Feeding Notes - from ForagePlus UK - Sarah Braithwaite

FEEDING NOTES - From Sarah Braithwaite of Forage Plus

FAT - it's overfed and too much can be damaging .  Why?  Well - it reduces mitochondrial function which then reduces performance.  What is mitochondria? - it makes ATPand  that makes each cell function.

Fat, when fed in excess,  it disrupts mitochondria health and also disrupts hindgut fermentation plus hinders absorption of some minerals and vitamins.

High fat feeding gives a negative effect on bone mineral content.

High fat feeding decreases glycogen stores that have been stored from glucose intake - this decrease depletes energy - especially speedwork.

The ideal level of fat is 6%.  Thats the approx level of grass.  Fresh grass is 3:1 Omega 3 to Omega 6.  So thats the best ratio to mimic.

In Hay the Omega 3 is lost and fat level on hay drops to 2-3%

 Linseed is a good fat.  It is 4:1 Om3 to Om6.  Micronised linseed fed at a rate of 42grams per 220kg of bodyweight restores the diet to fresh grass levels.   For a 500kg horse - thats 95grams per day.
Micronising stabilises the Om3 content to stop oxidising.
High Om6 ===> Inflammation
We always want lots of Omega 3

As a general rule - 5 to 10% FAT of the total diet is OK and not harmful and will spare glucose for more intensive exercise.

The only time to increase the FAT levels would be under intensive exercise - such as a racehorse or an endurance horse.

FAT - Micronised linseed is one. 

Another is Coolstance Copra - Coconut extract, it is rich in medium chain fatty acids (MCT).  It is easily digested and is a whole food source.  NOTE from me - it is about 11% NSC, so caution with laminitics

Acetyl L Carnitine. - an amino acid that can help with muscle soreness by helping the horse access fat stores before glycogen - thus helping adapt to training more quickly and reduce muscle soreness/stiffness.

Low sugar/starch diets in a performance horse?

It depends on the work level.

Hay and haylage are about 10% NSC.  Spring grass is ALOT more.

If thehorse is lacking energy or hits a wall and runs out of energy then look to increase glycogen levels by making sure sodium and protein are at adequate levels in the diet.

It can be common for the performance horse to tire because it hasnt got enough glycogen levels to top up the storage.

We need to store glucose in to glycogen

Lethargy and or poor muscle development is seen when the horse is low in

= Protein

= Sodium

= Glycogen

Also remembering that minerals need to be in good balance too.

To help glycogen storage we can do Glycogen Loading.

Glycogen loading is done AFTER exercise with good carbs.  A blend of quick and slow release carbs to fuel and replenish lost stores.  It is best done after exercise and the body is actively looking for it.

PROTOCOL

Feed a small meal after exercise.  Typically within 40mins to 1hour after work.

Speedibeet, rolled oats and 50gm essential amino acids

For the average 500kg horse

100grams Beet pulp - this is the slow release

50-100grams rolled oats - this is fast release but low G.I.

50gm essential amino acid

This will replenish the liver, muscles and glycogen stores.

Feed after working as this is when the body is the most hungry for replenishing glycogen supplies.

If you think they need a larger feed then go up to 50/50 beet pulp to rolled oats at 300grams each.

Essential amino acids  (EAA)

This could be pea protein, or‘Topline Plus’- note this is a UK product and is 50% pea protein and 50% potato protein.

EAA shd be fed after working at 50gm

EAA should be fed at 100grams a day as a general maintenance (in the daily feed bucket)

If the horse is on a big hay diet then 100grams of protein a day is a good idea

SALT

Salt should be fed at 25mg after working.

The rule for salt is 50mg of salt if needed for EVERY HOUR OF SWEATING.  Note its sweating, not exercising.

ELECTROLYTES

This means - Sodium/Chloride/Magnesium and Potassium

Note - Potassium hardly ever needs replenishing as the body has enough on board for more than 6 hours of intensive exercise.

Low electrolytes affects stamina, lethargy and even muscle tying up.

If you are daily exercising consider replacing the salt loss for the sodium and the Chloride.

Plain salt is best

Based on the sweating rule - about 30to50grams is a good amount after a ride.  

It can be doubled or tripled based on the sweating rule.

Magnesium  daily amounts need to be considered.  (In NZ Moremag is optimum, but Mag Oxide can also suffice)

VITAMIN E

Consider supplementing if on a hay only diet.  Its also an antioxidant so can definitely help high performance horse as well.  3000 to 5000i.u. Can help muscle soreness.

B Vitamins are another thing to consider (Brewers Yeast)

Selenium - dont forget about this - low selenium gives sore muscles

SEPERATES TO FEED TO YOUR HORSE (IN WORK)

When feeding your performance horse - giving the products as single items mixed together - this is called ‘seperates’.

The separates are selected for high protein, high fibre and concentrated energy source.

“The beauty of feeding this type of bucket feed is that the high fibre nature can be used as a hay replacer and so digestive issues are far less likely.  Where you choose to feed oats, you should always use 2 parts hay/grass pellets (or chaff?) or beet pulp to 1 part oats to avoid issues with the carbohydrate fraction of this cereal.

A small condensed feed is best.  Condensed feed examples are - 

Speedibeet

Wheat Bran

Micronised Linseed

Porridge Oats

Copra

PLUS - adlib hay or more than 6 hours of grazing.

Young horses - consider additional protein as their needs are higher - eg pea protein or potato protein

TABLE 

FROM PDF - Feeding the Performance Horse

Seperates to feed to performance horses

MIN/MAX AMOUNTS SEPERATEs CHOICES

100-1kg                                      Grass/Hay Pellets

100-1kg (dry weight)               Unmollassed Beet Pulp

100-500grams                         Lucerne Pellets - (Note - Not in NZ due to our grasses)

100-500gms                            Wheat bran - not for laminitics due to very high. If fed - balance it out with beetpulp 3:1 beetpulp to wheat bran gives the same profile as oats

100-500gms                             Micronised Linseed

100gm-1kg                                Porridge Oats

100-500gms                             Copra

NOTES FROM ME

For horses in low intensity work consider if they need anything outside of mineral shortages- especially if they are on grass already - before adding in feed.

How do we know we are short on minerals?  Test your grass.  Ask me how!

Perhaps the beet/porridge oats and EAA is all that is needed - after the ride.

Hay only diets will need to be balanced and also adjusted for the protein loss.