The A-to-Z of Nutrition Terms
Amino Acids
These are the "building blocks" of protein, which is an integral part of all body tissues especially muscle. The horse requires about 22 different amino acids, some of which they can produce themselves and others which must be supplied through the diet and are termed 'essential' eg. lysine and methionine.
Antioxidants
Free radicals can be harmful to cells and are produced during normal metabolic function. Antioxidants are the body's defence mechanism against them. Certain vitamins and minerals, particularly Vitamin E and Selenium, are antioxidants and are included in all Baileys' compound feeds.
Balancer
A feed which will counteract the nutrient deficiencies of a specified feed to provide a balanced diet ie. forage balancers are fed alongside forage (hay/grass) and oat balancers alongside oats. Most commonly used balancers are forage balancers, like Lo-Cal, Performance Balancer and Stud Balancer.
Bio-availability
Refers to the ease with which nutrients, particularly minerals, can be absorbed from the digestive tract and utilised by the body.
Carbohydrates
Long chain molecules which provide energy for all basic body functions from breathing to muscle contraction. Soluble carbohydrates include sugars and starch, which are broken down to glucose for basic cell function. Insoluble carbohydrates include cellulose, which is the fibrous part of plants and which is broken down by bacteria in the horse's hind gut into volatile fatty acids, a further energy source.
Cellulose
This is a complex carbohydrate fibre which is the main component of plant cell walls and is a source of energy/calories for the horse once fermented (broken down) by bacteria in the hind gut.
Chelates
A term used to describe minerals that are attached to other molecules such as proteins or carbohydrates and used to improve the bio-availability of minerals.
Compound feed
A general term used to mean the fully balanced products that are produced as pellets, cubes or mixes to feed to horses alongside forage. Also referred to as concentrate or hard feed.
Concentrate feed
See Compound Feed
Conditioning
To improve and maintain body condition and 'top line' for horses prone to weight loss.
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)/RAO (Recurrent Airway Obstruction)
A disease causing obstruction of the airways which may have symptoms including coughing and nasal discharge. Commonly caused by an allergy to dust and spores contained in hay, straw and other bedding. Careful management is necessary to keep symptoms at bay.
Digestible
Indicates improved ease of absorption and utilisation of the nutrients.
Digestible Energy (DE)
This is the measure of the estimated energy/calorie content of horse feeds and is quoted by manufacturers on an "as fed" basis in Mega Joules per kilogramme (MJ/kg).
Digestive Enhancers
These work to help improve and maintain a good bacterial population in the horse's gut for efficient digestion and utilisation of the overall diet. They are not a food source for the horse but are particularly useful for those with compromised gut function, such as horses under stress eg. training, travelling, competing, suffering long term worm damage, after a course of antibiotics etc. The term is generally used to refer to prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics which may be included in a compound feed or available as supplements.
Electrolytes
Minerals that break up in solutions and develop electrical charges. They are important for neuro-muscular function and are lost in sweat. Significant losses of electrolytes can compromise performance through the early onset of fatigue.
Energy-Dense
A concentrated source of energy in a reduced volume of feed. Eg. Baileys Outshine high oil supplement
ERS (Exertional Rhabdomyolysis Syndrome)
Commonly known as tying-up, azoturia or "Monday morning disease". A disease resulting in muscle damage in the back and quarters due to a build up of lactic acid which is produced when glycogen is used by the muscles. Careful management and diet are necessary to help prevent recurrence.
Extrusion
A form of cooking where the feed materials are made into a slurry and injected with very hot steam. They are then passed through a die (holes), which can be of different shapes. The drop in pressure as the slurry passes through the die causes the material to expand.
Fatty acids
The building blocks of fats and oils. The ratios of different types of fatty acids in the diet have implications for health and well-being, for example the balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6.
Fibre
Derived from the fibrous parts of plants, fibre provides bulk for the healthy functioning of the horse's gut and is a source of slow release energy. Some fibres are more digestible than others and the proportions of them within forage, for example, depends on the age of the plants (grass) when it was cut. The more mature the grass plant, the greater the level of indigestible structural fibre, whereas younger, leafier plants are typically higher in the more digestible fibres.
Fully Balanced
Supplies the correct levels of nutrients, (protein, vitamins, minerals) for the specific intention of individual products when fed at recommended levels.
Gelatinisation
This occurs when cereals are cooked. The heat ruptures the starch molecules, altering the molecular structure and chain length, which increases the surface area thereby increasing the digestibility of the starch.
Glycogen
The horse, and other animals, store surplus glucose as glycogen in muscles and the liver for use as energy when demand increases.
Whole Grain-Free
Does not include whole cereal grains, which may be cooked and flaked. Co-products from the human milling industry, like wheatfeed or oatfeed, may still be included as valuable sources of fibre.
Hard Feed
See Compound Feed.
High Energy compound feeds
Have a DE value of 12 MJ/kg and above.
High fibre
A high proportion of fibre (over 14%) in a particular concentrate ration.
Low calorie
A "low calorie" feed should provide a balance of nutrients (protein, vitamins, minerals) to promote good health with a reduced calorie content. Formulated to be fed in small quantities, the calorie contribution to the overall diet is minimal so these products may help to prevent weight gain or aid weight loss.
Low Energy compound feeds
Have a digestible energy (DE) value of 8 -10MJ/kg, as fed.
Macro minerals
Expressed as a % (or parts per hundred) and needed for body structure, maintaining fluid balance, nerve conduction and muscle contraction. Macro minerals are required in larger amounts in the diet than micro or trace minerals.
Micro (trace) minerals
Expressed as mg/kg (or parts per million) and needed as components of "metalloenzymes" which are involved in controlling a large number of biological reactions. Required in smaller amounts than macro minerals but are no less important.
Microbiome
This refers to the population of microbes which live in the gut and on which the horse relies to digest the fibre content of the diet to access its energy content and other nutrients. The microbes can include bacteria, fungi and viruses and many have other beneficial influences on health and well-being.
Minerals
Components of molecules needed for body structure and function. As with vitamins, the correct balance of minerals is very important as one mineral may interfere with the absorption of another so if fed in excess may cause a deficiency of the other. Classified as either Macro or Micro minerals.
Non-heating
A feed which is less likely to produce excitable behaviour in some horses and ponies when fed at the recommended rate.
Nutrient-Dense/Rich
A concentrated source of quality proteins and micro-nutrients. Reduced quantities are fed compared to traditional compound feeds, to provide the recommended levels of nutrients but without the volume and usual associated increase in energy. Balancers are typically nutrient-dense.
Prebiotics
Do not contain live organisms and may be either fructo oligosaccharides (FOS), which act as a food source that only beneficial bacteria can utilise, or mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) that work by mopping up pathogenic species of bacteria so that they pass out with the droppings. Both allow beneficial gut micro organisms to flourish at the expense of the pathogenic species leading to a healthier gut and improved digestive efficiency.
Postbiotics
These are defined as inanimate microorganisms and/or the end products of microbial fermentation, like metabolites, that confer a health benefit on the host. The natural microbial population of the horse’s gut are continually producing these metabolites, which include the volatile fatty acids from fibre, which the horse uses as an energy source. They also include B vitamins and other compounds, which are beneficial to health and well-being, and which the horse’s microbiome should be producing at appropriate levels consistently. Postbiotics are produced by fermenting live yeast on a consistent media in a very controlled environment. The yeast produces hundreds of metabolites, is then inactivated and the resultant product is a blend of the metabolites, cell wall fragments and other beneficial components. Feeding postbiotics daily, provides a constant level of metabolites directly to the horse, which is not affected by any stress the horse is subject to at the time. This helps support health, well-being, and any necessary recovery from stress or illness, effectively “taking the pressure” off the horse’s gut microbiome and allowing it to become reestablished at healthier levels.
Probiotics
Those for humans contain live bacterial populations designed to help restore a healthy population of micro-organisms in the digestive tract, however, there are no bacterial species licenced for use in the horse so we use the term to describe live yeast cultures, which are known to stimulate fibre-digesting bacteria to positive effect. Yeasts which are included in feeds need to be specially treated (protected) so that they can survive the feed production process, as well as the passage through the stomach and foregut, to reach the hindgut.
PSSM (Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy)
A disease common to more heavily muscled breeds, such as quarter horses, warmbloods and draught horses, which prevents the normal metabolism of glycogen. The exact mechanism is, as yet, not fully understood but afflicted horses are not able to tolerate an excess of carbohydrate in their diet.
Protein
Required for the growth and repair of body tissues such as muscles, blood, skin, hair and hoof. It is made up of amino acids, some of which must be provided by the diet.
Quality protein
This term indicates that the protein source contains good levels of essential amino acids which must be provided in the horse's diet. Quality protein provides the vital components of all body tissues, including muscle, so is important for the promotion of muscle tone and top line.
Starch
A carbohydrate composed of glucose molecules. It is the main source of energy provided by cereal grains.
Straights
A term used to refer to cereals or their components when fed individually and not part of a pre-prepared, nutritionally balanced mix or cube eg. oats, barley, bran etc. Because they are deficient in some nutrients they are best fed alongside a balancer. Adding straights to an already balanced ration will cause an imbalance and should be avoided.
Vitamins
Complex molecules involved in many essential bodily functions. They are classified into fat soluble and water soluble types which affects absorbed, stored and excreted. A correct balance of vitamins is important as they can affect the use of other nutrients.
Water Soluble Carbohydrates (wsc)
These are carbohydrates which are soluble in water or gut fluids and include starch, simple sugars and fructan. All feeds, including forage and pasture, contain wsc, and their reduction and control is important when managing those prone to laminitis.
Yeast
Enhances fibre digestion by stimulating cellulose- (fibre) digesting bacteria. Particularly beneficial for older horses, who may be less efficient at digesting fibre, poorer-doers and performance horses who may consume reduced amounts of forage.
