With flood waters receding and horse owners returning to their farms, the rebuilding effort will start. Many barns, homes, fences and personal belonging will require attention in this effort. The animals, including horses, will require special attention. Equine face a unique challenge from a variety of diseases and other health concerns caused by the aftermath of the hurricane and flood. Over the past few weeks flood horses will have consumed energy depleted, poorly balanced diets, fed infrequently at below normal intake levels. The impact of diseases and stress has placed additional needs on the horses' nutrient requirements. In general, horses which have endured the flood have lost significant body weight and reduced digestive tract functioning. Caution should be taken to select and feed diets that will gradually restore the nutritional status. Feedstuffs that are highly digestible yet low in soluble carbohydrates, fed at moderate but increasing levels, should be used.

The following feeding recommendations are proved to help horse owners re-establish the nutritional status of their animals in a safe and efficient manner:

1. Analyze all forages and grains of unknown origin for nutrient content. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Feed Testing Service, located at the intersection of Blue Ridge Blvd. and Reedy Creek Road will conduct the following analyses on your sample for $10.00:
   • 16 nutrients
   • Nitrate ion (forages only); must be checked on the form
   • 4 mycotoxins (concentrates and forages); must be checked on the form
   • Growth promotants (concentrates of unknown origin); write the request across the top of the feed analysis form.
   Feed testing kits can be obtained from your county extension office or by calling the Feed Testing Service (919-733-7366). The kits can be mailed directly to producers. Write "Flood Victim" across the top of the feed testing form to receive a rush analysis. Contact your county extension agent for assistance in interpreting the results and determining feeding recommendations. Access the fact sheet entitled "Interpreting Horse Feed Analysis" AG-558-5 on this website.

2. If only mature stemming hay with seed heads is available, use a hay additive or replacer (available from many feed stores) in a ratio of 1:3 (1 part additive to 3 parts hay). Hay replacers are highly fermentable forages that were rapidly dried in ovens, chopped and are marketed in bags. When consumed by horses, they increase microbial activity in the horses cecum which improves the digestibility of poor quality mature hays.

3. If possible, feed only concentrate mixes with feed labels marketed for horse consumption. Unmarked concentrate mixes should not be fed until analyzed. Concentrate mixes, which are molasses based and marketed as a sweet feed, may contain growth promotants for ruminant diets which are toxic if consumed by horses. Rumensin (monensin) is a common growth promotant.

4. Select feedstuffs that contain products that enhance gut motility and microbial activity in the horses' cecum. Immature forages with ADF values less than 34% (obtained in the feed analysis report), beet pulp based concentrate mixes, typically marketed as senior diets, and grains that have been processed (crimped, rolled, flaked, etc). Since high quality hays will be at a premium, the use of beet-pulp-based senior diets, fed as a wet mash (add ½ gallon water per pound of concentrate mix soaked for 10-15 minutes prior to feeding) is more logical. A similar effect can be obtained by adding 25% beet pulp to the concentrate portion of home made concentrate mixes.

5. Select concentrate mixes low in soluble carbohydrate rates but high in fat. Excess consumption of soluble carbohydrates is the leading cause of founder (laminitis) and a key factor implicated in colics. If possible, select equine concentrate mixes that provide 5% fat or higher. Fat is digested and absorbed by the horse as fatty acids and is less likely to cause colic or founder.

6. Regulate feed intake to gradually restore body weight and condition. The following feed consumption rates are based on % of body weight for horses under "normal" circumstances.

   				Forage	       Concentrate	Total
   
   				-----------(% of body weight)-------------
   
   MATURE HORSES
   Maintenance			1.5 to 2.0	0 to 0.5	1.5 to 2.0
   Mares, late gestation		1.0 to 1.5	0.5 to 1.0	1.5 to 2.0
   Mares, early lactation		1.0 to 2.0	1.0 to 2.0	2.0 to 3.0
   Mares, late lactation		1.0 to 2.0	0.5 to 1.5	2.0 to 2.5
   Working
   	Light			1.0 to 2.0	0.5 to 1.0	1.5 to 2.5
   	Moderate		1.0 to 2.0	0.75 to 1.5	1.75 to 2.5
   	Intense			0.75 to 1.5   	1.0 to 2.0	2.0 to 2.5
   
   Example: 1000 lb horse at maintenance
   	             0.5% conc. x 1000 lbs. =    5 lbs concentrate
   	             1.5% forage x 1000 lbs. =  15 lbs forage
   					        20 lbs total intake

   Horses recovering from prolonged periods of reduced feed intake should be fed concentrates at below normal rates and gradually increased to normal intake over 7-10 days. Start by feeding only 50% of the recommended concentrate intake and gradually increase each day until normal concentrate intake levels are met in 7 to 10 days. Feed the recommended level of high quality forages at all times. Horses which have lost significant body fat should receive a 20% higher intake of concentrates after the adaptation period is completed.

   Example: A 1000 pound (lb) horse at maintenance
   
   Adaptation Period (first 7 to 10 days)
   
   	1.5% Body Weight (BWT) fed as hay x 1000 = 		15   lbs. hay
   	.25% BWT fed as concentrate (50% reduction) x 1000 = 	 2.5 lbs. conc.*
   					Total daily feed =	17.5 lbs
   
   	*gradually increase this amount up to 5 lbs. concentrate per day over a 7 to 10 day period.
   
   Adjustment Period (follows Adaptation Period)
   
   	Increase concentrate intake by 20%
   		5 lbs/day x 20% = 1 additional pound
   	New diet:
   		Concentrate intake 5 lbs + 1 lb =   6 lbs/day
   		Hay intake = 			   15 lbs/day
   				Total = 	   21 lbs/day

7. Determine your horse's current body condition score. Consult the fact sheet entitled "Body Condition Scoring: a Management Tool for the Broodmare Owner." To adjust the body condition from a low score to an ideal body condition score of "6", increase the concentrate portion of the diet by 20% for each desired condition score increase.
   Example: Regulating Grain Intake to Adjust Body Condition Score

   
   					         Increase or Decrease
   Condition		     Score		    % concentrate*
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Poor				1			+100
   Very thin			2			+80
   Thin				3			+60
   Moderately Thin  		4			+40
   Moderate			5			+20
   Moderate to Fleshy		6			Ideal Score
   Fleshy				7			-20
   Fat				8			-40
   Extremely Fat			9			-60
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   *Concentrate mixed & fed with forage according to NRC recommendations
   
   This should be done only after the 7 to 10 day adaptation period.

8. Limited availability of traditional horse hays may necessitate feeding non-traditional forage sources. Horses can effectively graze kudzu, which is similar in protein and energy to immature graze hay. Overgrazing and destruction of the kudzu is encouraged. Other alternative forage sources that can be fed if properly harvested at an immature stage are:

   			DE(mcal/lb)	CP%		Ca%		P%
   Oat Hay	            	.79		8.6		.29		.23
   Wheat Hay		.76		7.7		.13		.18
   Soybean Hay		.79		9.9		1.12		.14
   Peanut Hay		.85		14		1.10		.20

   Access the fact sheet entitled "Selecting Feedstuffs for Horses" on this web site. Obtain a feed analysis before feeding alternative hays. When the nutrient content and feed quality is confirmed, alternative forage sources can be substituted pound-for-pound with traditional hay sources.

9. When introducing feed changes (concentrate and/or forage), if possible, do so gradually over a 7 to 10 day period by blending in the old and new feeds.

10. Check all forages closely for mold, which appears as grey/black areas and smells musty. Moldy hay or grain should not be fed under any circumstances. No feed is better than moldy feed.

11. Gradually re-introduce your horses to pastures after they have been dragged with a harrow and closely inspected for trash, holes, down fences, etc. Use the same procedures to slowly acclimate horses over 7 to 10 days to fresh, rapidly growing pastures.

12. Consult your county extension agent for assistance in developing home grain/concentrate mixes and for additional management information.

Page last modified December 2003

Extension Horse Husbandry, Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University