Formulating Horse Feeds

Different Formulation Strategies Produce Different Results

When choosing a horse feed, looking at the guaranteed analysis can help you determine if the nutrition content of that feed is appropriate for the age and activity level of your horse. You would think that two products both contain 14% protein, 6% fat, etc. would be pretty much the same feed. However, products with similar guaranteed analyses may be manufactured using different formulation strategies and result in very different feeds. This can affect the nutritional value for your horse. The most common formulation strategies are “least-cost” formulas and “fixed” or “locked” formulas. Both strategies have benefits and drawbacks. For premium horse feeds, Purina uses “constant nutrition” formulation, a more nutritionally accurate formulation.

Least-cost formulation allows a manufacturer to adjust the ingredients in the formula based on cost. As long as the formula still meets the guaranteed analysis, the manufacturer can change ingredients used in the formula. In some circumstances, the different ingredients don’t change the effectiveness of the diet, so it makes sense to meet the nutritional needs of the animal in the least expensive way. There would be no benefit to making a more expensive ration to achieve the same results. For instance, if you are feeding cattle and being paid for weight gain and a least-cost formula will not change the rate of gain or feed efficiency of the cattle, but will be less expensive to feed, then that just makes good business sense.

However, in some cases, especially when feeding horses, a major change in ingredients can dramatically alter the effectiveness of the diet, even when the nutrient levels don’t change. A good example of this is substituting cottonseed meal for soybean meal in a diet for growing horses. Soybean meal and cottonseed meal may both have similar total protein content and could be interchangeable in a formula to meet the protein guarantee. However, cottonseed meal does not provide the same quality of protein as soybean meal to support growth. So, in this case, the least-cost formula may be less expensive per ton but the loss in animal performance and growth will negate any cost savings. In addition to potential for reduced performance, there is always the potential for reduced palatability and digestive upset in horses when large shifts in ingredients occur in their feed.

With fixed or locked formulas, the same ingredients and amounts are used every time the feed is made, regardless of price or nutritional variation of those ingredients. This sounds like the most consistent way to make horse feed; however, there is a significant drawback. All ingredients, even high-quality ingredients, have variation in nutritional content. For instance, all oats will not have the same protein or mineral content. If the formula is completely locked and does not take into account the nutritional content of individual ingredients, the level of nutrition in the finished product will vary.

Horses do benefit from consistency in their diets, but they don’t have specific requirements for certain ingredients. Ingredients provide nutrients the horse needs. So, while a fixed formula allows for the same amount of ingredient in every bag, it may not offer the same level of nutrition. For example, a horse feed made of 49% oats, 20% beet pulp, 16% corn, 8% alfalfa and 7% soybean meal would average 14% protein, using the average book values for these ingredients. However, with typical variations in protein content of these ingredients, the end product could range from 12.4% to 21.1% protein. Other nutrient levels will vary as well. While a fixed formula does insure a consistent ingredient profile, it won’t provide the most consistent level of nutrition for the horse.

“Constant Nutrition” formulation is a key component of the Purina® FeedGuard® Nutrition System. This strategy provides consistent, reliable nutrition in every bag of premium Purina® horse feed. Under the Purina® FeedGuard® Nutrition System, stringent quality standards are set for ingredients purchased only from an approved list of suppliers that meet those strict criteria. Then, when ingredients arrive at a manufacturing facility, they are inspected, sampled and analyzed for nutrient levels. This is more accurate than using published book values or supplier averages for nutrient levels of ingredients. If an ingredient is approved, then the tested nutritional content is entered into the formulation system, which then makes small adjustments in amounts of ingredients to maintain consistent nutrient concentrations in the finished product. There are strict restrictions for how much adjustment is allowed to ensure consistency in formulation. For example, the amount of soybean meal may be adjusted slightly to compensate for lower protein in another ingredient, but cottonseed meal could not be substituted for soybean meal. This formulation strategy ensures that horses receive the most consistent nutrition possible, and that horse owners get exactly what they pay for.

 

 

Fueling the Best of the Best

We’re very proud to say that we can feed horses of any discipline, age and activity level. We have nutritional products that can meet the needs of essentially every horse out there and if a need does go unmet, you can just about bet our research team is on the case.

Every four years, the USEF sends the top American horse and rider pairs to compete on sport’s biggest stage. This year, the destination was London not only for the Olympics but also the FEI World Endurance Championships that follow a few weeks after. At Purina, we have relationships with some of the best riders and trainers in all disciplines. As a result, we team up to help make sure their nutrition programs maintain consistent performance so they can focus on the final preparations for competition and this summer was no exception.

When we learned some of our ambassadors would be heading to the UK, we quickly set the right wheels in motion. Shipping feed overseas may seem like a relatively easy task but you might be surprised. There are several factors to consider including quantity, products, customs, shipping conditions, testing, arrival times and final delivery on site.

Once we had confirmations of the feed needed and how much, we began working to make sure we were able to deliver to expectations.

We selected one Purina plant in Milford, IN to pull all our products from to ensure the freshest product available and to also make sure all the feed we shipped came from the same lot as the samples we submitted for testing. At international levels of competition, the horses are thoroughly tested for a multitude of substances. We submitted all our products headed overseas for testing to provide peace of mind and a record of quality and safety.

We enlisted a third party to handle the shipping container as well as delivery to the host farms on site in the UK. We labeled each bag with the recipient’s name, discipline and federation and included packing lists with specific orders to keep everything headed in the right direction. Thanks to a lot of teamwork from our Milford plant, Dr. Katie Young and the team behind the scenes, some of our nation’s best were able to check one more item off their list of pre-game preparations.

We are extremely proud to support members of the US team and congratulate all the riders, horses and support teams for the well-deserved award of representing their country this summer in London!

Drs. Vineyard and Gordon present Purina research at a national scientific meeting

It is no secret that we stay very busy with research projects throughout the year at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, MO. Not surprisingly, every project is in some way related to horse feed, whether it is the formulation, palatability, physiological effect on the horse, or some other aspect we are interested in. The results of all these studies are used to enhance our current products or to create new ones. When we discover something we feel is of interest to other nutritionists (and is not considered proprietary), we will present and publish the results of the study at a national scientific meeting to an audience of our peers (i.e. other scientists).

Scientific meetings are a great place to meet with fellow nutritionists and discover what is new and exciting in the world of equine nutrition. The American Society of Animal Science held its annual meeting in mid-July in Phoenix, AZ, and Dr. Gordon and I attended to present 2 Purina research posters.

The study I presented was entitled “Biochemical markers of bone metabolism in growing Quarter Horses fed a higher starch versus a higher fat diet”. This abstract was published in the Journal of Animal Science (W146, J.Anim. Sci. Vol. 90, Suppl. 3).

Dr. Gordon presented a study entitled “Horses decrease water intake when supplements are added to drinking water”. This abstract was also published in the Journal of Animal Science (W138, J. Anim. Sci. Vol. 90, Suppl. 3).

One other fun thing for me was to be featured as part of the “I am an Animal Scientist” campaign at the meeting. The Animal Science Society asked members to send in a picture of themselves doing something with the animal they work with and to provide a quote explaining "why you are an Animal Scientist”. These photos/quotes were posted at various places at the convention center where the meetings took place. I just wish I had been a little less “verbose” so that more of my horse Roman would have shown up in the picture!

All in all, attending and presenting data at scientific meetings is a great way to stay on top of the latest research and to share information with other scientists that ultimately can be used for the benefit of the horse.

Hay is for Horses

Record droughts or heavy rainfall. It seems like most of the country is experiencing one or the other. In some areas, it has been a year of record drought followed now by heavy rainfall. One major impact weather extremes may have on horse owners is availability and/or quality of hay and pasture. Since the bulk of a horse’s diet is hay or pasture, any change in the nutritional content of the forage affects the nutritional status of the horse.

How do you evaluate the nutritional content of your hay? Good quality hay, regardless of variety, will have the following characteristics: 1) a high leaf to stem ratio, 2) small diameter stems, 3) a fresh smell, 4) free from weeds, dirt, mold and other trash, 5) bright color, 6) few seed heads (grasses) or blooms (alfalfa). In addition, hay should be fairly soft and pliable to touch. If stems are hard and stick into your hand when you grab a handful, then you might imagine how chewing that hay would feel.

While visual appraisal of hay can provide an indication of quality, laboratory analysis is really the most accurate measure of the nutritive value. There is hay that looks pretty good but doesn’t test well and if you feed it the same as more nutrient dense hay, your horses will lose weight. If you buy several small quantities of hay through the year, testing may not be much help because you will probably feed most of the hay before the test results come back.  But if you buy hay in large quantities and store it for use over several months, having it tested when you receive it may be worth the time and expense. Often hay suppliers will provide you with an analysis for large loads of hay. If not, you may want to contact your county agricultural extension agent or feed supplier for guidance on properly collecting and testing hay samples. 

If your hay always comes from the same supplier or the same field, a test may not be necessary if the new load looks very similar to previous loads. However, climate conditions at the time the hay was ready to cut may have prevented harvest at the proper time or may have resulted in the cut forage getting a heavy dew or even a rain shower before baling. These things can significantly affect the nutritive value of the hay crop but may not be evident on visual appraisal. Even when properly fertilized, cutting the field late will significantly reduce the nutrient content and digestibility of the hay, and moisture on cut grass before baling will leach nutrients from the plant.

In addition to an estimate of the nutritional content, it is important to know how much your hay weighs. The weight per flake is crucial because so many horse owners are in the habit of feeding a certain number of flakes per day. An average flake of grass hay, such as Bermudagrass, may weigh 4–5 lbs. An average flake of alfalfa hay will usually be thinner than the grass flake but may weigh 5–6 lbs.

However, the weight of a flake can vary tremendously between types of hay, quality of hay within type and the settings of the machinery used to bale the hay. For example, flakes of alfalfa from different cuttings or suppliers can range from 2.5 lbs. to 8 lbs. per flake. Because of this variation, a good tool to have in the barn is some type of scale to weigh a couple random test flakes from a new supply of hay. When asked to estimate by looking or holding a flake, even experienced horse owners can be way off on how much it weighs. The only accurate way to know how much hay you are feeding is to weigh it. A fish scale works well and can usually be purchased for $6–$7 in the sporting goods section of a discount store. This small investment can be very helpful in making sure the amount of hay you feed is consistent between loads.

If the quality of your hay has declined, you will need to either feed more hay or adjust the amount of grain you feed. Pay attention to the amount of hay your horse actually consumes because when hay quality declines not only will it usually weigh less per flake and provide less nutrition per pound, but horses will voluntarily eat less of it. Lower-quality hay takes longer to chew and digest, so horses don’t eat as much. Just because you put two flakes in the hay rack doesn’t mean they eat two flakes. Often when hay quality declines, you find you are cleaning uneaten hay off the ground. If that happens, you will need to increase the amount of grain you are feeding accordingly so your horses don’t lose condition.

A Helping Hoof

Some of you may have read Jamie Brockett’s recent blog post about Courtney King-Dye’s paradressage horse, Make Lemonade. A part of Courtney’s recovery included some time spent in therapeutic riding. As an FEI level rider, the choice of this type of therapy was not an unexpected one to see from Courtney but using horses for therapy can lend amazing benefits to both seasoned riders and novices alike.

A few weeks ago, I visited Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center, a premier accredited PATH, Intl. riding center in southern Colorado. Since Purina is a corporate partner of PATH, Intl., I wanted to get a better understanding of how these centers were using horses as therapy. Collectively called Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT), the team here runs a variety of programs designed to help people througgh the use of horses.

It was very interesting to learn the many disabilities and challenges EAAT are being used to treat. Anywhere from spinal injuries to congenital disabilities, even emotional trauma has been addressed with the use of horses. Most of us horse owners know the stress relief an afternoon ride can offer and the muscle workout horse ownership in general can provide so it was amazing to see people with no prior horse history be affected and find success in their therapies. Almost every aspect of the horse can be a tool in recovery; their warmth in helping muscles loosen up, their natural gait simulating a person’s, their size in building confidence, even their listening skills give people the encouragement to open up or take an active part in their therapy. These centers have gone through great lengths to adapt the seemingly simple activity of riding or being around a horse so it is accessible to people of all abilities. There are wheel chair ramps modified to be mounting blocks, a full staff of volunteers and specific tack and rider gear to make sure everyone enjoys their experience safely.

Now of course not every horse is a therapy horse and each of these animals is carefully screened and tested to make sure they are fit for the job. The welfare of the horses is also at the top of the priority list; after all they are as crucial to the program as their human therapist counterparts. In addition to all the necessary feeding, farrier and veterinary care these horses need, each horse’s schedule is closely managed to prevent over or under use, each horse has designated tack and equipment to ensure correct fit and each horse get exercised and ridden by staff members to keep them stimulated and in shape. While many of these horses do tend to be a bit more mature and many are in their second careers, it was very clear that size, color, breed and age are not the determining factors as much as whether or not they have what it takes to become a therapy horse.

EAAT is increasingly being recognized for its effectiveness in helping a variety of people. Earlier this year, PATH, Intl. partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project nationwide to help offer EAAT to service personnel. While many centers have been working with members of the military for some time, this partnership will increase the availability of these services.

Those of us who own horses are touched by them every day and know what they bring to our lives. It’s nice to be reminded once in a while that us horse people aren’t crazy; they really are good for the mind, body and soul.

To learn more about PATH, Intl. or to find a center near you, visit www.pathintl.org.

Posted by: Kimberly James

Big Fun and "Big Ideas in the Big Easy"

I love to attend veterinary conferences.  I always have – from the very start of my career as an equine practitioner, through my university faculty years and now as a technical services veterinarian in industry. Sure… attending conferences is a requirement of my profession - since I need a certain amount of CEU’s to renew my veterinary licenses every year (and don’t get me wrong, I really love learning new things to help out my equine friends and make me a better veterinarian) - but just as importantly, they provide me with the opportunity to catch up with old friends and colleagues.  There is usually some sort of Iowa State University alumni event where I can meet up with former classmates and faculty and find out the latest happenings in Ames.  I also really love the trade show at a big vet conference.  It is really fun to walk around checking out all the latest and greatest veterinary equipment, medications and supplies. So attending is really not much like work for me.  In fact it’s more like a side benefit.  And another reason why I really love my job!!  

Earlier this month Drs. Karen Davison, Katie Young and I attended the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum in New Orleans, Louisiana.  This meeting is a gathering of over 3000 veterinary internal medicine specialists, non-specialist veterinarians, veterinary technicians and representatives of the pharmaceutical, veterinary equipment, specialty animal diet and miscellaneous other industries.  The main purpose of the Forum is to provide continuing education to veterinarians.  The ACVIM Forum is well known for providing the most up-to-date, cutting edge information in veterinary medicine and research.  The educational session presenters are widely recognized as the very best in their particular field.  So the meeting really is a great way for veterinarians to expand their knowledge and continue to develop and refine their clinical skills.  The theme for this year’s forum was “Big Ideas in the Big Easy”.

A large trade show is also associated with this meeting and the 3 K’s manned the booth for Purina Horse Feed.  Over the course of 3 days we fielded many questions from veterinarians who stopped by our booth to learn more about Purina Horse Feeds and the role of nutrition in equine veterinary medicine. Our focus for this show was to educate veterinarians about one of our newer products, WellSolve WellGel®.  WellSolve WellGel® is a powdered diet available only to veterinarians.  It has been formulated to meet the nutritional needs of horses suffering from various illnesses, or who are in the recovery stages after surgery or a long illness.  The diet is unique in that it can be administered in relatively small volumes through a nasogastric tube providing 100% of the horses’ daily nutrient requirements.  It also contains fiber to help maintain hindgut health and glutamine to support enterocyte function.  WellSolve WellGel® is also very palatable and can be fed as a slurry or topdressing.

Staying current on equine health issues and veterinary research is critical to our mission to develop diets that help horses stay healthy and active throughout their lives.  Veterinary meetings such as the ACVIM Forum and AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) Convention are wonderful opportunities for us to communicate with and learn from the veterinary community (we also attend several regional veterinary meetings and host our own Purina Equine Veterinary Conference each year in October in St. Louis).  These interactions allow us to quickly recognize and respond to the needs of veterinarian’s for nutritional products and programs.  They also give us the opportunity to learn how we can help veterinarians to educate their clients about proper nutrition suited for each horse’s particular needs.  WellSolve L/S®, W/C® and WellGel® were all developed directly as a result of our interaction with the veterinary industry.  Several years ago Equine Metabolic Syndrome was characterized and quickly became a widely diagnosed (and talked about) condition in horses.  Veterinarians and researchers here at Purina quickly recognized the need for a diet that would provide excellent nutrition in a formula that would not exacerbate insulin resistance.  After nearly 4 years of controlled research and field trials WellSolve L/S® was launched into the market.  Similarly, when the connection between obesity and insulin resistance was discovered the Purina Equine Research and Development unit went to work developing a weight control product now known as WellSolve W/C®.

I still have several vet conferences to look forward to this year. On my calendar of events are the New England Association of Equine Practitioners 4^th Annual Symposium, the Purina Equine Veterinary Conference and the 2012 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention.  All of them should be educational and FUN!!!!

Helping Courtney King-Dye Reach the Paralympics with Make Lemonade

This article is courtesy of Jamie Brockett, Purina sales specialist from Poughquag, New York.

The life of a Purina sales specialist is exciting; it consists of traveling to all the farms in your area, seeing some magnificent horses, and having the reward of being a valuable resource for people to help best manage the nutritional needs of their four-legged friends. Last week was extra special though as I got to apply my “tools” to a very special horse, Make Lemonade.

Make Lemonade, also known as Buddy, is the new mount for Purina ambassador Courtney King-Dye.  He is a handsome fellow, a dark bay Hanoverian with bright eyes and a spunky attitude.

For those of you that follow Courtney’s blog (http://www.ckddressage.com/), he’s the horse she fell in love with in Florida and couldn’t get out of her mind. Jane Clark, a phenomenal supporter of the horse industry, graciously bought Buddy as a mount for Courtney to ride on her quest to the Paralympic Games in London this year. Courtney and her team have been training for the Paralympic Trials, coming up in June at the United States Equestrian Team Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, New Jersey. Courtney has been working on rebuilding her strength after her accident two years ago (which by the way her progress is quite remarkable and inspiring!), and Buddy has been working on losing some weight!  Courtney, a professional who has been showing and training horses her whole life, knows the value of having the right nutrition program, especially with goals as big as London. Thus, she called in Dr. Mary Beth Gordon and me to evaluate and make any final tweaks to get Buddy in Olympic shape.

Usually I do these calls by myself, but since this was a special case, Dr. Mary Beth joined me on the road.  I think she secretly wanted out of the research office for a beautiful, sunny afternoon, and to get a glimpse at the horse we’ve all heard Courtney gush about. As with any other evaluation, the first thing Dr. Mary Beth and I did was take an evaluation of Buddy’s physical appearance. We placed our hands on Buddy and evaluated his current Body Condition Score. On a scale of 1 to 9, Buddy scored a 6.  This means he has just a touch of excess fat. In this case, Buddy was a little “curvy” around his shoulder and on his rump by his tail head. Other than the excessive weight, Buddy looked to have a healthy, shiny coat and good muscle tone.

Next, we talked to Courtney, her assistant trainer, Jen, and her working student, Koryn. We asked about Buddy’s medical history, his current feed program, his turnout schedule, what his routine work was like, and also if there were any concerns they had with his current program. They explained Buddy was transitioned to Purina® Ultium® Competition horse formula one month before they shipped him from Florida to New York, where they train for the summer season. The day we were there marked one week of the northern climate for Buddy, so he had some big changes in a relatively recent time frame.  

Additionally, they explained they are working on his extra curves and were excited to tell us he had slimmed down considerably from a month ago! As far as his work load, Buddy previously thought he was in retirement until he found himself in Courtney’s barn where he is being used for Para-competitions, and will also train as a third level dressage horse. This means he’s getting double rides five to six days a week, which pleased Dr. Mary Beth and me since he still has some weight to lose. With no known medical issues, we were able to then turn our attention to the feed program.

When evaluating the feed program, it is important to take all aspects of feed and forage into consideration. Buddy is out on good quality pasture for a minimum of one hour a day. They’re gradually working him towards more turn-out until he is out as long as he wants to be. Additionally, he is on free-choice hay. Pasture and hay make up a large portion of a horse’s diet, so knowing the quality of pasture and hay helps determine the amount and specific kinds of grain required to balance out its nutrition program. Dr. Mary Beth and I took core samples of the hay, so it can be analyzed and we can make sure it is an appropriate fit for Buddy’s program. From first glance, it looks like high-quality, clean, grass hay that should suit Buddy’s forage requirements. 

Next we looked at the amount of grain Buddy is getting. Currently they’re feeding him 1 quart of Purina® Ultium® Competition horse formula three times a day. A quart of Purina® Ultium® Competition horse formula is just a little heavier than 1 pound, so Buddy is on a little over 3 pounds of Purina® Ultium® Competition horse formula a day. Ideally, a horse should be on a minimum 4 pounds of Purina® Ultium® Competition horse formula a day to meet all of his nutritional requirements. However, since Buddy is slightly overweight, we opted to keep him on this lower feeding rate and recommended adding in 1 cup of Purina® Nature’s Essentials® Enrich 32® supplement at each meal. Any time a horse is not on a minimum recommended amount of grain, we suggest adding this supplement as a diet balancer to round out the rest of the nutritional needs the horse has. Purina® Nature’s Essentials® Enrich 32® supplement provides additional protein, vitamins and minerals to the diet. In Buddy’s case, it will be added in a month once he has adjusted to his new environment and the pasture. As with all things related to horses, we don’t want to have too many changes all at one time.

Overall, Buddy was on the right track with his nutritional program. The reassurance of the team at Purina helped Courtney and her barn feel that much more prepared for the upcoming trials, which will hopefully result in a spot on the Paralympic team for Make Lemonade and Courtney. We wish them the best of luck! 

For your own evaluation of your current feed program, please feel free to contact your local Purina sales specialist. These services are provided to all barns, compliments of Purina.

Jaime Brockett lives in Poughquag, New York, and received a bachelor’s degree in animal science and business and management from Pennsylvania State University. For the past two years, she has worked for Purina in the Hudson Valley with a focus on equine nutrition. She comes from a family of veterinarians who practice together at their private clinic in central Pennsylvania. Growing up, Brockett developed her passion for horses by riding and showing hunters from a very young age.