Processing Grain for Horse Feeds

The reason for processing or conditioning cereal grains for horses is to improve nutrient availability. Of particular importance is the availability of energy because grain is fed primarily to supply energy. Therefore, should grain be processed for horses?

Dr. Bob Coleman, past president of the Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society and a faculty member at the University of Kentucky, offered the following thoughts in a presentation at a Kentucky Equine Research conference on equine nutrition:

1) The processing of oats has little effect on nutrient availability and is not recommended from a nutritional point of view.

2) Dry rolling barley did not improve energy or dry matter digestibility in mature horses but did improve daily gain in yearlings (Coleman, unpublished data.) Use of a heat process such as steam flaking may improve barley even further and would be justified, particularly if the feed is used for young horses.

3) Grinding or heat processing of corn significantly increases the availability of the starch fraction and should be considered. Processing corn by just cracking it does not improve nutrient availability enough to justify the additional cost.

4) Feeds for young horses under one year of age should include processed grain. If the feed is a creep feed, a pelleted product would be the best. Processing of grain for older horses with dental problems is recommended.