SWE
Tips for calculating a feed ration
How to optimize your feed regimen
There are many aspects to consider when calculating a feeding regimen. Calculating a feeding regimen is not always black or white. Here are some tips to consider to get the right starting point.
Both in nature and in soils, as well as in the bodies of humans and animals, the pH value is extremely important. A good pH value and balanced minerals in the soil are the first basic factors needed for good yields when harvesting. The first point to keep in mind is what constitutes the majority of the horse's diet, pasture and forage. If you have the opportunity to influence this on your own land or in collaboration with a farmer, you have the best conditions for optimal forage and pasture.
Analyze your soils
SWEP is a laboratory that receives soil samples from all over the world; they can analyze arable land or pasture and paddocks. You send in soil samples and receive analysis results with the soil's values, what action should be taken, and how much lime and minerals should be added to balance the values. You also receive a specification of the expected result of the balancing. It may take a few years to restore soils, but it is worth the effort as it avoids a lot of weeds that thrive and crowd out the grass that horses should graze on, as well as good forage that contributes to not needing as much concentrate feed and supplements.
Soil mapping can also be done by Hushållningssällskapet (Sweden). You send in soil samples and a map and receive help with calculating how much lime and minerals need to be added. Keep in mind if you have EU support for the pasture, you must notify the County Administrative Board to perform a liming measure as it is classified as fertilization.
What does your horse drink?
It is important to know if you have good and serviceable water since there is much that can happen with a well. For example, sewage water or stormwater can flow in. If there are fields sprayed with chemicals and pesticides, there must be at least a 200 m protection zone to your well to avoid contaminating the water. Consider whether the horse drinks from any ditch or similar in the pasture since there may also be contaminants harmful to the horse's health. If the pasture is close to a major road where water flows from when it rains, one should also be vigilant so that the horse does not ingest too many contaminants from vehicles.
The basis of everything - forage analysis
If you want to calculate a feeding regimen, you should have a forage analysis even with the status of mineral content. The nutrition of the forage can vary greatly between fields, so the analysis taken on a small tuft of the whole batch gives an average value of the nutrient content. If you order a complete analysis with mineral values, it tells about an average how the soil is doing and also if lime and mineral measures need to be done, as well as what values you have in the feed. Important to look at is protein and sugar. The sugar level may be higher in grass that has a mineral imbalance, also what time of day the forage is harvested affects the value.
Feeding regimen calculation
When looking at a feeding regimen, we believe that it is most important to calculate energy - MJ values and protein according to your horse's needs and the work it is to perform. The need for supplements can be very individual, and one should also consider whether the supplements are based on synthetic or organically bound minerals (like Activ Mineral).
Check the status of the horse's mineral levels
Even if you have a correctly calculated feeding regimen on paper, we know nothing about how the horse works in digesting the nutrients we give them. To get a status on the horse's mineral levels and needs, a blood analysis can be done; it is not as expensive as it sounds and gives an overview of the levels. Another option is to send it to a manual analysis laboratory. Analysis is an exciting way to see the status of the horse since even if there are templates of what needs the horse has, it is interesting to see how the horse works in digesting the nutrients we give them. It's just like with us humans; someone can live on junk food and feel good while someone has to manage their diet perfectly to avoid diseases or obesity. We are all different just like the horses are different.
Ask your veterinarian to take a blood sample sent via Laboklin in Sweden to Germany for analysis, choose sample Mineral profile II. The laboratory emails the results to your veterinarian who sends you the result.
Feed with your eye and your gut feeling
Don't forget to let the results of what you feed speak. Look at your horse, does it have strong hooves, good stool, nice coat, good energy? The feeding regimen may need to be reassessed every week as the horse performs differently, eats different crops outside that affect or is affected by another temporary imbalance. For us at Minerals by Nordic, it is the result of the product you feed that is the most important.
Both in nature and in soils, as well as in the bodies of humans and animals, the pH value is extremely important. A good pH value and balanced minerals in the soil are the first basic factors needed for good yields when harvesting. The first point to keep in mind is what constitutes the majority of the horse's diet, pasture and forage. If you have the opportunity to influence this on your own land or in collaboration with a farmer, you have the best conditions for optimal forage and pasture.
Analyze your soils
SWEP is a laboratory that receives soil samples from all over the world; they can analyze arable land or pasture and paddocks. You send in soil samples and receive analysis results with the soil's values, what action should be taken, and how much lime and minerals should be added to balance the values. You also receive a specification of the expected result of the balancing. It may take a few years to restore soils, but it is worth the effort as it avoids a lot of weeds that thrive and crowd out the grass that horses should graze on, as well as good forage that contributes to not needing as much concentrate feed and supplements.
Soil mapping can also be done by Hushållningssällskapet (Sweden). You send in soil samples and a map and receive help with calculating how much lime and minerals need to be added. Keep in mind if you have EU support for the pasture, you must notify the County Administrative Board to perform a liming measure as it is classified as fertilization.
What does your horse drink?
It is important to know if you have good and serviceable water since there is much that can happen with a well. For example, sewage water or stormwater can flow in. If there are fields sprayed with chemicals and pesticides, there must be at least a 200 m protection zone to your well to avoid contaminating the water. Consider whether the horse drinks from any ditch or similar in the pasture since there may also be contaminants harmful to the horse's health. If the pasture is close to a major road where water flows from when it rains, one should also be vigilant so that the horse does not ingest too many contaminants from vehicles.
The basis of everything - forage analysis
If you want to calculate a feeding regimen, you should have a forage analysis even with the status of mineral content. The nutrition of the forage can vary greatly between fields, so the analysis taken on a small tuft of the whole batch gives an average value of the nutrient content. If you order a complete analysis with mineral values, it tells about an average how the soil is doing and also if lime and mineral measures need to be done, as well as what values you have in the feed. Important to look at is protein and sugar. The sugar level may be higher in grass that has a mineral imbalance, also what time of day the forage is harvested affects the value.
Feeding regimen calculation
When looking at a feeding regimen, we believe that it is most important to calculate energy - MJ values and protein according to your horse's needs and the work it is to perform. The need for supplements can be very individual, and one should also consider whether the supplements are based on synthetic or organically bound minerals (like Activ Mineral).
Check the status of the horse's mineral levels
Even if you have a correctly calculated feeding regimen on paper, we know nothing about how the horse works in digesting the nutrients we give them. To get a status on the horse's mineral levels and needs, a blood analysis can be done; it is not as expensive as it sounds and gives an overview of the levels. Another option is to send it to a manual analysis laboratory. Analysis is an exciting way to see the status of the horse since even if there are templates of what needs the horse has, it is interesting to see how the horse works in digesting the nutrients we give them. It's just like with us humans; someone can live on junk food and feel good while someone has to manage their diet perfectly to avoid diseases or obesity. We are all different just like the horses are different.
Ask your veterinarian to take a blood sample sent via Laboklin in Sweden to Germany for analysis, choose sample Mineral profile II. The laboratory emails the results to your veterinarian who sends you the result.
Feed with your eye and your gut feeling
Don't forget to let the results of what you feed speak. Look at your horse, does it have strong hooves, good stool, nice coat, good energy? The feeding regimen may need to be reassessed every week as the horse performs differently, eats different crops outside that affect or is affected by another temporary imbalance. For us at Minerals by Nordic, it is the result of the product you feed that is the most important.
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