrated, balancer feed (Pegasus Equibalance or Pegasus Lite), or vitamin and mineral supplement pellets (KER Gold Pellet) combined with low calorie roughage. This feeding strategy can help to control growth by limiting energy intake, whilst providing essential micronutrients. Keep in mind that foals of larger birthweight are at an increased risk of developing DOD and should be monitored closely.
When it comes to nutrition for yearlings, growth begins to slow as horses reach 12 months of age. However, optimal nutrition, containing energy, protein, amino acids, minerals and vitamins, along with growth monitoring, is still essential to support continuing development. Young horses are less likely to develop DOD at this age. Lesions that are identified in yearlings typically developed at a younger age. However, excess body weight should be avoided, particularly in large horses, as this adds unnecessary loading to developing joints.
The quantity Pegasus Studmaster or, for good-doing breeds, Pegasus Equibalance, can be increased accordingly to match body weight and combined with good quality roughage. Horses that are intended for yearling sales may be supplemented with 0.5-1kg per day of EquiJewel to support body condition and muscle development. A specialised sales preparation diet is recommended for the lead-up to sales.
All Pegasus feeds, and KER Triacton, contain KER BMC™, a unique, bioavailable calcium source, combined with bone-supporting minerals. It is research-proven to improve bone density and bone mineral content in young, growing horses. If physitis or other DOD is identified, reduce calorie intake to curb growth rates and provide nutrients from concentrate feed, such as Pegasus Lite, Pegasus Equibalance or KER Gold Pellet.
For specialised dietary advice, feed planning for all stages of growth, and assistance with growth tracking, contact our Equine Nutrition Advisor.