What Is An Essential Nutrient? How Does An Animal Get Essential Nutrients? Ansc 207
Nutrients should be supplied in the amount, form and method that safely and efficiently meet the equus caballus'south requirements. This article provides information on the nutrient needs of horses and how these needs change with age and production condition.
Introduction
Horses are fed a diverseness of forms and types of feeds. Diets range from 100 percent pasture provender to 100 percent completely candy mixes. Well-nigh horses are fed forage in the grade of hay or pasture in combination with a grain mix. The choice of feed is influenced by the horses' requirements, availability of pasture, availability and cost of commercially prepared feeds, what traditionally has been fed, and how the horses are used and managed.
Nutrients should be supplied in the amount, form and method that safely and efficiently encounter requirements. Correctly supplying nutrients to horses requires cognition of requirements, feeds and nutritional direction.
Most horse owners rely on formulated feeds from commercial sources, or on a nutritionist'southward support for customer formula mixes. Nevertheless, in order to make authentic decisions, horse owners should take a general knowledge of nutrients, how nutrient needs modify with different production and utilize classes of horses, and how to determine if food supply is aligned with requirements. This fact canvas provides information on the food needs of horses and how these needs change with historic period and product status.
Food Needs
The basic classes of nutrients are energy, protein, minerals, vitamins and water.
Energy
Energy is not a nutrient in the sense of an identifiable substance; rather it is utilized every bit fuel for torso processes and is released when free energy-containing substances are broken down by the horse'southward torso. A calorie is a unit of free energy that represents a standard corporeality of heat released when an organic compound is broken down. Calorie with a capital letter C is the unit used in human food literature. A Calorie is a kilocalorie which is 1,000 calories. Energy requirements for horses are expressed every bit digestible free energy needs per mean solar day in Megacalories, which is i million calories, or i,000 Calories (kilocalories).
Digestible energy is the portion of the energy fed, gross energy that is absorbed from the digestive tract (Diagram 1). In order to accurately determine the digestible energy value of a ration, gross free energy and free energy remaining in the manure would have to be determined experimentally. Feed laboratories and diet tables use estimates for digestible energy based on the levels and types of free energy-containing substances in a item feedstuff.
The energy-containing substances in feeds are carbohydrates, fats and protein. Carbohydrates are the largest suppliers of energy. There are two general types of carbohydrates based on chemical structure, which in turn, affects how the types are digested past the horse.
The ii types of carbohydrates are fibrous and nonfibrous carbohydrates. Each blazon contains a diversity of compounds that vary in digestibility. Fibrous carbohydrates provide construction to plants. Large amounts are found in seed coats of grains and stems of plants. Horses do not secrete enzymes that break downwards fibrous carbohydrates; rather, fibrous carbohydrates are digested by leaner and protozoa in the horse'southward digestive tract. Portions of the products of this microbial digestion are absorbed past the horse and used for free energy. These microbes are located mainly in the cecum and large intestine, which are components of the digestive tract located later on the stomach and pocket-size intestine (Figure 1.).
Hemicellulose and cellulose are the main types of gristly carbohydrates in horse diets. Fiber digestibility will decrease as the amount of cellulose increases, equally compared with hemicellulose and some of the other smaller fibrous compounds. The presence of lignin, an indigestible compound found in big amounts in woody plants, is especially of import. Lignin is not digested past the horse'due south enzymes or microbes in the digestive tract. Further, complexes with cellulose are formed that subtract the digestibility of cellulose as the amount of lignin increases. The relative amount of cellulose and lignin increases when plants mature, so mature plants are non equally digestible as immature plants.
The relative amounts of gristly carbohydrates besides vary between plant types and parts of the constitute. Plants with large stems and few leaves will be less digestible because of larger amounts of boxy fiber. Pasture plants and hay by and large have more fibrous carbohydrates than levels found in the harvested grains. Grains volition have large amounts of nonfibrous carbohydrates as compared to levels found in almost grazed or harvested forages.
The nonfibrous carbohydrates are mainly starches and sugars. Analyses for nonfibrous and nonstructural carbohydrates account for much of the same types of carbohydrates. Plants accept larger levels of nonstructural carbohydrates when immature and growing. Seeds of plants (grains) have relatively large amounts of nonstructural carbohydrates as compared with stems and leaves. Different plants and grains vary in the levels of these carbohydrates. For example, corn and wheat typically volition have more starches and sugars compared to oats.
Nonfibrous carbohydrates are more than digestible than fibrous carbohydrates, as nonfibrous carbohydrates are partially cleaved down by enzymes secreted past the equus caballus and absorbed in the small intestine. Nonfibrous carbohydrates not absorbed in the small intestine are digested past microbes in the cecum and large intestine, and portions of the products of this microbial digestion are captivated for energy apply.
More nonfibrous carbohydrates will laissez passer to the cecum and large intestine as larger amounts are fed in a single meal. Microbes in the cecum and large intestine readily digest nonfibrous carbohydrates. Too much microbial digestion of these compounds occurring too quickly causes a build up of substances that alter the normal country of the horse's digestive tract. These changes can lead to laminitis and colic.
Because of this, the amounts of nonfibrous carbohydrates fed every bit a repast should be regulated. Horses introduced to pastures with big quantities of immature, growing forage should be limit grazed. Grains should be limited at or below levels of about 0.5 percent of torso weight per meal, that is, 6 pounds of a grain mix or less per meal for a 1,200-pound horse. Grain mixes should be split into several meals per day when larger amounts of nonfibrous carbohydrates are fed (See Extension Fact Sheet NSC-3973 "Feeding Management of the Equine").
Fats are a grouping of chemical compounds (fats, oils and waxes) that contain fatty acids. Some of the fatty acids are essential, pregnant they are needed only not produced past the body itself. The breakdown of fat produces about twice the energy as compared to similar amounts of carbohydrates or protein. Feeds take smaller amounts of fat than carbohydrates or protein. Some of the grain byproducts used for feed will take larger percentages of fat because carbohydrates are removed during the milling of the grain. Fat amounts of feeds are increased by using sure byproducts or by adding vegetable oil to mixes.
The body also breaks downward dietary protein for energy utilize. However, energy product is more efficient when there are enough carbohydrate and fat compounds to produce the bulk of energy needs. The main purpose of dietary protein is supplying amino acids rather than energy.
Mature horses of larger weight require more than energy to maintain their trunk than do smaller horses. Working horses will need more free energy than horses non receiving forced exercise. Mares producing foals, lactating mares and growing horses will need large amounts of energy to fuel their production of body tissue. Similarly, energy needs are larger when energy apply is increased to provide warmth during cold environmental temperature — commonly below 30 to 40 degrees F if horses are adapted to the cold.
Energy intake above the corporeality needed to fuel the body for maintenance, production and growth processes volition be deposited as fatty (See Extension Fact Sheet ANSC-3920 "Body Condition of Horses"). Horses in good body condition receiving insufficient daily free energy intake will fire energy that is stored as fatty. Horses in poor body condition receiving insufficient daily energy intake will decrease in body weight and body status and over time volition develop serious health problems that may lead to death.
Poly peptide
Protein is made of amino acids, and horses actually have an amino acid requirement rather than a requirement for protein. Amino acids are needed to maintain and produce muscle, enzymes and hormones, and play fundamental roles in many dissimilar body processes. Part of the protein in feed is digested by enzymes in the small intestine and absorbed as smaller units containing the dietary amino acids. Otherwise, the protein is broken down by microbes in the cecum and large intestine beyond the amino acid level, or leaves the trunk undigested.
Some of the amino acids must be supplied in the nutrition because the horse'south body cannot brand them. These are collectively termed as essential amino acids. Lysine is the most limiting amino acid for growth equally it is an essential amino acid and is needed in relatively big amounts. Feeds containing relatively big amounts of essential amino acids are considered to be higher quality protein sources because essential amino acid levels align more closely with needs. Feeds vary in the corporeality of protein and the relative distribution of amino acids of the protein. For example, soybean meal contains more lysine than cottonseed meal. To ensure a good residuum of amino acids, the minimum level of lysine should be at or above 4 percentage of the total crude protein intake, specially for growing horse diets.
Protein needs are expressed equally crude protein which is the corporeality in the ration. Like all nutrients, protein must be digested to exist usable. Generally, protein in grain and grain byproducts is more digestible than protein in forages. Horses demand a certain corporeality of poly peptide per day for maintenance of their body. As with energy, states of production and growth will increase protein requirements.
Increased protein needs can be met by feeding more than of a nutrition without changing the percent protein concentration of the diet. Other situations will require diets with greater protein density (rough protein percentage) to come across the larger demands. Generally, diets of growing and lactating horses will be formulated to contain a higher crude protein percentage, equally compared to diets formulated for other horses. Although losses of protein increment with increased sweat loss during exercise, poly peptide density of diets for mature, exercising horses does not necessarily require increasing the protein densities in a higher place that in maintenance diets. Increased requirements for protein during exercise tin can exist met when amounts of the maintenance ration are increased to meet the added energy to meet requirements. Similarly, the increment in protein needs for pregnancy may be met when more of the maintenance nutrition is fed to run across weight gain needs in belatedly gestation.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic compounds needed equally components of body tissue and equally facilitators of various body processes. The two minerals of largest requirements are calcium and phosphorus, specially when tissues that comprise large amounts are actively growing. Thus, relatively big amounts of calcium and phosphorus are required in the nutrition of growing horses that are edifice bone. The full dietary supply of minerals should contain more calcium than phosphorus every bit needs for calcium are greater than phosphorus, and large amounts of phosphorus can interfere with calcium absorption. Diets are recommended to contain almost one.5 to 2.v times more calcium than phosphorus.
Other minerals with established requirements include sodium, potassium, zinc and copper. Table salt, sodium chloride, is a normal improver to grain mixes at about the 0.5 pct level and supplied costless choice in the form of blocks. Some sources of salt contain trace minerals, which are several different minerals needed in trace amounts. The need for copper and zinc is much less than needs for calcium or phosphorus; however, these are two additional minerals routinely balanced for in rations, especially for diets formulated for growing horses.
Many of the minerals needed in pocket-size amounts do not accept well established requirement levels. Many of the minerals have a wide range of dietary concentration acceptability equally increases in intake above what is actually needed are easily expelled from the body. Others may be toxic at high levels, and then care must exist taken to account for all sources of minerals before large amounts of mineral supplements are fed. Commercially prepared feed mixes may include added minerals, so additional sources are not needed. On-farm topdressing of mineral supplements should account for levels in feed. Using a unmarried source of mineral supplement instead of multiple sources will guard against oversupply. With the exception of salt, voluntary mineral intake is not highly correlated with the actual mineral needs of horses. As such, minerals are best provided as function of a formulated mix. The ability of free choice mineral supplements to provide minerals in amounts needed depends on the formulation of the mineral supplements and the intake patterns of horses.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds needed in trace amounts that regulate a multitude of bodily functions. In that location are two general classes of vitamins: fat soluble and h2o soluble. Fat soluble vitamins are absorbed with fat, h2o soluble absorbed with water. The main fat soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E and K. The water soluble vitamins are the B vitamins and vitamin C.
Most, if not all the vitamin needs of horses are supplied by levels naturally occurring in grains and forages. Green forages are expert sources of vitamins A and Eastward. While well-nigh if not all of the equus caballus's maintenance requirement for vitamin A is met by a compound present in forages, vitamin A needs such an increase in product and growth that supplementation may be necessary. Needs for vitamin A are the largest, followed by Vitamins D and E. Given access to sunshine and exercise, virtually horses volition not need Vitamin D supplementation unless they are quickly growing or preparing for heavy practise at young ages. The B vitamins are thought to be produced in sufficient amounts to supply the needs of most horses, although it is recommended often to supplement rations used for horses beingness heavily worked.
Commercially prepared horse feeds routinely supplement fat soluble and h2o soluble vitamins at levels to a higher place suggested requirements, so the need for on-site supplementation is non necessary. Excess intake of fat-soluble vitamins A and D is detrimental since fats and the substances soluble in them are poorly excreted from the body. Excessive intake of water-soluble vitamins is rarely detrimental, equally water-soluble substances are readily excreted from the body. Feed vitamin premixes merely at levels recommended on the characterization and business relationship for sources added to grain mixes before deciding to topdress.
Water
Water is not often thought of as a nutrient, although lack of h2o intake causes illness and death much more quickly than lack of feed nutrients. H2o requirements vary with losses, so horses housed in hot environments or those losing large amounts through sweat, respiration or milk volition need more h2o than nonproducing or sedentary horses. Intake is expected to be larger in hot environments, with larger feed intake or larger horses.
With the possible exception of the extremely hot horse immediately following hard practise, water should be offered gratuitous pick as the bigger concern is lack of intake. Extra intake of water is easily expelled via urine. Voluntary water intake is expected to vary considerably betwixt horses and by the aforementioned horse on unlike days. Water consumption should be monitored whenever possible then normal intake levels can exist assured and observed. Sources that supply fresh, clean water supply are preferred as contaminants may subtract voluntary intake or contain products harmful to the health of the equus caballus.
Estimates for Nutrient Requirements
The National Inquiry Council of the National Academies provides documents on nutrient requirements of animals. The estimates provided in the tables in this Fact Sheet are based on recommendations from the National Research Council. Tables 1 through v brandish how nutrient requirements are expected to change with differences in trunk size or production. The tables brandish estimates for requirements of digestible free energy, rough protein, and several minerals and vitamins.
| Size of Equus caballus | Digestible Energy (Mcal/24-hour interval) | Crude Poly peptide (pounds) | Calcium (grams) | Phosphorus (grams) |
| Maintenance (ane,000 pounds) | 15 | ane.2 | xviii | 13 |
| Maintenance (one,100 pounds) | 16.v | ane.iv | 20 | xiv |
| Maintenance (one,200 pounds) | 18 | 1.5 | 22 | 15 |
Food requirements are estimated from the National Research Council's Recommendations for Nutrient Requirements of Horses (2007). Mcal is megacalories (1,000 Calories), a unit of measurement of energy potential.
| Grade of Horse | Digestible Free energy (Mcal/day) | Crude Poly peptide (lbs) | Calcium (grams) | Phosphorus (grams) |
| Convenance Stallion | 22 | 1.vii | 20 | 14 |
| Broodmare | ||||
| Early on Pregnancy | 17 | 1.iv | 20 | 14 |
| eight months pregnancy | 18.5 | 1.seven | 28 | 20 |
| 11 months pregnancy | 21 | 2.0 | 36 | 26 |
| Lactation (1st calendar month) | 32 | iii.iv | 59 | 38 |
| Lactation (third month) | 31 | 3.2 | 56 | 36 |
| Lactation (fifth month) | 28 | 2.9 | 40 | 25 |
| Working Horse | ||||
| Light exercise | 20 | ane.5 | 30 | 18 |
| Moderate exercise | 23 | 1.7 | 35 | 21 |
| Heavy practice | 27 | 1.9 | 40 | 29 |
| Age of Horse (Weight/growth) | Digestible Free energy (Mcal/twenty-four hours) | Rough Protein (lbs) | Calcium (grams) | Phosphorus (grams) |
| 6 months | ||||
| 475 pounds/2 pounds per day | 15.five | one.5 | 39 | 22 |
| 12 months | ||||
| 700 pounds/1lb/twenty-four hour period | 19 | ane.8 | 38 | 21 |
| 24 months | ||||
| 940 pounds/0.4lb/day | 19 | 1.7 | 37 | 20 |
| State of Production or Growth | Copper (grams) | Zinc (grams) | Magnesium (grams) | Potassium (grams) |
| Maintenance | 0.1 | 0.4 | 7.5 | 25 |
| 12 months of age | 0.08 | 0.32 | five.iv | 17 |
| Early pregnancy | 0.i | 0.4 | 7.5 | 25 |
| Lactation (iii months) | 0.xiii | 0.5 | eleven | 46 |
| Moderate Practice | 0.12 | 0.5 | 12 | 32 |
a) Food requirements are estimated from the National Research Council's Recommendations for Nutrient Requirements of Horses (2007). b)These levels take into account all sources of minerals in the diet including hay, grains and supplements.c)Different sources of minerals volition accept differing concentrations of minerals then accounting for ingredients and reading labels is of import.
| State of Production or Growth | A (IU) | D (IU) | E (IU) |
| Maintenance | xv,000 | 3,300 | 500 |
| 12 months of age | xiv,500 | v,600 | 642 |
| Early pregnancy | 30,000 | 3,300 | 800 |
| Lactation (iii months) | 30,000 | 3,300 | 1000 |
| Moderate exercise | 22,500 | 3,300 | 900 |
a) Nutrient requirements are estimated from the National Research Council's Recommendations for Nutrient Requirements of Horses (2007). b) These levels take into account all sources of vitamins in the diet including hay, grains and supplements. b) Different sources of vitamins will accept differing concentrations of vitamins so accounting for ingredients and reading labels is important.
David W. Freeman, Retired OSU Extension Equine Specialist
Source: https://horses.extension.org/nutrient-requirements-for-horses/
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