The Cost of Nutrition
Exploring Options for Breeders
Catherine Rudenko BSc Equine Science
Connolly’s RED MILLS
The facts..
Breeding is an area in which nutrition has
a key role
Creating a balanced diet is essential for
correct development and soundness
Cost : Performance
What can be done to minimise cost
without compromising performance ?
Topics for today
Feeding accurately by stage of
development - focus on the mare
Understanding key elements of a diet
Complete feeds vs balancers + straights
Accurate feeding
Stages of pregnancy
0-6 months, 7 & 8
months, 9-11 months
The balancing act
The essential elements to the diet which
are not naturally provided in most forage
or grains are Vitamins and Minerals
Vit / Min roles...
Vitamin A
Important for fertility
For Osteoclast function (
bone making cells )
Lack of Vit A causes growth
retardation in first 12 months
Vit / Min roles...
Zinc
Part of the enzyme which helps calcify
(harden) cartilage in joints
Vit / Min roles...
Manganese
Part of chondroitin 4 sulphate and
chondroitin 6 sulphate
Chondroitin is a major component of
cartilage
Vit / Min roles...
Iodine
Involved in thyroid function and
production of T4 (thyroxine)
T4 regulates metabolic growth rates
Vit / Min roles...
Copper
Needed for lysol-oxidase function
The enzyme that provides ‘cross-links’ in
bone structure
0-6 months (500kg mare)
MAINTENANCE
6 MONTHS PREGNANCY
DE : 63 mj
DE : 72 MJ
Protein : 540 g
Protein : 704 g
Calcium : 20 g
Calcium : 20 g
Phosphorus : 14 g
Phosphorus : 14g
Copper : 100 mg
Copper : 100 mg
Vitamin A : 15000 iu
Vitamin A : 30000 iu
Vitamin D : 3300 iu
Vitamin D :3300 iu
Vitamin E : 500 iu
Vitamin E : 800 iu
DE and Protein
DE increases by 9 MJ
1kg stud cubes provides 11.5 MJ
Protein increases by 164 g
1.2 kg stud cubes provides 168 g protein
Natural changes in pasture sugar (MJ) and protein levels
will also meet the gap from resting to early pregnancy
Vits and Mins
Not fully catered for by pasture or
forages !
Vitamin E is found in high levels of fresh
pasture ( 25-90 iu/kg DM), this
decreases when drying
Vitamin E
Horse on pasture will consume approx
8kg DM, providing up to 720 iu Vitamin
E
Requirement after pasture : 80 iu
Ikg stud cubes provides 100 iu
Vitamin D, A & Copper
VD 3300 iu required
1.75 kg stud cubes provides 3500
VA 30000 iu required
2 kg stud cubes provides 30000
Cu 100 mg required
2.5 kg stud cubes provides 100 mg
Calcium & Phosphorus
Ca 20 g required
2 kg stud cubes provides 20 g
Phosphorus 14 g required
2.4 kg stud cubes provides 14.4 g
Cost of this diet ?
2.5 kg stud cubes costs €1.10
Alternatives ?
Balancers + forage
Balancers + straight
Balancers are more flexible and often
more economic
Balancers
Balancers ensure you have covered all the
essentials of vitamins, minerals, amino
acids
They do not contribute as much in the
way of MJ ( calories ) or protein
Balancers
For meeting the MJ requirements you are
then reliant on your pasture or straights
Gro-Care Balancer
VD 3300 iu required
330 g Gro-C provides 3300 iu
Text
VA 30000 iu required
500 g Gro-C provides 30000
Cu 100 mg required
600 g Gro-C provides 108 mg
Gro-Care Balancer
Ca 20 g required
600 g Gro-C provides 19.2 g
Phosphorus 14 g required
600 g Gro-C provides 9.6 g*
* phosphorus gap is met by pasture
Gro-Care Balancer
Vit E req 800 iu
550 grams provides 825 iu
Cost of this diet ?
600 grams Gro Care costs €0.61
Balancers vs Cubes
If your pasture quality is high and the mare
will hold body condition then balancers are
a more economic option and all essentials
are met
Another benefit
Gro-Care fed at 600 g provides 825 iu
of Vit E
So ensuring full Vit E levels are met even
if pasture is poorer of if relying on dried
forages
Cubes benefits
Provide all essentials plus proteins and
calories
For mares covered in February until
spring grazing is available cubes are a
better option
Savings ?
Stud Cubes €1.10 per day
Gro-Care €0.61 per day
Over a 6 month period Stud Cubes
costs € 198 vs Gro-Care cost of € 109
6 months +
At 7 and 8 months requirements increase
slightly from the 6th month
7-8 months
6 MONTHS PREGNANCY
8 MONTHS PREGNANCY
DE : 72 MJ
DE : 77 mj
Protein : 704 g
Protein : 759 g
Calcium : 20 g
Calcium : 28 g
Phosphorus : 14 g
Phosphorus : 20 g
Copper : 100 mg
Copper : 100 mg
Vitamin A : 30000 iu
Vitamin A : 30000 iu
Vitamin D :3300 iu
Vitamin D : 3300 iu
Vitamin E : 800 iu
Vitamin E : 800 iu
7-8 months
At this stage the only increases are in
protein, energy, calcium and phosphorus
Increasing stud cubes to 3.3 kg meets the
gap
Increasing gro-care to 900 g meets the
gap
Pasture
At 7-8 months the pasture quality will be
lowering so additional calories may be
needed if using a balancer
Straights for energy
3.3 kg stud cubes provides 37.9 mj
900 g gro-care provides 10 mj
To make diets ‘equal’ in energy a further
27 mj would be needed
Energy values per kg
Oats whole 10 mj
Flaked oats 11 mj
Barley flaked 13 mj
Wheat flaked 14 mj
Beet pulp 10 mj - as fed 2.5 mj
Cost of diets
3.3 kg stud cubes costs € 1.45
900 g gro-care costs € 0.92
2 month period costs, stud cubes €87.00,
gro-care €55.20
9-11 months
8 MONTHS PREGNANCY
11 MONTHS PREGNANCY
DE : 77 mj
DE : 89 mj
Protein : 759 g
Protein : 893 g
Calcium : 28 g
Calcium : 36 g
Phosphorus : 20 g
Phosphorus : 26.3 g
Copper : 100 mg
Copper : 125 mg
Vitamin A : 30000 iu
Vitamin A : 30000 iu
Vitamin D : 3300 iu
Vitamin D : 3300 iu
Vitamin E : 800 iu
Vitamin E : 800 iu
9-11 months
This period is the most significant
increase as the fetus builds body mass
and finishing touches to digestive,
respiratory and nervous systems take
place
Increased rate of nutrient transfer across
the placenta 16,000 ml/min to 32,000
ml/min
9-11 months
Increasing stud cubes to 4.5 kg meets the
gap
Increasing gro-care to 1.5 kg meets the
gap*
Cost of diets
4.5 kg stud cubes costs € 1.98
1.5 kg gro-care balancer costs € 1.53 *
Over 3 month period stud cubes
€178.20, gro-care €137.70
*note - this is using the balancer to meet
protein gap, if straights are fed then the
balancer can be left at 900g
Cost of €0.92 per day, or €82.80 for
the 3 months vs stud cubes at €178.20
Balancers are good for vit/min intake but
are expensive when used as the sole
protein source.
Use quality forages / straights to provide
protein at this time of year.
Balancers 9-11 months
At this time of year (Nov,Dec,Jan) cold
weather will increase energy requirements
and balancers will need to be fed with
straight to increase calorie intake
Amounts required will also depend on
forage quality and intake
Intake
In the last 4-5 weeks the mares digestive
capacity will naturally decrease by up to
20%
Ensure meals are small especially evening
feeds as this helps reduce likelihood of
colics after foaling
Supplement with a balancer if needed
Quality of Forage
If your forage quality is lower and your
mare is eating less than 6 kg stud cubes a
day it is advisable to add in 200 grams of
balancer to boost vitamin E intake
Quality of grains
If feeding straights feed good clean grains
Beware of rolled grains sprouting or
moulding
Cooked grains eg flaked offer better
digestion and increased nutrient uptake
so can be fed in lower volumes than whole
or rolled grains
Maximising digestion
Feed forage first - better for stomach
health and slows rate of passage, allowing
more nutrient uptake
Feed several small meals to avoid
overloading the system and causing
bacterial imbalances of the hind-gut
Do not suddenly change the diet
Summary
Ensure diet is balanced for vits / mins
Make the most of your pasture
Quality forage will reduce costs
Only use good clean straights
Do the maths ! Cost your straights +
balancers vs complete diets
Questions ?
Catherine Rudenko
E : crudenko@redmills.ie
T : 059 9775800