Compound Foods

Traditional methods for feeding horses with straight feeds i.e. oats, barley and bran have fallen by the wayside due to the introduction of compound feeds.

Compound feeds are scientifically formulated to create a complete and balanced diet and presented in different forms as cubes or course mixes. Compound foods generally contain added materials and vitamins – known as supplement – however it is not always possible to find out exactly which raw constituents are present in a compound mix. These ingredients are often altered according to availability and cost.

Cube compounds are made from selected foods, which are ground up, steamed and pelleted. They can contain any variety of mixes in order to make them the required protein, oil, fibre and ash levels. Course mixes can be anything from plain cereal to high protein mixes containing soya-bean meal, peas and beans. The contents may be rolled, flaked or micronised. Molasses or corn syrup is usually added to make these mixes more pleasurable.

Compound foods can include:

v  A complete mix, usually in cube form, which is said to need no hay added to the diet.

v  A cube mixture from concentrates and supplements which need to be fed with hay. These usually start with about 10% protein sometimes called ‘Horse and Pony Cubes’ or ‘Country Cubes’ – and work up through 14% protein for competition horses, 15% protein for broodmares to 18% protein for foals.

v  A concentrate mixture such as course mix, to be fed with hay.

v  A combination of two or three foodstuffs such as lucerne and barley, to be fed with hay,

v  A fibre mixture as an alternative to bran, chaff or sugar beet, to be mixed with other foods.

v  A balancer to be fed with oats or other cereals.

Compound foods for competition horses, like any athlete, must be free from any prohibited substances. There are some foods such as ‘Racehorse’ and ‘event’ cubes which are regularly tested and made under rigidly supervised conditions. Reputable manufacturers realise the importance of these tests and are insured against claims. The onus remains with the horse’s owner/trainer, however.

While selecting a compound food, always check the details on the bag. If a horse is receiving only the compound food as well as hay, then there should be no need for supplements. However, if part of the concentrate ration is straight food, it may be necessary to work out if any supplement is needed to balance the ration. Some vitamins, such as vitamin E, lose their potency over time, so if one is included in the compound mix, it is important to check the manufacturer’s use-by date.

Compound foods are a cost effective means to get your horse the correct balance of nutrition, as the measured amounts of the necessary ingredients insure your horse is absorbing everything it needs. The other advantage of the compound foods is that, thanks to the pre-measured amounts, you can quickly feed yards of horses.