for racehorses or broodmares
probably won’t be suitable and vice
versa. For spelling horses, one of the
high chaff feeds may be suitable, fed
at a level that provides sufficient en-
ergy and bulk to make up for hay and
pasture deficiencies. If in doubt as to
how much is safe to feed, contact the
manufacturer or an equine
nutritionist for advice specific to
your horse and situation.
Fat supplements such as oil and
stabilised rice bran such as KER
Equi-Jewel can be very useful for
drought feeding. The energy in fat is
considered a ‘cool’ and ‘safe’ energy
as it does not make horses go silly
and can replace some of the grain.
The energy is also three times more
concentrated than from carbohy-
drate sources such as oats, so a little
goes a long way. Just 1-2 cups of oil,
or 500g-1kg of KER Equi-Jewel add-
ed to the hard feed ration will make
a significant impact on those horses
that are losing weight due to drought
conditions. One great thing about
fat is that, usually during drought,
whilst grain prices begin to soar, the
price of fats and oils remain fairly
stable, making them a viable part of
a cost-effective diet.
Low starch grains such as lupins
can be a valuable source of fibre and
protein and can help to minimise the
carbohydrate content of the diet. Up
to 1.5kg per day of lupins is suitable
for a 500kg horse but use only as
required.
Grains provide quick release energy
and are an important part of the diet
for horses at work, or those that are
losing condition due to poor forage.
One of the safest grain to feed is oats,
as they have a relatively high fibre
content, are easily digested and are
very palatable. Barley and corn can
also be used in a grain blend to assist
weight maintenance but these grains
should be heat processed to increase
digestibility and feeding efficiency.
Wheat is a very high energy grain,
with a low fibre content and should
be processed prior to feeding. Wheat
should be fed in moderation due to
the high gluten content which may
cause the formation of a glutinous
mass in the mouth or stomach, and
the high starch/ low fibre content
which may increase the risks of hind
gut overflow and ensuing laminitis
and/or colic.
As with all diet changes, it is impor-
tant to introduce new feeds slowly
over 7-10 days. If you have a horse
with special dietary needs, has met-
abolic or other concurrent condi-
tions, it is advisable to contact your
veterinarian or equine nutritionist
for further advice.
Molasses and honey: These sim-
ple sugars do provide energy to the
horse but should be fed with great
care. Overwhelming the system with
sugar will have the same effect as
overloading with grain or rich pas-
ture, in that the hind gut will become
compromised with ensuing in colic,
laminitis and scouring a likely result.
These sugars contain no fibre and
so act as a quick energy rush which
can cause a large spike in blood
sugar which may be undesirable for
behaviour. Molasses or honey should
be mixed with a feed containing
sufficient bulk and fibre if it is to be
used as an energy supplement. It will
increase palatability of feeds which
may be very useful in drought where
unconventional feeds are being used,
but can ferment in particularly hot
weather so needs to be stored cor-
rectly. quality pasture is fed, these require-
ments will be met, but in times of
drought, where this is not possible
there are a number of supplements
that may be used to meet these re-
quirements:
Vitamin and mineral supplements:
These will likely be required as dry
hay and grains are deficient in these
important physiological substrates. A
broad spectrum multi vitamin prod-
uct that contains macro and trace
minerals such as KER Nutrequin
or KER Gold Pellet will work well to
fill in the gaps of a drought feeding
program for horses that are spelling
or in light to moderate work. Horses
in heavy training will require a little
more support and a supplement such
as KER Perform or KER Gold Pellet
should be used if a straight grain diet
is being fed. KER Gold Pellet contains
a yeast culture has been associated
with improved fibre digestion and
may help horses on tough stemmy
forages and limited dry pick to get
the most out of the forage that they
have. Canola meal: Contains around 35%
protein, with a good amount of lysine
and can be used to replace soybean
meal as a protein and fat supple-
ment. The protein is less concen-
trated in canola meal than in soy,
so a greater volume must be fed to
provide sufficient protein and lysine.
A regular amount may be around
3-400g, but up to 600g may be
required in a drought management
program.
Digestive health supplements:
When pasture is limited and more
energy concentrates/pre-mixed feeds
are fed, horses can become more
prone to digestive conditions such as
gastric ulcers and hindgut acidosis.
It is worth considering a supplement
to help protect horses against these
conditions as they can affect perfor-
mance and be costly to remedy in the
long run.
Protein Supplements
Some horses may require a protein
supplement during times of drought
where poor quality, low protein
forage is used. The most important
of these are pregnant and lactating
mares, young growing horses and old
horses. Good quality protein is vital
for healthy development and growth
of the foetus and young horse.
Requirements for the essential ami-
no acid lysine must be met to avoid
developmental abnormalities. Signs
of a protein deficiency include loss of
muscle mass and tone and a ‘pot’
belly, especially in young horses.
Generally, if lucerne hay and good
38 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • September • October • 2018
Soy & full fat soy: Full fat soy con-
tains around 38% protein, where
soy beans contain around 40-48%
protein. Soy is possibly the best
source of vegetable protein, contain-
ing almost all of the essential amino
acids including lysine at appreciable
levels. Extruded full fat soybean
meal is a popular supplement for
young growing horses the world over
providing cool energy in the form of
fat as well as plenty of good quality
protein. Feeding rates of up to 600g
per day may be required in drought
periods.
Lupins, beans and peas: Lupins
contain 28-34% crude protein with a
moderate lysine content. Beans and
peas have similar protein levels and
some have a similar lysine content
but are often less palatable than
lupins. Lupins can be fed at up to
2kg per day, and more where other
protein sources are limited. Beans
and peas are useful additions to a
mix but may be ‘sorted’ out by picky
eaters. Be careful with the types of
peas used as some are toxic to hors-
es. Beans, peas and lupins should
undergo processing before feeding to
allow maximum digestion.
Sunflower seeds: These are very
popular as a feed ingredient in
Australia and contain around 20%
protein, but the protein is relative-
ly low in lysine. Sunflower seeds
also contain some fat which adds
a little energy to the diet. Usual
feeding rates are around 200g, but in
drought diets that are low in protein,
up to 500g may be fed.
Linseed meal: Contains around
35% protein, but with a poor lysine
content. Linseed is a relatively poor
quality as a protein source and can
be expensive.
Copra meal: Contains around 20%
protein and some residual oil but has
a very poor lysine content and the fat
becomes rancid very quickly in hot
and humid conditions thus reducing
palatability. Copra should be soaked