Protein in the equine diet

The most important nutrient of all is protein. Every cell in the body is made from protein. Horses’ requirement for protein varies depending on their age, reproductive status, age, work and condition.

Mature horses with no additional requirements need around 8-10% protein in their diet overall. This is usually not a problem, as much hay comes in at around that figure, but late made hay and late harvested forages can be considerably below that. Long soaking of hay also can result in very low protein, one of the reasons we recommend soaking for no more than an hour. If horses are on a diet too low in protein, such as on a low calorie, but also low protein, diet to lose weight, their health will be compromised. If the diet is not delivering the necessary protein, then the horse will have to draw on its own reserves, mainly its muscles. The visual effect of this is that when a fat horse loses its fat, it looks very lean and out of sorts because not only has the fat gone, but muscle bulk has also been lost. To ensure those 'dieting' horses can meet their protein requirements you can look to our popular combination of Lucie Fibre Cubes, Organic Lucie Stalks and MetaSlim. 

Growth demands extra protein and also extra calcium for bone development. Young horses may need 12 – 16% protein in their diet. Mares feeding a foal will also need extra protein. Mature horses needing to build muscle will also need extra protein in their diet. Lucie Nuts are often an ideal choice with a specification range of 14-20% protein and calcium to support muscles and bones. Red Bag Grass Pellets and Sainfoin Pellets are also useful for adding protein.

It’s not just the horse that needs protein. The gut microbes need it, too. Fortunately, the protein in forage, unlike that in cereal grains, is not all digested in the small intestine. Around half remains into the large intestine, supporting and nourishing the amazing gut microbiome.

We should not shy away from protein. The protein levels in feed should always displayed somewhere on the bag, sometimes abbreviated to CP for Crude Protein.

If you need any help with your horse’s diet, the Feed Line nutrition team at Simple System is always happy to make appropriate suggestions. Contact the Feed Line on 01728 604 008 or complete our online form.