Forage as a local produced protein and energy feed for horses

The amount and nutritive content of forages has major impact on equine behaviour, health, and disease. In the Nordic countries, forages for horses consist almost exclusively of grasses, and to a limited extent of legumes. Legumes contain more crude protein than grasses, hence locally produced legumes can potentially replace imported protein-rich feedstuffs like soybeans. The digestibility of crude protein from different forage sources is however largely unknown in horses, resulting in difficulties when evaluating different protein sources for horses. There is also a lack of consistency and transparency in feed evaluation systems for horses in the Nordic countries. The aim of the project is to generate new knowledge of high scientific quality as well high practical value for the horse industry in the Nordic countries on protein and energy value of grass and legume forages for horses.

The project is performed in collaboration with PhD Rasmus Bovbjerg Jensen at NMBU, Norway.