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Discussion on Pasture quality during winter
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 11, 2007 - 4:13 am:
Hi All,
Pasture during wintertime is seen by the 'locals' in Normandy as having not much food value and certainly containing no vitamins any more.
As I have abundant pasture and everyone stays in good condition I decided [after reading the appropriate articles] this is not true.
I keep the 'fatties'in small parts of pasture with a little bit of poor quality hay[last years] They do have acces to a mineral lick and use it.
My broodmares[6 months and 4,5 month pregnant] get good quality pasture and hay as much as they want mineral salt lick and because they are in perfect condition a little bit of a normal complete horsepellet[12% protein]
I plan on buying vitamins to add 20000mcg vit A and 10000IE vit E according to the advise in the article of this site.
Question 1 : will the broodmares get enough protein [pasture has clover in it about a third but it is wintertime]
Question 2: The owners of the 'fatties' keep asking if they can be ridden on this menu due to the long existing idea 'winterpasture has nothing in it'. Imo as long as they stay fat I will keep them on this diet but I could add the vitamins for them too.
Any opinions?
Jos
PS My pastures are rotated grass mowed and thus kept 'young' which is different from the way people let their horses graze over here they keep them on very long unkept grass which in my opinion gives my pasture a higher nutritional value even during winter, am I right?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 11, 2007 - 7:49 am:
Hello Jos,
If they are on green pasture for at least a few hours a day, no matter the time of the year, we would not recommend vitamin supplementation including A and E(you have one too many 0's in your E dose).
Your first question will depend entirely on what is growing in the pastures and what its condition is. Not being familiar with pasture and seasons in your area I cannot guess if this is true or not. If the horse's condition is good while consuming large amounts of forage then the diet is likely to be good also.
DrO
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 11, 2007 - 9:56 am:
Thanks Dr O it's clear I do not need additional vitamins[sorry typed more 0's then I wanted]
The grass stays green all year round over here and grows for about 10 to 11 months a year[guess that's why horses love Normandy ]
As the pasture is unfamiliar to me too[live here now for 2 years but only with fat not working horses]I can only say the mineral contents were all adequate when I had the soil tested As the paddocks were unkept and used for horses for about 15 years [with parasites!]I put everyone on your deworming schedule and started mowing and harrowing and rotating horses as described in the articles.
I am confident the parasite problem is under control the paddocks look green and with a big variety of grasses and the soil is within horse ranges.
The mares have acces to the grass 24/7. The riding horses are on a less lush pasture because they are much to fat.
So even for the broodmares just grass as long as their condition stays excellent?
Jos
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Nov 12, 2007 - 6:49 am:
There are some differences in nutritional requirements for optimum health of the developing foal jos. Excellent pasture with legumes might easily provide the needed nutrients, for our recommendations see, Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Pregnant Mare Care and Nutrition.
DrO
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