Feeding your horses with forage is essential for their health. However, you must know the right way to feed your favorite animals. When it comes to slow feeding, a horse should eat in small portions for an extended period. The digestive system of equines is designed for constant uptake, and regardless of the kind of food you are giving your equines, it is vital to ensure they are taking it in the right way. Using slow feeders for horses is a perfect way to ensure the animals are feeding in the right way. Here are ways that a horse will benefit from using the feeders.
The occurrence of stress that is associated with their feeding is common with these animals. As such, equines that go through this stress produce hormones called cortisol. When the hormone is produced in large amounts, it results in increased levels of insulin, making their bodies to store excess fat. This, in turn, leads to obesity. Utilizing this program for feeding is an appropriate way of avoiding your horse becoming obese.
Slow feeding helps in preventing ulcers. The constant intake of food causes the stomach to produce acid round-the-clock. This is because saliva production is activated from chewing, which, in turn, buffers the gastric acid produced. Hence, if food is always present in the stomach, it prevents splashing of the acids on the inside, reducing chances of ulcers.
The program promotes metabolism. Proper digestion and fermentation of food need ample time, and this is available with the free-choice mode of feeding. With optimal digestion, conditions that lead to colic cannot occur. This promotes the health of the equine. The ideal way of maintaining the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria is by ensuring that horses are constantly feeding.
Food is the main focus in equines. If the equines feed for a long time, it alleviates boredom, and the equine is unlikely to develop vices. A horse can sleep for not more than twenty minutes at a time. This means that it is awake most of the time. Without food around, it is more likely to develop bad behavior like stall kicking or cribbing due to boredom. Hence, this explains the importance of having these feeders.
Winds can disrupt the feeding patterns in a manner that the hay is blown away. Besides, uncontained grass can be trampled on until it can no longer be eaten. Since this causes plenty of wastage, use feeders to make sure that hay is not being wasted. Feeders contain the hay so that it is not blown by the wind or trampled on.
Equines are comfortable feeding in the open since they are naturally prey animals. They highly depend on sound and sight to detect their predators. If you lock them in their stall, they may feel insecure, and this will cause tension. The best way to help them feel safe is by using this program of feeding. You can put the nets in the compound so that they feed on a ground level.
Horses are violent when eating. You may realize that the less dominant equines are avoiding feeding from the same place with the dominant ones. In such a case, putting food in one source is not a good ideal. With slow feeders, you can allocate the hay in different places so that all the animals can eat peacefully. Additionally, you may separate the equines that require special diets and allow feed with the others later.
The occurrence of stress that is associated with their feeding is common with these animals. As such, equines that go through this stress produce hormones called cortisol. When the hormone is produced in large amounts, it results in increased levels of insulin, making their bodies to store excess fat. This, in turn, leads to obesity. Utilizing this program for feeding is an appropriate way of avoiding your horse becoming obese.
Slow feeding helps in preventing ulcers. The constant intake of food causes the stomach to produce acid round-the-clock. This is because saliva production is activated from chewing, which, in turn, buffers the gastric acid produced. Hence, if food is always present in the stomach, it prevents splashing of the acids on the inside, reducing chances of ulcers.
The program promotes metabolism. Proper digestion and fermentation of food need ample time, and this is available with the free-choice mode of feeding. With optimal digestion, conditions that lead to colic cannot occur. This promotes the health of the equine. The ideal way of maintaining the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria is by ensuring that horses are constantly feeding.
Food is the main focus in equines. If the equines feed for a long time, it alleviates boredom, and the equine is unlikely to develop vices. A horse can sleep for not more than twenty minutes at a time. This means that it is awake most of the time. Without food around, it is more likely to develop bad behavior like stall kicking or cribbing due to boredom. Hence, this explains the importance of having these feeders.
Winds can disrupt the feeding patterns in a manner that the hay is blown away. Besides, uncontained grass can be trampled on until it can no longer be eaten. Since this causes plenty of wastage, use feeders to make sure that hay is not being wasted. Feeders contain the hay so that it is not blown by the wind or trampled on.
Equines are comfortable feeding in the open since they are naturally prey animals. They highly depend on sound and sight to detect their predators. If you lock them in their stall, they may feel insecure, and this will cause tension. The best way to help them feel safe is by using this program of feeding. You can put the nets in the compound so that they feed on a ground level.
Horses are violent when eating. You may realize that the less dominant equines are avoiding feeding from the same place with the dominant ones. In such a case, putting food in one source is not a good ideal. With slow feeders, you can allocate the hay in different places so that all the animals can eat peacefully. Additionally, you may separate the equines that require special diets and allow feed with the others later.
About the Author:
Slow feeders for horses can easily be found on the Web. Spend a minute or two reading the FAQs here at http://www.hayburnersequine.com/faq.
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