# Initial Impact of Different Feeding Methods on Feed Intake Time in Stabled Icelandic Horses

## TL;DR

This study shows that using hayballs or haynets can increase the time stabled horses spend eating, helping them mimic their natural foraging behavior.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that simple feeding tools like hayballs and haynets can significantly extend feed intake time in stabled horses.

## Key findings

- Feeding haylage in a hayball or haynet increased feed intake time by 13% compared to traditional methods.
- Feed intake time per kg of dry matter was shorter when using a manger or box floor versus haynets or hayballs.
- All horses remained healthy and consumed all the feed offered during the study.

## Abstract

The natural behaviour of horses is to spend the majority of their time foraging. The feed intake time of stabled horses is often far from that, since their feed intake is limited to their nutritional requirements in order to avoid overfeeding and obesity. To approach their natural foraging time, it is important to find methods which can extend the feed intake time for stabled horses. The aim of this study was to estimate if different feeding methods could extend horses’ feed intake times. We measured how long it took for four Icelandic horses to eat 7 kg of high-energy haylage (3.5 kg/meal), from a haynet, hayball, manger, and straight from the box floor, for one day per method. To record the horses’ feed intake time, a video surveillance system was applied using two cameras. All horses stayed healthy throughout the study and ate all feed that was offered. From this study, it can be concluded that feeding high-energy haylage in a hayball or in a haynet can increase the feed intake time of maintenance-fed horses by 13% per day, as compared to more traditional methods. Thus, with simple feeding methods, it is possible to extend the feed intake time of stabled horses, thereby closer resembling horses’ natural foraging time.

The natural behaviour of horses is to spend the majority of their time on feed intake The feeding of stabled horses is, however, often far from that, as their feed intake is limited to their nutritional requirements. In order to approach their natural foraging time, it is important to extend the feed intake time of stabled horses. The aim of this study was to estimate if the feed intake time differs when feeding haylage in a haynet, hayball, metal corner manger, or from the box floor. The experimental design consisted of a Latin square, occurred across four days with four adult Icelandic horses and four treatments. Horses were stabled in individual boxes and fed 7 kg of high-energy haylage in two even meals while the intake time was recorded. The feed intake time per kg DM was shorter from the manger or the box floor than from a haynet or hayball (81 or 85 min versus 94 or 96 min; p < 0.05). It can be concluded that feeding haylage in a hayball or in a haynet can increase the feed intake time by 13% per day (12 min/kg DM/day) when compared to the more traditional methods. Thus, with simple alternatives, it is possible to extend the feed intake time of stabled horses.