NUTRIENT INTAKE OF HORSES IN THOROUGHBRED AND STANDARD-BRED STABLES

Twenty-five Thoroughbred (TB) and 25 Standardbred (SB) stables were vi sited to determine their feeding practices. The ingredients of the mai n feed of the day for a mature gelding of average size in full trainin g were weighed at each stable. Nutrient content of diets was calculate d using published data for the individual ingredients. Results are exp ressed as mean+/-sd. The estimated body weight of TB horses was 493+/- 34 kg and 437+/-32 kg for SB horses. There was considerable variation in diet composition and nutrient intake between stables. The TB traine rs fed 11.0+/-2.4 kg and SB trainers 11.8+/-2.5 kg per day. The concen trate component of the diet weighed 7.8+/-1.6 and 7.7+/-2.3 kg for TB and SB stables, respectively, and the roughage component for TB horses 3.3+/-1.4 and SB horses 4.1+/-1.4 kg per day. The digestible energy i ntake of horses at TB stables was 129+/-29 MJ per day and at SB stable s 132+/-31 MJ per day. Crude protein intake of TB horses was 1452+/-36 3 g and SB horses 1442+/-338 g per day. There were differences in some feeding practices at TB and SB stables. Standardbred trainers fed mor e roughage than TB trainers. Standardbred trainers fed chaffed lucerne (alfalfa) and cereal hays as the major roughage, whereas TB trainers fed more hay. The major hay type fed by TB trainers was lucerne, where as many SB trainers preferred clover hay. Both trainers fed oats as th e major grain, but TB trainers fed slightly more maize (corn) than SB trainers. The SB trainers fed barley as part of the concentrate compon ent of the diet, whereas TB trainers usually fed boiled barley and lin seed oil in winter only. Although many trainers used vitamin and miner al supplements, this appeared unnecessary in many instances, especiall y with respect to iron. Calcium and NaCl supplementation was necessary for some diets. We concluded that while there was a wide range in fee d intake and diet composition for both TB and SB horses, average nutri ent intakes were similar to National Research Council (1989) recommend ations for horses performing intense work.