Erica Larson and Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVN

With feed and hay prices on the rise in portions of the country, some owners might need a more economical ways to feed their horses without skimping on nutrients. At a recent veterinary convention one researcher introduced a relatively uncommon and cost-effective feeding option.

Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVN, associate director of teaching at Rutgers University Equine Science Center and associate professor in the Department of Animal Sciences in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences in New Brunswick, N.J., discussed forage-based total mixed rations (TMRs), their economics, and studies supporting their use in young horses. Her presentation took place at the 2012 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum, held May 30-June 2 in New Orleans, La.

In the interest of full disclosure, Ralston acknowledged that the producer of the original TMR products, Square Meals, Inc., supported her research program for seven years and that she serves as a consultant for the company