Hay is for Horses!
Another way to keep horses warm is to feed them hay. Heat is produced through the digestion of feed and can be useful in helping a horse maintain body temperature in cold winter weather. The greatest amount of heat is released when microbes in the gut digest high-fiber feed such as hay.
High-fiber feeds produce more heat during digestion than low-fiber feeds. Thus, the digestion of hay will result in the release of more heat than low-fiber grains, such as corn and barley. Although oats are a low-fiber grain, they will produce more heat during digestion, compared with other grains, due to their fibrous outer hull.
“Energy needs are increased during cold weather, and grains certainly can be fed to horses to help meet this need,” says equine specialist Carrie Hammer. “However, the bottom line is if you want to help your horse produce body heat, feed him more hay.”
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