Feed Tables - Horses | Natural Resources Institute Finland

On this page you can find the criteria for calculating feed values for horse feeds and feeding recommendations. The Feed Table is a list of typical compositional and feed value data for commonly used feed, i.e., a list of the so-called reference feed.

Feed Tables (Database for Research Results)

How to calculate the feed values

Official equations for the calculation of feed values have been defined for different animal species. Compositional data required for calculating the feed values are obtained from feed analysis results, or optionally the reference values presented in Feed Tables can be used. In both cases, the digestibility coefficients from Feed Tables are used.

The Feed Table for horses is based on the ruminant Feed Table. The energy value of feeds for horses is calculated in the same way as that of ruminant feeds, but the protein value is different.

Basis of feed value calculations for horses

Energy and protein requirements of horses

The energy and protein requirements of horses are based on their live weight and the work intensity. Different live weights correspond to average live weights of different horse breeds with condition score “Good”. If horse is thinner than this, energy and protein requirement is bigger than the recommendations, and likewise if the horse is fatter, energy and protein requirements are smaller than the recommendations.  The live weights correspond to the average weights of different breed horses: Finnhorse 540-550 kg, warm-blood trotter 440-550 kg, and warm-blood riding horse 560-600 kg with a condition score ”good”.

The work intensity of horses is classified as light, medium and heavy work. Light work means light exercise, such as walking or jogging for about an hour during riding or driving, and the horse is not sweating. This type of exercise is typical for leisure horses (riding or driving) and trotting horses at the beginning of their training. Moderate work means exercise with light sweating. This kind of exercise includes jogging with moderate speed, dressage or show jumping training and basal training. Also the work of riding school horses are mostly moderate or heavier than this. The work of racing trotters, driving and eventing horses during their competition season is heavy work, which causes clear sweating. This includes speed and power training, and also regular and frequent competing. The amount of exercise is around 6-10 hours /week and exercising can be daily, or the week can include training days with 1-2 days off.

Heartbeat can be used as an aid when determining the intensity and amount of work a horse is doing. During light work, the heartbeat will be on average 80 times/min. In moderate work, the heartbeat during the exercise will be on average 90-100 times/min and 110-150 times/min during heavy work. During a competition or speed training, the heartbeat can rise significantly above this.

When evaluating the energy requirement, the differences between individuals and breeds should be considered. In practise, regular (between 3-4 weeks) evaluation of the body condition score is enough to evaluate the energy intake and its requirement. This is important not only for horses that are used in riding or driving, but also for pregnant and lactating mares and for young, growing horses.

Table 1. Metabolizable energy (ME) and protein requirements (dCP) of horses.

Live weight, kg ¹⁾	450		550		600
	MJ/day	dCP, g/day	MJ/day	dCP, g/day	MJ/day	dCP, g/day
Sports (and working) horse ¹⁾
Maintenance	57.3	320	70.2	400	76.0	430
Light work	57.3-66.7	405	70.2-81.9	495	76.0-88.9	540
Moderate work	66,7-81,9	480	81.9-99.5	585	88.9-108.8	640
Heavy work	81.9-95.9	640	99.5-117	780	108.8-127.5	850
Pregnant mare, last 3 months of gestation ⁴⁾	65.5-71.3	450	80.5-87.5	550	87.4-95.0	600
Lactating mare, months 1– 3 ^1,2)	95.9	900	117.0	1100	127.5	1200
Weaned foal, 6 – 12 months ^1,3,4)	52.6	450	64.4	550	70.2	600
1 – 3 years old horse ³⁾
In training, 1.5 – 2.5 years	68.0-74.0	450	84.0-91.0	550	91.0-99.0	600
Not in training	57.3	410	70.2	500	76.0	545

¹⁾The additional energy requirement caused by the outside temperature: Weaned foal  + 1.4 %/degree below 0 ^oC, young horse + 1.4 %/degree below -11 ^oC, adult horse + 2.7 %/degree below -15 ^oC
²⁾ After this, the energy intake is reduced by approximately 15 % and protein intake by 30 % for the rest of the lactation.
³⁾ Based on mature weight
⁴⁾ Lysine 0.5-0.6 % in the ration or approximately 0.55 g/MJ

Mineral requirements for horses

Table 2. Calsium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg) requirements for horses, g/day.

Live weight, kg¹⁾	450			550			600
	Ca	P	Mg	Ca	P	Mg	Ca	P	Mg
Sports (and working) horse
Maintenance	18	13	7	22	16	8	24	17	9
Light work	27	16	9	33	20	10	36	22	12
Moderate work	32	19	10	38	23	13	42	25	14
Heavy work	36	26	13	44	32	17	48	35	18
Pregnant mare, last 3 months	32	24	10	40	29	12	43	32	13
Lactating mare, first 1 – 3 months	47	35	11	63	42	14	69	45	15
Weaned foal, 6 – 12 months¹⁾	28	18	5	31	22	5	34	24	7
1 – 3 year old¹⁾
Not in training	22	14	7	26	17	9	28	19	10
In training (1.5 – 2.5 years)	38	25	10	46	30	12	50	33	14

1)Based on mature weight

Micro mineral requirements of horses

Table 3. Iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zink (Zn) requirements for horses, mg/d (live weight 500 kg).

	Fe	Cu	Zn
Maintenance/Light work	500	60	500
Training or working	600	125	600
Pregnant mare, last 3 months	900	125	400
Lactating mare	900	125	500
Weaned foal, 7-12 months	490	75	315

Requirements of vitamins for horses

Table 4. Requirements of vitamins A, D and E for horses (live weight 500 kg)
	Vitamin A, IU/day	Vitamin D, IU/day	Vitamin E, mg/day
Maintenance or light work	30000–40000	3000–4000	400–450
Heavy training/work	40000–60000	3000–5000	1500–2500
Pregnant mare, last 3 months	30000-40000	6000-9000	800-960
Lactating mare	30000–36000	6000–9000	1000–1200
Weaned foal, 7-12 months	17000	5100	400–500

Feed dry matter intake of horses

Table 5. Feed dry matter intake of horses as percentage (%) of live weight
Lactating mare
– Beginning of lactation	2.0 – 3.0%
– End of lactation	1.5 – 2.5%
Pregnant mare	1.5 – 2.5%
Sports and hobby horse	1.5 – 2.5%
Foal and young horse
– weaned	2.5 – 3.0%
– 1 year old	3.0%
– 2 years old	2.5%

Example of dry matter intake calculation for sport and hobby horse, whose live weight is 500 kg:

Dry matter intake 1,5 % of live weight, kg/d = 500 × (1,5/100) = 7,5 kg DM/d
Dry matter intake 2,5 % of live weight, kg/d = 500 × (2,5/100) = 12,5 kg DM/d.

Condition scoring of horses

1. Poor

No or very thin fatty tissue. Ribs and spinous processes are clearly visible. Neck is very thin.

2. Thin

Ribs and spinous processes are still clearly visible. Slight fatty tissue covers the ribs. Neck is thin or moderately or obviously thin.

3. Moderately thin

Ribs are slightly visible. Backbone and spinous processes and are covered, back is level. Neck is obviously thin.

4. Good/Moderate

Ribs and spinous processes are covered and easily felt with hands. Back is level. Fat around tailhead is beginning to feel soft. Neck blends smoothly into body.

5. Moderately fleshy

Fat over ribs feel spongy. Fat on neck and withers and behind shoulders is beginning to be deposited. Fat around tailhead feels soft.

6. Fat

Individual ribs can be felt with pressure, or are difficult to feel. Area along withers is filled with fat. Noticeable thickening of neck. Fat deposited behind shoulders. Gutter along spine. Fat around tailhead is soft or very soft.

7. Extremely fat

Neck, withers area and shoulder are bulging fat. Neck is very thick and broad. Crest grossly enlarged and thickened. To feel the ribs is very difficult or not possible. The backbone is in a deep gutter. Fat around tailhead is bulging.