Types of horse pastures and its importance

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The feeding of the animals must be balanced and with the nutritional requirements specific to the animal. In the case of horses, nutritional needs usually vary depending on the age, size, weight, gestation and activity that the horse performs. In this delivery we will address the different types of horse pastures and other cattle such as cattle, cattle and goats.

To do this it is vital to know the different types of horse pastures that exist to feed them

In farms or farms where they are dedicated to exploiting the production of horses, they basically take care of the reproduction and growth of horses.

This family of mammals belongs to the species Equus ferus caballus (horse).

It should be noted that, in addition to the feeding of horses, we must have good control of vaccines. Likewise, good hygiene is very important in the spaces where these animals make life.

The welfare of horses should be the north of those who have the privilege of having these wonderful animals.

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Importance of horse feeding

The quality of the pastures supplied to the horses must be of good quality and meet the specific requirements of the animal.

It should be noted that a healthy horse is a well-fed and cared for horse in every way. Hence the relevance of a balanced feeding of horses. The diet should be balanced with respect to the amount of physical activity the horse has.

These animals are herbivores. Ideally, the horses are well fed and cared for the activities they have to do. Well, if they’re competitive horses, you probably have to be more careful.

The types of horse pastures are key to their diet as this affects the number of calories. fiber and nutrients that it consumes.

Types of pasture in general

Cattle pasture types are the many plant species that cover large areas of vegetation. They are generally used as feed and feed.

That is, grass are all leaves and stems of plants mainly from grasses. Human consumption and the remains of these plants are destined for animal grazing as their initial destination.

Pasture and fodder concepts

Here are some essential concepts of pastures and fodder. These foods are essential in the breeding of cattle, cattle, horses and others.

Grass: they are grassy and legume plants that develop in the paddock and serve for the feeding of livestock.
Pasture: are forage biomass where it grazes livestock, can be natural or established in paddocks with different types of low-body pastures.
Fodder: are grasses or legumes harvested to be supplied as food to animals, whether green, dry or processed

Categorization of horse pasture types

As for the categorization of horse pastures, these will depend on climatic elements, and the physical form of the plant.

It is also of the utmost importance that these horse pastures have the necessary properties to promote the healthy feeding and sustenment of equines.

Taking into account the variety or species to which they belong, either as a product intended for grass or other varieties cultivated for grass.

Bermuda Grass (Cynodon Dactylon)

This type of grass is regularly handled as grass as it has various nutrients. Also its requirement in terms of fertilizers is very low.

In dairy cattle their yield is usually very high. It’s very useful throughout the year. Indeed this can be converted into hay for winter, thus taking advantage of it in the best way.

This is how bermuda grazing is substantial in the usual grazing of livestock.

Festuca (Festuca Arundinacea)

It is an ideal pasture for grazing especially during the autumn and winter season.

This grass recommends not to use it as a main species as its yield may be diminished.

The festuca performs its function better by being part of a varied forage system. In this way it helps livestock to overcome winter quietly

This type of grass is recommended to use it together with other pastures.

Reed canary grass (Phalaris Arundinacea):

Reed canary grass is easy to find especially in swampy areas. As it grows easily and very quickly, perhaps it is due to soil moisture.

Like other fodder, it grows very tall and sometimes has discomfort to eat it. Likewise, it usually takes on a bitter taste and this is not interesting for livestock.

Types of horse pastures

However, optimal types of grass for horses have been shown not to be perennial pastures. Perennial pasture types are ideal for grazing activities and do not need to be renovated.

For horses on the contrary, the use of annual pastures is recommended, which must be replanted year after year. This is more laborious, however these pastures deliver the best nutrient quality.

A study by the University of Minnesota assessed the nutritional attributes of the different pastures. The result indicated that some of the best horse pastures are:

Teff: Teff is a fiber-rich food and an important source of protein, manganese, iron and calcium. Teff is rich in dietary fiber that can benefit blood sugar management, weight management and improving colon health. Lately it is considered a supercereal and is being included in the human diet.
Sudangrass: The Sudan grass is set in warm climate and low humidity, with annual average rainfall between 500 and 900 mm. It does not adapt to tropical climate, it is sensitive to frost. Nitrogen concentration can reach more than 3%. Tender leaves can reach 75% digestible dry matter and the oldest 50 to 60% digestible
Sorghum x Sudangrass: The Sorghum Sudangrass is a species of the genus Sorghum in the grass family. It is also commonly called only Sorghum although it is actually a hybrid of the previous one.
Japanese millet (sculpted Echinochloa): It is grown in areas where the soil is not suitable or the climate is too cold for growing shelled rice. It has an irregular grain and is smaller than the rest of millet. Has high levels of iron and magnesium
Siberian millet: Similar in all its characteristics to Japanese millet and some confuse them

Other Types of Livestock Grass

The variety is very great when it comes to pasture types. These will depend on a number of climatic and soil elements for cultivation:

Among the different types of pastures we can mention the following:

King grass: King Grass is a hybrid between Pennisetum purpureum Schum and P. typhoides.
Paspalum vaginatum: It is a herbaceous and perennial species in the family poaceae. It is from South America and cultivated in various parts of the planet
Buchloe dactyloides: It is a monotypic genus of herbaceous plants in the family Poaceae. This one’s from North America.
Buffalo grass: Grass with very fine leaves, which withstand warm climates very well. These plants are often drought-resistant.

In addition we also have the Pennisetum clandestinum, Agrostis stolonifera, Agrostis tenuis, Lolium perennial, Alfalfa and Clover among others.

Any pasture is not of the types of horse pastures

We can see that there is a wide range of pastures to provide adequate feeding to horses.

It should be noted that each animal has specific nutritional requirements. Therefore the owner of the animal must follow the indications given by the veterinary doctor regarding the feeding of the equine.

On the other hand, a good diet must be accompanied by compliance with the vaccine scheme. Also excellent biosecurity conditions in the stable.