Question

I own an 18-year-old Thoroughbred broodmare (15.2 hands; 1,200 lb or 545 kg) due to foal in two months. She’s in moderately fleshy body condition. She spends about seven hours on pasture now but will get more as daylight hours increase. Her current ration includes about 20 lb (9 kg) of grass hay (some left uneaten), 7 lb (3.2 kg) of an all-purpose concentrate, and 1 lb (0.45 kg) of beet pulp. Recent bloodwork came back with low protein. Can you evaluate her diet?

Answer

The current diet is providing appropriate nutrition for late pregnancy. Kentucky Equine Research’s nutrition software estimated that 16 lb (7.3 kg) of hay is needed to meet her energy needs when feeding 7 lb (3.2 kg) of the concentrate and 1 lb (0.45 kg) of beet pulp.

You may want to consider supplementing with 1-2 flakes of high-quality alfalfa hay depending on the type and quality of the grass hay. Feeding good-quality legume hay often increases forage intake, as horses find it palatable. Alfalfa is a great source of protein, minerals, and vitamins for pregnant and lactating mares. Alfalfa cubes or pellets offer the same nutritional value but less bulk compared to long-stem hay and may be advantageous if appetite wanes closer to foaling.

Kentucky Equine Research offers a high-quality fish oil product, EO-3, that provides the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve colostrum quality and enhance passive transfer. The anti-inflammatory properties can be beneficial to older horses, too.