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The Cost of Nutrition

The Cost of Nutrition. Exploring Options for Breeders. Catherine Rudenko BSc Equine Science Connolly’s RED MILLS. The facts. Breeding is an area in which nutrition has a key role Creating a balanced diet is essential for correct development and soundness. Cost : Performance.

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The Cost of Nutrition

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  1. The Cost of Nutrition • Exploring Options for Breeders Catherine Rudenko BSc Equine Science Connolly’s RED MILLS

  2. The facts.. • Breeding is an area in which nutrition has a key role • Creating a balanced diet is essential for correct development and soundness

  3. Cost : Performance • What can be done to minimise cost without compromising performance ?

  4. Topics for today • Feeding accurately by stage of development - focus on the mare • Understanding key elements of a diet • Complete feeds vs balancers + straights

  5. Accurate feeding • Stages of pregnancy • 0-6 months, 7 & 8 months, 9-11 months

  6. The balancing act • The essential elements to the diet which are not naturally provided in most forage or grains are Vitamins and Minerals

  7. Vit / Min roles... • Vitamin A • Important for fertility • For Osteoclast function ( bone making cells ) • Lack of Vit A causes growth retardation in first 12 months

  8. Vit / Min roles... • Zinc • Part of the enzyme which helps calcify (harden) cartilage in joints

  9. Vit / Min roles... • Manganese • Part of chondroitin 4 sulphate and chondroitin 6 sulphate • Chondroitin is a major component of cartilage

  10. Vit / Min roles... • Iodine • Involved in thyroid function and production of T4 (thyroxine) • T4 regulates metabolic growth rates

  11. Vit / Min roles... • Copper • Needed for lysol-oxidase function • The enzyme that provides ‘cross-links’ in bone structure

  12. MAINTENANCE DE : 63 mj Protein : 540 g Calcium : 20 g Phosphorus : 14 g Copper : 100 mg Vitamin A : 15000 iu Vitamin D : 3300 iu Vitamin E : 500 iu 6 MONTHS PREGNANCY DE : 72 MJ Protein : 704 g Calcium : 20 g Phosphorus : 14g Copper : 100 mg Vitamin A : 30000 iu Vitamin D :3300 iu Vitamin E : 800 iu 0-6 months (500kg mare)

  13. DE and Protein • DE increases by 9 MJ • 1kg stud cubes provides 11.5 MJ • Protein increases by 164 g • 1.2 kg stud cubes provides 168 g protein • Natural changes in pasture sugar (MJ) and protein levels will also meet the gap from resting to early pregnancy

  14. Vits and Mins • Not fully catered for by pasture or forages ! • Vitamin E is found in high levels of fresh pasture ( 25-90 iu/kg DM), this decreases when drying

  15. Vitamin E • Horse on pasture will consume approx 8kg DM, providing up to 720 iu Vitamin E • Requirement after pasture : 80 iu • Ikg stud cubes provides 100 iu

  16. Vitamin D, A & Copper • VD 3300 iu required • 1.75 kg stud cubes provides 3500 • VA 30000 iu required • 2 kg stud cubes provides 30000 • Cu 100 mg required • 2.5 kg stud cubes provides 100 mg

  17. Calcium & Phosphorus • Ca 20 g required • 2 kg stud cubes provides 20 g • Phosphorus 14 g required • 2.4 kg stud cubes provides 14.4 g

  18. Cost of this diet ? • 2.5 kg stud cubes costs €1.10

  19. Alternatives ? • Balancers + forage • Balancers + straight • Balancers are more flexible and often more economic

  20. Balancers • Balancers ensure you have covered all the essentials of vitamins, minerals, amino acids • They do not contribute as much in the way of MJ ( calories ) or protein

  21. Balancers • For meeting the MJ requirements you are then reliant on your pasture or straights

  22. Gro-Care Balancer • VD 3300 iu required • 330 g Gro-C provides 3300 iu • VA 30000 iu required • 500 g Gro-C provides 30000 • Cu 100 mg required • 600 g Gro-C provides 108 mg Text

  23. Gro-Care Balancer • Ca 20 g required • 600 g Gro-C provides 19.2 g • Phosphorus 14 g required • 600 g Gro-C provides 9.6 g* • * phosphorus gap is met by pasture

  24. Gro-Care Balancer • Vit E req 800 iu • 550 grams provides 825 iu

  25. Cost of this diet ? • 600 grams Gro Care costs €0.61

  26. Balancers vs Cubes • If your pasture quality is high and the mare will hold body condition then balancers are a more economic option and all essentials are met

  27. Another benefit • Gro-Care fed at 600 g provides 825 iu of Vit E • So ensuring full Vit E levels are met even if pasture is poorer of if relying on dried forages

  28. Cubes benefits • Provide all essentials plus proteins and calories • For mares covered in February until spring grazing is available cubes are a better option

  29. Savings ? • Stud Cubes €1.10 per day • Gro-Care €0.61 per day • Over a 6 month period Stud Cubes costs € 198 vs Gro-Care cost of € 109

  30. 6 months + • At 7 and 8 months requirements increase slightly from the 6th month

  31. 8 MONTHS PREGNANCY DE : 77 mj Protein : 759 g Calcium : 28 g Phosphorus : 20 g Copper : 100 mg Vitamin A : 30000 iu Vitamin D : 3300 iu Vitamin E : 800 iu 7-8 months • 6 MONTHS PREGNANCY • DE : 72 MJ • Protein : 704 g • Calcium : 20 g • Phosphorus : 14 g • Copper : 100 mg • Vitamin A : 30000 iu • Vitamin D :3300 iu • Vitamin E : 800 iu

  32. 7-8 months • At this stage the only increases are in protein, energy, calcium and phosphorus • Increasing stud cubes to 3.3 kg meets the gap • Increasing gro-care to 900 g meets the gap

  33. Pasture • At 7-8 months the pasture quality will be lowering so additional calories may be needed if using a balancer

  34. Straights for energy • 3.3 kg stud cubes provides 37.9 mj • 900 g gro-care provides 10 mj • To make diets ‘equal’ in energy a further 27 mj would be needed

  35. Energy values per kg • Oats whole 10 mj • Flaked oats 11 mj • Barley flaked 13 mj • Wheat flaked 14 mj • Beet pulp 10 mj - as fed 2.5 mj

  36. Cost of diets • 3.3 kg stud cubes costs € 1.45 • 900 g gro-care costs € 0.92 • 2 month period costs, stud cubes €87.00, gro-care €55.20

  37. 9-11 months • 8 MONTHS PREGNANCY • DE : 77 mj • Protein : 759 g • Calcium : 28 g • Phosphorus : 20 g • Copper : 100 mg • Vitamin A : 30000 iu • Vitamin D : 3300 iu • Vitamin E : 800 iu • 11 MONTHS PREGNANCY • DE : 89 mj • Protein : 893 g • Calcium : 36 g • Phosphorus : 26.3 g • Copper : 125 mg • Vitamin A : 30000 iu • Vitamin D : 3300 iu • Vitamin E : 800 iu

  38. 9-11 months • This period is the most significant increase as the fetus builds body mass and finishing touches to digestive, respiratory and nervous systems take place • Increased rate of nutrient transfer across the placenta 16,000 ml/min to 32,000 ml/min

  39. 9-11 months • Increasing stud cubes to 4.5 kg meets the gap • Increasing gro-care to 1.5 kg meets the gap*

  40. Cost of diets • 4.5 kg stud cubes costs € 1.98 • 1.5 kg gro-care balancer costs € 1.53 * • Over 3 month period stud cubes €178.20, gro-care €137.70

  41. *note - this is using the balancer to meet protein gap, if straights are fed then the balancer can be left at 900g • Cost of €0.92 per day, or €82.80 for the 3 months vs stud cubes at €178.20

  42. Balancers are good for vit/min intake but are expensive when used as the sole protein source. • Use quality forages / straights to provide protein at this time of year.

  43. Balancers 9-11 months • At this time of year (Nov,Dec,Jan) cold weather will increase energy requirements and balancers will need to be fed with straight to increase calorie intake • Amounts required will also depend on forage quality and intake

  44. Intake • In the last 4-5 weeks the mares digestive capacity will naturally decrease by up to 20% • Ensure meals are small especially evening feeds as this helps reduce likelihood of colics after foaling • Supplement with a balancer if needed

  45. Quality of Forage • If your forage quality is lower and your mare is eating less than 6 kg stud cubes a day it is advisable to add in 200 grams of balancer to boost vitamin E intake

  46. Quality of grains • If feeding straights feed good clean grains • Beware of rolled grains sprouting or moulding • Cooked grains eg flaked offer better digestion and increased nutrient uptake so can be fed in lower volumes than whole or rolled grains

  47. Maximising digestion • Feed forage first - better for stomach health and slows rate of passage, allowing more nutrient uptake • Feed several small meals to avoid overloading the system and causing bacterial imbalances of the hind-gut • Do not suddenly change the diet

  48. Summary • Ensure diet is balanced for vits / mins • Make the most of your pasture • Quality forage will reduce costs • Only use good clean straights • Do the maths ! Cost your straights + balancers vs complete diets

  49. Questions ? Catherine Rudenko E : crudenko@redmills.ie T : 059 9775800

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