Feeding Glossary

A member of the legume family of plants. Alfalfa is very popular in horse feed because it is a great source of energy, protein and minerals that are great for your horse or pony’s health. It also has a high fibre content and relatively low fructan levels making it ideal for equines that are prone to laminitis, providing it is unmolassed. However, it is not a feed that suits all horses and can cause some to react negatively in their behaviour or develop a skin condition. All the feeds in the Barley & Molasses Free Range are also free from alfalfa, offering owners the option to avoid alfalfa in their horses’ feeds.

Usually either oat straw, alfalfa, grass or a blend of these different fibres. Chaff is added to feed to make it last longer, especially for good doers that do not receive much feed and also to slow down the rate of eating. Horses that tend to eat very quickly can be prone to choke and adding chaff will help to slow them down and encourage them to chew their feed really well. Chaff also adds extra fibre to the diet which is beneficial to all horses and ponies to help keep their digestive systems healthy. Oat straw chaff is low in calories and is ideal for good doers, alfalfa chaffs can be useful for horses that are working harder or for those that need to put on weight. The dried grass type chaffs tend to be quite high in energy and are also useful for horses that are working hard.

Measured In MJ/kg, this is the energy level of the feed after digestion and therefore the energy available to the horse for maintenance and exercise. It is important to remember that energy and calories are the same thing so feeding a higher energy feed will mean that your horse is receiving more calories.

A structural carbohydrate that is the most important nutrient for horses. Fibre is required as a source of slow release energy and vital for keeping the digestive system healthy and functioning correctly. High fibre feeds tend to be lower in starch than traditional cereal based mixes and cubes which means they are a better choice for horses that can easily become excitable or fizzy.

 

Provides a good source of slow release energy which is less likely to cause excitable behaviour than energy from cereals and sugar. A diet high in oil can help to improve condition and stamina levels. Allen & Page feeds contain linseed to provide the horse with omega 3 oils.

Required by the horse for growth and repair of new cells and tissues, the production of muscle tissue and for growing youngsters. Quality of protein is just as important as quantity of protein and all Allen & Page feeds contain high-quality protein to provide the correct balance of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins).

A prebiotic is a non-digestible feed ingredient that limits the number of harmful microbes or improves the digestive environment for beneficial microbes.

Live bacterial populations that enhance digestion by improving the balance of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract. Giving a maintenance dose on a continuous basis can also be useful in maintaining a healthy digestive system.

Non-structural carbohydrates which are broken down by the horse in the small intestine to provide energy. Cereals are high in starch. Generally this energy is fast release, which provides a sudden burst of energy and is essential for horses that are working hard, however, in some horses, this can cause excitable behaviour. Therefore, if your horse has a tendency to be fizzy or ‘heat up’ it is better to choose a feed with a low starch content and higher fibre and oil levels to provide the necessary energy in a slow-release form.

All Allen & Page feeds contain a full range of vitamins and minerals to help keep your horse healthy. Our feeds will provide a balanced diet when fed at recommended amounts for the horse’s bodyweight and workload.