Horse Protein Needs and Sources
Jack Grogan, CN
March 12, 2010
Proteins, composed of essential and nonessential amino acids, are important nutrients for horses.
Proteins, composed of essential and nonessential amino acids, are important nutrients for horses.
A recent human study has found that tart cherry juice blend (TCJB) had beneficial effects on exercising muscle. The objective was to determine if TCJB can lessen exercise-induced muscle damage in horses, as measured by serum enzymatic markers.
In a survey of leading three-day event riders, researchers found that the majority of riders fed their horses based on research-driven recommendations, but the number of supplements used per horse did raise some eyebrows.
During the Jersey
Horses evolved to eat a lot of fiber, spending up to 17 hours a day grazing various forage plants. But not all fiber is created equal, especially when it comes to hay.
Hay carries a few challenges compared to living forages. One, compared t
If your horse has ulcers, giving him omeprazole isn’t the only thing you can do to help reduce the severity of the problem. Noah Cohen, VMD, PhD, MPH, Dipl. ACVIM, discussed a study that found alfalfa hay reduced the severity of ulcers in young,
Acidosis (abnormally high acidity) in the hindgut (the large intestine and colon) can cause a number of problems in horses, including anorexia, colic, laminitis, and stereotypic (continuous, repetitive, and serving no purpose) behaviors such as
Feeding grain, confinement, exercise, and overall environmental stress factors are thought to cause ulcers, he said. It’s commonly thought that horses turned out on pastures are better off than those that are confined. However, if grass hay is the on
Horses lose weight for a variety of reasons–some medical, some man-made. Learn why your horse might be underweight and what you can do about it.
Have your veterinarian perform a complete physical examination to rule-out medical diseases or
“A horse that’s working hard does have a high energy requirement,” says Nielsen. “And when we are trying to get that into a horse, we have to feed him a fair bit of concentrate, meaning grain, of course. In this case, we run the risk of health
A group of veterinarians gathered at the Land O’ Lakes Purina Mills headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., last fall to participate in discussions on subjects that ranged from Cushing’s disease to proper nutrition for horses young and old. Nicholas Frank,
Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have reported in a pilot study that a bee pollen-based product shows promise in improving athletic horses’ feed intake.
Some horses present special challenges, such as being too thin, too fat, or sick. Some horses are finicky and are hard to keep weight on, especially when working. The first option is to increase the feed’s energy density by adding grain or fat to the
A balanced vitamin supplement may best provide the additional needed vitamins. However, once again, it is important not to overestimate the intensity of exercise and competition your horse performs so that you do not oversupplement with potentially h
Managing and caring for a persistently underweight horse can be difficult and frustrating for the owner and/or caretaker.
It probably comes as no surprise that a horse taking on the rigors of a 100-mile endurance race or a three-day event might need a different diet from one that ambles the trails around home or carries a child through the occasional weekend show. The
The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to name one of the world’s foremost equine nutrition specialists as the Federation’s Official Equine Nutritionist. Kentucky Equine Research (KER), based in Versailles, Ky., boasts more
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