Forages For Horses: More Than Just Filler

Pagan, J.D. 1998. Forages for horses: More than just filler. In: J.D. Pagan (Ed.) Advances in Equine Nutrition. pp. 13-28. Nottingham University Press. Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Horses have evolved over millions of years as grazers, with specialized digestive tracts to digest and utilize diets containing high levels of plant fiber. They are capable of processing large quantities of forage to meet their nutrient demands. In an attempt to maximize growth and or productivity, horses are often fed diets which also contain high levels of grains and supplements. Unfortunately, this type of grain supplementation often overshadows the significant contribution that forages make in satisfying the horse’s nutrient demands.

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