Really interesting piece on trickle-feeding - note that many hay feeders claim to feed at ground level - they do, but only when they are empty ! When they are full they are not allowing the horse to feed at ground level. Harmony is the only feeder that allows the horse to eat at ground level all the time. Small holed hay or haylage nets have been shown in US studies to slow down the rate of consumption of forage, which is beneficial. However, the benefit of a slower rate of feeding in this instance may be offset by the negative effects of horses not eating from the floor, which allows better mucociliary clearance. Because of this, a number of new feeding devices have been introduced, which consist of plastic boxes with meshed lids that slow the rate of forage intake but allow feeding in a head-down position. A recent study in the UK reported evidence of frustration in horses when hay consumption was restricted through small holed haynets, which again could be counterproductive. trainermagazine/published-articles/2014/12/17/trickle-feeding
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 12:52:56 +0000
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