An inventory of grassland use on horse farms.
Authors: Siede C, Komainda M, Tonn B, Wolter S M C, Schmitz A, Isselstein J
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Grassland Potential on Horse Farms Grassland management on horse farms remains poorly characterised despite its significance for equine nutrition and pasture sustainability. Siede and colleagues conducted a 12-month inventory across six practical horse farms in Central Germany, measuring monthly compressed sward height alongside herbage quality samples to determine whether pastures could meaningfully contribute to horses' nutritional requirements. Short grass areas proliferated as the grazing season progressed (p=0.0010), directly correlating with high stocking intensities measured in livestock unit grazing days; critically, most farms maintained constant stocking rates year-round rather than adjusting to seasonal grass growth patterns. Herbage quality varied significantly between short and tall sward areas, with tall grass consistently delivering higher metabolisable energy (4.2–8.4 MJ ME kg⁻¹ DM) and digestible crude protein (37.0–77.4 g kg⁻¹ DM), both sufficient to support maintenance requirements across the growing season. The findings underscore that strategic grassland management—chiefly through responsive stocking adjustments—could substantially improve forage quality and availability for grazing horses, making this an evidence-based consideration for nutritional planning and farm-level decision-making around grazing intensity.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Adjust stocking density seasonally to match grass growth rates rather than maintaining constant grazing pressure throughout the growing season, which degrades pasture quality
- •Monitor compressed sward height regularly as a practical indicator of available herbage biomass and quality; short swards indicate overgrazing and reduced nutritional value
- •Recognize that well-managed pastures can provide adequate nutrition (energy and protein) for horses during the grazing season, reducing supplementation costs if management is optimized
Key Findings
- •Short grass sward areas increased during grazing season (p=0.0010), correlated with high stocking intensity measured in livestock unit grazing days (p<0.0001)
- •Herbage crude protein, metabolizable energy, and acid detergent fibre differed significantly between short and tall grass sward areas (p≤0.0038)
- •Grassland provided sufficient metabolizable energy (4.2–8.4 MJ ME kg⁻¹ DM) and pre-caecal digestible crude protein (37.0–77.4 g kg⁻¹ DM) for horse maintenance throughout the grazing season
- •Most farms maintained constant stocking intensity year-round without adjustment to seasonal grass growth variation, limiting optimization of herbage provision