Considering Complete Feeds for Horses: A Comprehensive Guide
Annie Emery, MS CRC CESMT CENA
Complete feeds can be a very practical choice for many horse owners. However, it’s important to use them correctly to avoid common mistakes. In this guide, I’ll discuss the benefits, potential challenges, and best practices for incorporating complete feeds into your horse’s diet, ensuring you’re well-informed on the topic. Complete feeds represent one of many classes of feeds available.
What is a Complete Feed?
Unlike traditional feeds, which are meant to be paired with hay or grass, complete feeds provide both the forage and concentrate components of a horse’s diet in a single product. These feeds are typically pelleted and high in fiber, often containing ingredients such as beet pulp, soybean hulls, or oat hulls. Nutrition experts suggest that a good complete feed should contain at least 25% crude fiber to support proper digestion and fulfill a horse’s dietary needs.
Why Consider Using a Complete Feed?
Complete feeds are particularly useful when there are issues with hay availability or quality. Common challenges include:
Drought: Poor growing conditions can lead to hay that’s overly mature and high in indigestible lignin, which can contribute to digestive problems like colic.
Excessive rain: Delayed hay cutting due to weather may result in nutrient-deficient forage, and flooding can introduce harmful debris into hay fields.
Rising costs: With increases in the prices of fertilizer and fuel, hay can become too expensive or difficult to source. Complete feeds can serve as a practical alternative in these cases.
While I don’t always recommend them as a first choice, complete feeds can be a valuable tool during tough times.
Benefits for Horses with Dental Issues
For horses with poor dental health, complete feeds can be especially beneficial. Aging horses or those with dental trauma often struggle to chew long-stem forage like hay, but complete feeds can provide them with the fiber, protein, and nutrients they need in an easier-to-digest form. Many complete feeds can be soaked to soften them further, reducing the risk of choking and adding hydration to your horse’s diet.
Cost-Effectiveness of Complete Feeds
Complete feeds can often be more cost-effective than traditional hay. Hay waste is common, whether due to trampling or weather damage, and purchasing hay in bulk can require extra equipment and storage. Bagged complete feeds, by contrast, are easy to store and typically lead to less waste, making them a convenient and economical option.
Best Practices for Feeding Complete Feeds
If you’re thinking about switching to complete feeds, it’s essential to plan carefully to ensure your horse remains healthy. Here are some key tips:
Choose the right feed: Not all products labeled "complete" truly meet the criteria. A complete feed should have enough fiber to replace hay entirely, so always check the fiber content and ingredients to ensure it meets your horse's needs.
Know when it’s appropriate: Complete feeds are particularly helpful for horses with dental issues, respiratory conditions irritated by hay dust, or those recovering from colic. They’re also an excellent alternative when hay is scarce or of poor quality.
Feed multiple meals a day: Horses are natural grazers and are used to eating small amounts throughout the day. When feeding complete feeds, aim to divide their intake into 3-4 smaller meals, with each portion no more than 5 pounds, to support their digestion. Allow about 4 hours between meals.
Keep them engaged: Horses need to chew to satisfy their natural behaviors. If they’re not receiving long-stem forage, consider providing toys, exercise, or other safe forage options to prevent boredom and destructive habits like wood chewing.
Follow feeding instructions: Every complete feed comes with specific guidelines based on your horse’s weight and activity level. Be sure to weigh the feed to ensure you’re providing the correct amount and always offer free-choice salt and plenty of clean, fresh water.
Conclusion: Complete Feeds as a Practical Solution
Complete feeds offer a balanced and flexible solution when hay is unavailable or when dental issues make chewing difficult for your horse. By carefully selecting the right feed and following feeding best practices, you can ensure your horse gets the nutrition they need even under challenging circumstances.
That said, I strongly believe that long-stem hay is always the best option whenever it’s available. There’s no substitute for hay when it comes to promoting proper digestion and overall health in horses. However, in situations where hay is not feasible, complete feeds provide a valuable alternative.
If you’re unsure whether complete feeds are right for your horse, or if you’re exploring other feed options, don’t hesitate to consult with a professional. There are many excellent feed choices out there, and together, we can create the best plan for your horse’s long-term well-being.
Take Home Message:
Complete feeds can be a higher cost per day to feed, but if you have a horse that can’t chew long stem hay they can be a real lifesaver!
Photo and article copyright of Annie Emery