What is a complete horse feed?

Asked by: Regina Simmons

A “complete feed” is different than a traditional fortified feed. “A complete feed contains both the concentrate and forage portions of the diet in a single bag, supplying all that the horse needs for optimal nutrition with the exception of water,” explained Kathleen Crandell, Ph.

What does complete feed mean?

A complete feed is a feed that has been formulated to meet the energy, protein, vitamin and mineral requirements of horses. They can be in the form of pellets, cubes, meal or sweetfeeds. Each complete feed will be formulated specifically for a certain type of horse.

What are 4 types of horse feed?

Wheat and milo are other grains fed to horses.

• Oats. Oats are the most popular and safest grain to feed to horses. …
• Barley. Barley is very similar to oats as a feed except for some characteristics that affect how it is used. …
• Corn. …
• Wheat. …
• Milo (Grain Sorghum) …
• Molasses (Dried or Liquid) …
• Beet Pulp.

What is a concentrated horse feed?

Concentrates include feed such as sweet feed, grains, and pellets, and they are typically added to a horse’s diet to compensate for any nutrient insufficiencies in forages. Working, growing, and pregnant/lactating horses typically need more energy or protein than hay or pasture can offer alone.

Is Triple Crown a complete feed?

A textured feed designed to provide mature performance horses with a complete diet that includes fiber, Triple Crown Complete features a beet pulp-based formula that provides 12% protein, 12% fat, and all the calories, vitamins and minerals of a grain-based feed without the potentially harmful soluble carbohydrates.

What is a complete ration?

The term complete ration (CR) is used interchangeably with total mixed ration (TMR), total blended ration, and complete feeds. Such rations are prepared by mixing together, in measured proportions, the feed ingredients required to furnish all the nutrients and other dietary factors needed in a particular ration.

Can you feed a horse just balancer?

“A balancer, with just 20% of the calories of the recommended daily amount of horse and pony cubes, can be used safely for horses and ponies on restricted diets including those prone to laminitis.”

Do horses need grain every day?

Feed grain in small amounts and often



Most horses are given grain twice a day for the convenience of their human caretakers. If for some reason you must give your horse a large quantity of grain, consider an additional lunchtime feeding.

What is the best feed to give a horse?

Roughage/Forage Roughage, found in hay or grass, is the bulk of the horse’s food. Grass or alfalfa hay, or a combination of the two, are good sources of roughage. Grass hay is generally higher in fiber and dry matter than alfalfa, but alfalfa may be higher in protein, energy, vitamins and calcium.

How much grain should a 1000 pound horse eat?

For example, if you have a 1,000 pound horse who is in light work, a good diet might consist of 17 pounds of hay or hay cubes and 3 pounds of grain per day. The same 1,000 pound horse in a heavy work program may need 10 pounds of hay and 10 pounds of grain, since the grain is higher in energy.

Is Triple Crown complete good for horses?

Triple Crown Complete is a beet pulp-based, high fat, high calorie diet ideal for performance horses, mature horses and harder keepers. Featuring high fiber and lower carbohydrates, it can be used when access to hay and pasture is limited or of poor quality.

What is the difference between Triple Crown Senior and Triple Crown complete?

Both of these senior feeds are a beet full based textured feed that soaks quickly in water. The senior gold is about 1800 calories per pound.

Should I feed my horse beet pulp?

In summary, beet pulp is a good dietary supplement for “hard keepers”, as a forage or fiber replacement for poor quality hay, and for older horses with problems chewing or digesting hay. The digestible energy content of beet pulp is greater than hay and less than grain.

What does alfalfa do to horses?

Alfalfa hay is an excellent source of energy, protein, calcium and some other nutrients for horses. Its concentrations of protein and calcium meet the nutrient needs of horses in high levels of production, such as growth and lactation, but exceed the nutrient requirements of horses in other life stages.

What does alfalfa pellets do for horses?

“The biggest benefit of alfalfa for horses is that it tends to be more nutrient-dense than most grasses when harvested at the same stage of maturity,” says Martinson. It typically contains more digestible energy, more crude protein and calcium, and fewer nonstructural carbohydrates (sugars and starches).