Farm To Stable: An Equine Nutrition Podcast (TM)
Season 2
Feeding for Warmth
Hay Steamers vs. Hay Soaking
Season 1
by Dr. Nettie Liburt
As the temperature drops outside, it is important to ensure that a horse has enough energy to stay warm. Did you know that horses have their own internal heaters? Listen in this week as I discuss how it works, how to properly (and safely) feed your horse to support warmth and of course, dispel a few myths.
In this episode, I'll describe what hay steamers do and how they differ from soaking hay. If you have a horse with respiratory concerns, be sure to listen up! Thanks to Brian in AZ for this listener-suggested topic.
In this episode, we'll talk about one of my favorite groups of horses to work with, seniors! Many people ask the question, "At what age is my horse considered a senior?" and the answer is not so black and white. This week the discussion talks about how horses age as individuals, what differences can arise and some key takeaways for ensuring a healthy diet to support the aging horse. We've only scratched the surface, but it's a fun and easy to follow introduction to thinking about advancing age in horses.
Reading a feed tag can be confusing, especially if you're comparing two products with a similar guaranteed analysis but very different price points. What do the things on the label mean? Listen in for a breakdown of the basics of interpreting a feed tag.
This week we'll talk about blanketing, cold weather and how it can affect a horse's dietary energy needs. With so many options from clipping to not clipping, blankets to no blankets, what's a horse person to do? For some tips and advice, listen in. Of course we'll talk about how nutrition is involved as well. For some additional reading, check out this Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet I co-authored in graduate school with Dr. Carey Williams: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=FS1081
I had more to say about beet pulp, and clear its name! More facts dropped this week on this super fiber, as well as some interesting tips about vitamin/mineral supplements. We'll also discuss some myths, and of course truths, about carbohydrates (always a hot topic!) Please join me as I bust more myths associated with feeding horses this week!
Continuing the theme of busting feed myths, this episode is all about some common feed ingredients and dietary supplements that you may have heard bad things about. Those nasty rumors are busted by science and research, so do take a listen and see if you've heard a myth, or happen to already know a myth that isn't true. Enjoy!
This week I'll discuss a general overview of what goes into your feedbag, nutrient sources and feed labels. There are many ways to get to a guaranteed analysis, so you won't want to miss this inside information that will give you tips to better understand what goes into the bag.
This week, we'll define what "as fed" and "dry matter" really mean, and why these terms are important for understanding your horse's forage intake. It's time to take a deep dive into weighing and managing forage intake - not only for horses that need a controlled diet, but also so you are an educated owner with a deeper understanding of what your horse consumes in a day. I'll give examples about how to manage a weight loss diet as well as how to start with maintaining ideal forage intake when a horse is at ideal weight. It will get a little technical this week, but I've got simple examples to walk you through. You may want to keep a pen and paper handy to write down some numbers and follow along, but it's not required and there's no test at the end!
Soaking hay properly is important when carbohydrate content needs to be controlled in the horse's diet. Soaking time, water temperature and hay variety all influence the outcome. While soaking can reduce carbohydrate content by up to 40%, you will also lose some soluble proteins and some dry matter as well. Listen for tips and techniques to soak properly and to ensure you are feeding your horse the proper amount after all the soaking and draining is done!