Grain feed is an invariable product in feeding horses, both sports and working. Let's consider the importance of oats for horses, the benefits and harms, how much to give to animals and how it should be done correctly, which horses should not be given an oat product and why. How to store grain at home to ensure it remains suitable for consumption by domestic horses.
Benefits and harms of the product
Oats contain the nutritional elements necessary for horses, and they are contained in a balanced form and in an optimal ratio. The grain is easily and quickly digested and absorbed, which is why it is considered a profitable product.
The benefits and harms of oats depend on the quality. The most useful is the mature one, collected after ripening. Harvested ahead of time is not as healthy; it contains fewer mealy particles. You can roughly determine if the grain is ripe or not by weighing the liter volume. If the weight exceeds 550 g, then it is full-weight, of good quality; if it does not reach 450 g, then it is of poor quality. Grain fed to horses must be clean, free of impurities, dry and hard. It is recommended to feed grain that has been stored for at least 3 months after harvesting. This is especially true for sporting breeds that have sensitive stomachs.
How and how much can you give oats per 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 productivity. Stud stallions are given 3-6 kg per day, mares – 2-4 kg, working animals, depending on the work they perform – 2-5 kg.
Sports 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 doing 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.
The grain can be given whole or slightly flattened, steamed or filled with cold water and swollen. Porridge is also cooked from it, mixed with bran. The 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 to old ones with worn teeth and sick animals.
The daily intake of oats should be divided into 3-4 portions and fed after 6 hours. After physical activity, it should be given only after 3 hours. The horse should be released to work no earlier than 30 minutes after feeding.
Which horses should not be fed oats?
There are no contraindications for consuming this type of grain. It is readily eaten by both young and adult horses of any breed. Do not exceed the feeding norm; overfeeding with concentrates can lead to obesity and the development of diseases of the digestive tract.
Is it normal for oats to be present in horse manure?
Undigested grains may be present in manure because grains are never completely digested without leaving any residue. A certain amount passes through the digestive cycle unchanged. This is normal and should not be a cause for concern. You should worry 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 oat grains should be fully ripened and last 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, for example, in a barn, or any technical room in which there are no strong smelling substances. It is poured into bags, which are stacked in rows.Under the right storage conditions, the product can last for a year without spoiling, that is, until the next harvest.
Signs of a well-preserved product are a yellow color, without spots of mold, a gray or bluish tint, a characteristic grain smell, a sweetish taste, without a bitter taste. Crushed oats can be stored for 3 days; it is advisable to feed them on the day of preparation. When stored for a long time, vitamins and beneficial compounds in grains are destroyed, and oils become rancid. Such food will not be beneficial.
Oats for horses are considered the main concentrated feed. Can be given to animals of different ages, sexes and productivity. This is a healthy vitamin product that satisfies the body's nutritional needs well. Herbivores eat it with pleasure, preferring it to other types of concentrates.
