Feed News Quarterly
Understanding The Basics
Feeding your horse: Choosing the right feed
Micronizing: Improved feed efficiency
Why is fibre so important to horses
Vitamins and Minerals in horses
What is digestible energy in horse feed
Discipline related
Common Equine Ailments
Laminitis - Feeding the Laminitic Horse
Feeding your horse after colic
Ulcers in horses:Why and what to do?
Joint structures and problems arising from their failure
Breeding
Management Issues
Pasture management for horses with metabolic disorders
Energy requirements of a racehorse
Bringing horses back to work after a spell
Feeding horses during a drought
Feed Supplementation
Feeding the senior horse 6yo+
The nutritional management of the senior horse is challenging as there are no set criteria that define “old age” or the “senior” horse. The nutrient requirements of senior horses differ from other classes of horses because of the changes in metabolic and digestive efficiency that accompany the aging process.
The first step to good nutrition for the senior horse is determining if it is “senior”. Rather than rely strictly on age to determine if a horse is a “senior”, it is more important to determine if the horse is “nutritionally senior.”
A horse that is “nutritionally senior” can no longer eat its same diet and maintain proper body condition. The combination of:
• age,
• physiological status
• and physical signs of aging
will determine if a horse is “nutritionally senior.” Some common physical signs of aging that require nutrition management are loss of weight and decrease in body condition, loss of muscle mass over the top line, sway backed appearance, decrease in coat and hoof quality and dental problems. Some senior horses also develop diseases such as Metabolic Syndrome, Cushing Disease, degenerative joint disease and kidney or liver disfunction.
When it has been determined that a horse is indeed “nutritionally senior” each horse must be evaluated and fed as an individual. The main goals of feeding programs for senior horses should be to maintain an optimal body condition, with the shoulders and neck blending smoothly into the body, the ribs not visually distinguishable but easily felt and a flat back (no crease or ridge). Generally senior horses that are in good body condition are less active than their younger counterparts and only have maintenance energy requirements. However, if the horse has difficulty maintaining body weight then a higher caloric diet is needed.
Senior horses in good body condition have protein and other nutrient requirements that are similar to those of horses at maintenance. Horses that are underweight or have lost muscle mass require higher levels of protein and other nutrients.
Overall digestibility in the senior horse is decreased, especially the digestion of protein, phosphorus and fibre, therefore highly digestible and available nutrients are critical. Yea Sacc®1026 is a live yeast culture that increases the digestibility of the fibre, phosphorus and calcium and is included in HYGAIN® SENIOR® a specially formulated feed for the mature horse (6 yo +). Additionally, HYGAIN® EQUINE SENIOR® contains Glycoaminoglycans promoting joint health and Yucca Schidigera for the horse’s overall wellbeing and mobility. Water intake is especially critical in senior horses in order to reduce constipation and impaction problems that are common in old horses.“
The main point to remember when developing feeding programs for senior horses is that these animals should be treated as individual cases and optimized for the specific needs of each horse.
For more information please contact HY GAIN FEEDS on 1300 HYGAIN (494246) or email us.
