News
For your Horse's Good Health
29th January 2007
Feeding can be a confusing subject for horse owners, with a huge amount of often conflicting information available. Equine nutrition is a science that is constantly being investigated, however studies increasingly support the importance of a high-fibre diet.
Dengie, the first to promote the importance of feeding fibre, has supported a number of research projects - in particular those conducted by Dr Jo-Anne Murray, course co-ordinator of the MSc Equine Science programme at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at Edinburgh University. This research was behind the development of Alfa-Beet - an alfalfa and sugar beet blend.
Latest Research
What you feed at different times of the year will depend on the type and level of work your horse is in, his age, whether he's stabled and how he maintains condition. It can be tricky to achieve the fine balance between an adequate energy source and something that does not make your horse fizzy, particularly at this time of year when horses are stabled for longer.
Dr Murray's PhD study supported by Dengie, set out to investigate whether it was possible to feed performance horses a fibre-only diet. The horse's digestive system is designed to process large amounts of forage as they would naturally graze for 16-18 hours a day. However, Dr Murray found that in pursuit of greater energy sources, performance horses are often fed a cereal-based diet with a fibre content below the recommended level to maintain gut health.
Acknowledging that the nutritional requirements of sports horses is unlikely to be met by high-bulk, low-energy forage, Dr Murray set out to establish what combination of fibre feeds would provide the same energy concentration as a diet rich in cereals, but also help maintain gut health.
In the course of her research, Dr Murray discovered that combining sugar beet with alfalfa improves the digestibility of the anti-oxidant and protein-rich alfalfa. This allows the horse to derive greater nutritional value from his diet; providing the energy required for strenuous work. As a result, Dengie has produced Alfa-Beet, a 50:50 blend of alfalfa and sugar beet, with no additives or molasses, just 100% natural ingredients. Highly versatile, all horses, from racehorses to natives, can benefit from Alfa-Beet owing to its nutritional value and slow-release energy that can be harnessed for work, weight gain or veterans with poor teeth.
Aiding Digestion
In 2006 Dengie funded a further study by Dr Murray into the buffering effects of alfalfa. Due to the levels of amino acids in alfalfa, Dr Murray found that in lab tests alfalfa has the capability of stablising acidity, which suggests feeding it will help to maintain a healthy digestive system. Alfa-Beet has been awarded the Laminitis Trust's stamp of approval and is suitable for horses and ponies prone to laminitis.
Improving Behaviour
Winter may mean your horse is stabled for longer, often leading to high-jinks when you ride. However, feeding a high-fibre diet supplies slow-release energy, reducing the likelihood of over-exuberant behaviour. Limited turnout also means horses are fed large quantities of hay with a moisture content lower than grass - so making sure he stays well-hydrated is important. Some horses are reluctant to drink cold water, but by adding a soaked feed to the diet you'll help to return moisture to their ration (which also helps to maintain normal gut function).
Performance Counts
It is widely acknowledged that forage such as hay doesn't meet the energy requirements of working horses and ponies if fed alone. Dr Murray believes highly-digestible, good quality fibre such as alfalfa is capable of meeting the energy requirements of those in moderate work. She says: "alfalfa's a member of the legume family, with a high mineral and protein content. When high temperature-dired alfalfa and sugar beet are fed together they can provide sufficient energy for a horse in intense work. (At these levels it's important to consider this would over-supply other nutrients). However, the important message is that quality sources of fibre can easily meet the energy requirements of most leisure horses. "As Alfa-Beet provides highly digestible fibre it has benefits for all types of horses. It is also highly palatable".
The Twilight Years
Beter nutrition and veterinary advances have led to the problem of many horses and ponies outliving their teeth. A reduction in the amount of fibre older equines consume due to their inability to chew can affect their bodyweight and condition. It is vital that a source of easy-to-chew fibre is supplied, as at least 50% of an older horse's diet should be provided in the form of fibre to ensure good gut health.
Alfa-Beet can be used to replace a proportion of your veteran's normal forage ration, or mixed with high-fibre cubes to make an easy chew and swallow mash that can become the sole source of fibre. It is also a useful way of hiding any supplements or medication he may need.
For more information on Alfa-Beet click here or call the Feedline on 0845 345 5115.
