Feeding for race horses and during Breeding

FEEDING RACEHORSES

• The racehorses must not be allowed to become fat. They need to be kept in trim and thrifty condition for which it is important that they receive
• protein, energy, vitamins and minerals in adequate amount to develop their body and perform to the maximum of their inherited potential.
• The concentrate diet should be upto percent of the total diet, how­ever, it will vary depending upon condition of the horse, how it responds to the diet and amount and quality of the hay and/or pasture used. The concen­
• trate feeding can increase or decrease depending upon whether the horse is under light training or heavy performance. The condition of the horse can serve as a guide as to whether too much or too little concentrates are being fed in relation to forage intake.

Suggested Concentrate Diet for Racehorse

Feed	Percentage in Diet
Oats	30
Corn	10.75
Barley	9.50
Wheat Bran	7.0
Alfalfa Meal (dehydrated)	8.0
Soyabean Meal	23.0
Black Strap Molasses	7.0
Dicalcium phosphate	2.0
Limestone	0.75
Salt trace mineralized	1.0
Vitamin Supplement	1.0

• The racehorses should be fed high quality hay/pasture and should al­ways have access to mineral lick and fresh clean water should always be available.
• The energy level in the concentrate diet could be increased by replacing some of the oats with corn and decreasing wheat bran and alfalfa meal. Excess high energy grain is to be avoided since it may cause digestive disturbances because of carbohydrate overloading.
• Many horse trainers prefer to add 5-10 percent fat to the concentrate diet for high level performance, however, its additional benefit to the per­formance of horse is not definitely known. Fat increases the energy density of the diet and may allow reduction in total feed intake required to meet energy requirements which is important as it is difficult to take enough total feed during intense work.
• Moreover, it minimizes the possibility of colic, founder and other digestive disturbances occurring from too heavy concen­trate consumption during intense activity.
• Addition of fat also increases the muscle glycogen of exercising horses. If fat is used, it needs to be a high 'quality product and it has to be protected against rancidity by a proper antioxidant, which can cause digestive disturbances and decrease in the palatability of the diet.
• Increased fat level in the diet also calls upon to increase the protein and calcium phosphorus level in the concentrate diet. The concentrate diet of high performance horses should supply about 18 percent protein which will allow the use of hay and/or pasture with a protein percentage of 7 to 10.
• So overall, a protein percentage of 12 to 14 percent would be supplied. It is always better to supply protein on higher side rather than run the risk of a lack of protein.

FEEDING DURING NON BREEDING SEASONS

• When the stallion is not being used for breeding purpose, a high quality pasture will supply a large part of the nutrients needed.
• Stallion should have access to adequate minerals, vitamins and fresh clean water during this period.
• Green and leafy hay can also be fed. if pasture is not sufficient.
• Concentrate feeds should be fed in small amounts to supplement the forage used and to keep the stallion in a trim and thrifty condition
• Breeding season imposes increased activity on the stallion and will, therefore, need more energy, protein, minerals and vitamins which can be accomplished by feeding a higher level of concentrate in the diet.
• During this period, the concentrate and roughage can be in equal proportion, how­ever, level of concentrates can increase or decrease depending upon the quality of forage, condition of stallion and number of services required weekly.