Welfare of Equids: Guidance

Feeding and nutrition

Forage-based diet

Equids are herbivores that have evolved to forage (browse and graze) for the majority of the day, moving around constantly while grazing or searching for browse. They are naturally trickle feeders and their digestive system is best adapted to having an almost continuous intake of small amounts of fibrous food passing through. Forage includes grass, hay, haylage, safe browse and straw.

To try and mimic natural feeding behaviours and maintain a positive mental state, equids should have constant access to appropriate quality forages and be able to browse for a minimum of 14 hours a day. Extended fasting periods of longer than 3 - 4 hours should be avoided. Extended fasting periods can contribute to digestive diseases and a poor mental state. Ensuring regular forage intake supports gut health and satisfies their natural foraging behaviour.

Equids should have variety in their diet and the ability to make choices. This can be achieved by giving equids access to different types of forage, such as hay, haylage and straw, to choose from, by providing their daily forage in different locations and spreading it out in small piles, or using different types of hay nets and feeders. This has the additional advantage of mimicking their natural grazing pattern. Further variety can be included by providing safe access to hedgerows in their field or providing branches and/or novel fruit and vegetables of varying tastes and textures in the stable. Donkeys are more suited to a “higher fibre” diet, predominantly consisting of straw or straw based chops with supplementary hay, haylage and grazing as body-condition and needs dictate.

Good practice:

• Equids must be fed an appropriate and adequate diet that maintains good physical and mental health.
• Equids should have access to forage for the majority of the 24 hour day (minimum 14 hours per 24 hour period).
• Owners and keepers should avoid allowing equids in their care to go for prolonged periods without access to forage (never more than 4 hours).
• Donkeys should be fed high fibre, low sugar/starch forages (such as straw for donkeys with good dentition) and should ideally be fed on a continuous access basis.
• Equids should not be fed grass cuttings which can be fatal and often contains plant species which are not suitable/poisonous.
• Equids should have their feeding management adapted based on individual requirements (age, weight, breed, health, workload).
• Equids should have any new forages or feeds introduced gradually over a period of at least two weeks to allow the microbes in the gut time to adjust.
• Owners and keepers should manage their equid’s seasonal weight fluctuations carefully, with feeding adjusted to account for pasture availability and environmental conditions.
• Owners and keepers should monitor their equid’s behaviour to ensure they are engaging in foraging behaviours.
• Equids should be managed within a healthy weight range and body condition score (fat score) through adjustment of diet and exercise. Links to relevant information:

How to Body Condition Score - Horses and Ponies.

How to Body Condition Score - Donkeys.

• If equids rely solely on pasture, nutrient intake should be monitored, with restrictions, alternatives and supplementary feeding required at different times of the year depending on the equid’s health and weight.
• Conserved forage should be of good quality with haylage bales remaining airtight until feeding to prevent spoilage.
• Owners and keepers should consider group dynamics to ensure all equids have adequate and safe access to forage.
• Owners and keepers should maintain a minimum of two equid body lengths between feeding points when feeding equids in groups to reduce competition-related injuries.
• Owners and keepers should provide one feeding point per equid, plus a minimum of one additional feeding point to prevent resource guarding.
• Owners and keepers should keep feeding stations at a suitable distance from other resources such as water and resting/shelter areas so that equids are not prevented from accessing these other resources.

Enhanced management measures:

• Where possible, equids should have access to ad libitum forage when they are not being actively ridden/trained to promote mental wellbeing and digestive health. This should be of various forage types and of appropriate quality to maintain a healthy weight.
• Grazing should consist of species diverse pasture where possible.
• Equids should have opportunities for browsing, by placing forage in places where it mimics browsing behaviour or provided by natural browse.
• Owners and keepers should consider ways to slow down consumption and mimic natural foraging. Ways to enrich the foraging experience include offering equids different sources of forage at different heights and/or within different types of suitable equipment (e.g. small-holed hay-nets, forage boxes, loose on the ground), with the majority of forage being provided at ground level. However, care should be taken not to induce frustration.
• Owners and keepers should facilitate foraging to take place in a group setting where possible, allowing for social interactions between equids, natural movement and grazing behaviours.
• Owners and keepers should use food reward toys cautiously, as they can cause frustration in some equids or create conflict in group housing.

Watering

On average an equid will typically drink around 15 – 40 litres of water per day. This rate may vary depending on several factors, such as size, diet, weather, exercise, lactation and health status. Providing water in a way that supports equids’ social and behavioural needs, for example, opportunities to drink simultaneously within compatible social groups, or the use of troughs that allow for natural drinking postures and social interaction, can contribute to both positive welfare and the expression of normal behaviours.

Good practice:

• Equids should have regular access to safe, palatable and clean water in quantities to maintain health and hydration.
• Owners and keepers should take extra precautions during extreme weather conditions to ensure sufficient water availability.
• Equids should have constant and unrestricted access to water when at rest.
• Owners and keepers should not withhold access to water at any time.
• Owners and keepers should provide water in a way that supports equids’ social and behavioural needs.
• Owners and keepers should provide a continuous water supply that allow equids to drink freely via natural water sources, automatic drinkers, troughs or buckets.
• Owners and keepers should consider that increased water intake may be necessary based on diet, exercise, lactation and environmental conditions.
• Owners and keepers should provide troughs and buckets of an appropriate size to ensure enough water for all equids and be positioned in a way as to prevent the risk of entrapment.
• Owners and keepers should clean and inspect water troughs, buckets and automatic drinkers regularly, checking for damage/leaks and prevent algae buildup.
• Owners and keepers should securely fix water troughs to prevent displacement and ensure that they have no sharp edges or exposed taps.
• Owners and keepers should test natural water sources such as streams for mineral content and contaminants. An alternative water supply should be made available if necessary.
• Owners and keepers should ensure that access to natural water sources is safe, with firm footing and multiple access points for large groups.
• Owners and keepers should consider the provision of warmed water at times of extreme cold, especially for geriatric equids who may be more reluctant to drink cold water.

Supplementary feeding

Supplementary feeds include concentrate feedstuffs and should be fed in addition to forage when necessary. Most equids in light, medium or heavy work, or companion animals, can meet their energy needs through quality forage alone provided that they are in good health.

Good practice:

• Equids on a forage-based diet of unknown nutritional value or diets of a single forage type may require a balancer or vitamin and mineral supplements to provide essential nutrients not available in forage.
• Equids should be provided with additional fortified forage (chaff or pellets) if forage quality or quantity is insufficient or if they are unable to manage long stem forages due to dental disease.
• Owners and keepers should provide forage or fibre-based feed prior to exercise - concentrated feeds containing high levels of sugar and starch should not be given at least one hour before exercise.

Feeding management for health and welfare

Improper nutrition can cause painful, life-limiting conditions affecting both physical and mental well-being.

Good practice:

• Owners and keepers should avoid overfeeding or underfeeding to maintain a healthy body condition.
• Owners and keepers should recognise key health and welfare signs related to nutrition, including:
• change in body condition score,
• deterioration in hoof quality or the appearance of unexplained hoof rings,
• change in droppings amount and consistency,
• behavioural changes,
• recurring mild colic episodes.
• Owners and keepers should seek professional guidance when needed.
• Overweight and underweight equids require structured weight management programs and/or dental health assessments, guided by a veterinary surgeon, qualified dental technicians or other allied professions such as veterinary nurses and nutritionists, with careful risk management.
• Owners and keepers should monitor bodyweight regularly, ideally monthly, using species specific weigh tapes, BCS charts, and physical assessments.
• Equids with a history of laminitis or metabolic disorders may require strict dietary management, including limited access to pasture and reduced sugar and starch intake. This should only be undertaken with veterinary support and specialist nutritional advice. It is important to note that equids still need to be provided with forage for the majority of the day so owners and keepers will need to find ways of managing sugar and starch intake whilst providing foraging opportunities.