used to make feeds such as soybean meal and hulls, rice bran, and beet pulp. For concentrates, processing enables the manufacturer to make consistent products. In turn, the products become safer, easier to chew, and more appetising for the horse. Processed forages such as hay cubes or pellets can make the most efficient use of limited storage space, fill in when a hay crop has failed, make it easier to carry feed when travelling, guarantee a consistent intake of nutrients, simplify ration balancing, and help horses with problems such as poor teeth or respiratory tract disorders.
Grain and forage processing Grains are processed to increase digestibility. Crushing, cracking and grinding, particularly of corn and lupins, are performed to reduce the particle size. Other effective processing methods are crimping, flaking, and the rolling of oats and barley. These techniques open the outer coat of the grain to aid chewing. Adding heat to
NUTRITION
these processes to produce steamrolled, steam-flaked, and micronised
Processed feeds, what’s the story?
grains improves starch digestibility. Sun curing or quick drying hays and beet pulp reduces the moisture content of roughages so they will not mould. Chopping forages to shorten fibre length, and, although not common in Australia, ensiling or anaerobic fermentation of forage to preserve its
Processed is a word that some horse owners shy away from. DR CLARISSA BROWN-DOUGLAS explains why processed feeds should not be a cause for concern.
F
nutrients, are all forms of processing.
Feed processing Feed processing is least complex when grains are mixed and coated with oil and molasses to create a sweet feed. More elaborate processing changes the entire form of a mixture of feed ingredients,
eed proceeding methods have
human nutrition, horse feeds are a far
as with pelleting or extruding, in
been researched and developed
cry from our sugar-laden snacks!
which ingredients are ground to
to help horses, not harm
Purpose of processing
improve digestion rate, and decrease
them. Even the practice of baling and
The goal of processing horse feeds is
segregation and mixing problems.
preserving hay is a form of processing.
to make the feed better for either the
Pelleting
So, what’s going on? While super-
horse or owner. Processing improves
Pelleted feeds have become
processed food has a bad reputation in
digestibility, extends its shelf life, or is
commonplace. They provide the same
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