horse eating from feed tub
Extruded feeds are made by finely grinding ingredients used in horse feeds, then adding moisture, heat, and pressure to cook the ingredients. | Getty images

Over the years, horse feeds that were once mixes of whole grains have evolved to textured, pelleted, and extruded forms to meet equine nutritional needs. Feed form impacts a horse’s overall health, with extruded feed designed to be more digestible.

Randel Raub, PhD, director of research and nutrition for the Kent Nutrition Group, headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa, said he believes extruded feeds are a superior form of horse feed. “My message is not subtle because I have a firm conviction that extruded feeds differentiate themselves from pelleted and textured feeds,” Raub said during his presentation at the 2024 EquiSummit, held virtually Dec. 3-4.

What Are Extruded Horse Feeds?

Mills produce extruded feeds by finely grinding ingredients used in horse feeds, then adding moisture, heat, and pressure to essentially cook the ingredients. This creates a doughlike mixture that is forced through an extruder to produce pieces in an array of shapes, sizes, and densities depending on the die used in the extruder.

Grinding the ingredients effectively increases the surface area of the feed, making it more digestible, he explained. The cooking process facilitates a pre-digestion process.

“For example, starch and sugar are gelatinized, which make them more easily digested in the small intestine,” said Raub. “In addition, proteins are broken down into individual amino acids, which typically occurs in the horse’s small intestine.”

Manufacturers apply ingredients sensitive to temperature and pressure (such as some vitamins and other specialized ingredients) post-extrusion. This ensures the horse receives a balanced diet, and the final product meets the nutrient guarantees on the tag or label.

Benefits of Extruded Feeds

Extruded feed is puffier, bulkier, and less dense than pelleted feed, giving it a greater volume. “Being a larger volume, the horse is going to take longer to consume that feed, and getting horses to slow down the consumption of the concentrate portion of the diet is good,” Raub explained.

Extruded feed also requires 50% less pressure (pounds per square inch) for horses to chew, making it easier to break down and form a food bolus that can be swallowed. This can be particularly important in senior horses with dentition problems.

“Many pellets in a pelleted feed are not thoroughly crushed by the horses’ molars,” said Raub, which can lead to choking. In contrast, extruded feeds quickly turn into a mash when mixed with saliva, allowing horses to swallow easily and the esophagus to move it smoothly to the stomach.

In addition to reducing choke, extruded feeds:

  • Reduce pathogens that could be inherent in some feed ingredients because of the heating process.
  • Have longer consumption times per pound of feed, which might be beneficial in reducing the incidence and severity of gastric ulcers. “More chewing produces more saliva, which is a natural buffer for the acidic environment in the stomach,” Raub said.
  • Improve ingredient digestibility because the fine grind and precooking predigests the feed. Improved pre-cecal (before it reaches the cecum—the first part of the hindgut, which also consists of the large and small colon) digestibility might help decrease cecal upset and colic by ensuring the feed ingredients’ starch and sugar components digest in the small intestine before reaching the hindgut.

Although extruded particles break more easily under pressure, these particles are less prone to creating dust than pellets, making it beneficial for a horse’s respiratory health. “Even though the vast majority of dust in the horse’s environment is from bedding and hay, anytime we can eliminate dust is good,” said Raub.

Take-Home Message

Good nutrition lies not only in the ingredients but also the form in which the horse eats those ingredients. Extruded feeds offer a multitude of health benefits, including easier digestibility, longer consumption times, and reduced dust and pathogens, said Raub.

When transitioning your horse to an extruded feed, proceed slowly over five to seven days. Monitor your horse’s body condition for any changes.

Additional 2024 EquiSUMMIT Coverage: