The importance of fibre

Article from RD1's 'Straight from the Horse's Mouth', February 2011.

Horses and ponies should be fed an absolute minimum of 1% of their bodyweight in dry matter fibre per day, and ideally between 1.5-3%.

Why is fibre so important?

1. Fibre is a major source of energy.
2. Fibre keeps the hindgut healthy. The horse’s gastrointestinal tract is an enormous organ and it needs to be kept full. This prevents it from physically collapsing on itself or twisting up in a severe case of colic. A healthy hindgut is dependent on keeping the bacterial populations healthy and to do so, they require plenty of forage for fermentation.
3. Fibre provides hydration. Fibre soaks up and holds water in the horse’s gut, which then acts as a water and electrolyte reserve for when horses need it.
4. Vitamin supply. The bacteria in the hindgut produce vitamins which may be absorbed by the horse.

What happens if a horse doesn’t get enough fibre?

1. Colic – too little fibre, dehydration and fermentation of grains in the hindgut may lead to a serious case of colic.
2. Diarrhoea – low fibre diets very often result in loose sloppy manure, which in-turn affects the whole dynamic of how the gut works. Horses with diarrhoea digest what fibre they do get less efficiently and they are prone to problems with dehydration and electrolyte deficiency.
3. Dehydration – horses on a low fibre diet don’t have a readily available water reserve in their gut.
4. Weight loss – horses fed insufficient fibre are also most likely not being fed enough energy (calories) so they may lose weight or having difficulty gaining weight.
5. Boredom – horses on low fibre diets will often have a lot of spare time to fill in during the day that would normally be spent eating. This will often lead to problems like cribbing, weaving and chewing on strange objects or eating dirt.
6. Constant hunger – fibre is the part of the diet that provides the ‘gut fill’. A diet low in fibre will leave a horse always feeling hungry, which causes its own set of problems including behavioural issues.
7. Sand colic – when horses are fed low fibre diets it increases the chances that sand and dirt will accumulate in their hindgut and cause colic or severe diarrhoea.
8. Vitamin deficiency – lack of fibre can disturb the bacterial populations in the hindgut which in turn leads to reduced production of vitamins.
9. Ulcers – fibre encourages the horse to chew, which produces saliva. The alkaline saliva then buffers the stomach acid, which helps naturally reduce the incidence of gastric ulcers.

Annandale’s fibre feed range

The Annandale product range is an excellent way of meeting horse’s fibre and nutritional requirements with a product for every situation and that contains no additives or molasses. Annandale’s chaffs have been carefully harvested and then processed using a dry steam technology which increases the digestibility and nutritional value of the range. Annandale Lucerne forage is a moist, succulent fibre feed uniquely packed in slices making it convenient and easy to use. Analysis is carried out regularly to ensure quality and nutritional value.

For more information about Annandale feeds, visit www.annandale.co.nz [external site] or talk to the team at your local RD1 store.

Some products may not be available in all stores but can be ordered on request.
Disclaimer: Any views and comments expressed in this article are not necessarily the opinions of RD1 Limited nor associated agencies. This content is copyright of RD1 Limited.