Equine

New research shows benefits of using small-holed haynets to extend eating time

vetreportMay 9, 2014

New research has shown that small-holed haynets may help horses and ponies on restricted diets to stay healthier. To help horse owners use haynets to best effect, SPILLERS® and Shires Equestrian have produced a handy guide on how to use them.
Spring is the time to get stricter with weight management to stop horses and ponies from piling on the pounds from new grass and to help reduce the risk of serious conditions such as laminitis. Restricting access to pasture and forage is often necessary but reduces the time that would be naturally spent foraging; however new research has shown that the use of small-holed haynets may be one method to help extend eating time.
A series of studies has been conducted by the WALTHAM® Equine Studies Group which provides the science behind the SPILLERS® brand, in collaboration with Andrea Ellis of Nottingham Trent University, (now director of UNEQUI LTD) and her colleagues. The first showed that stabled horses and ponies often finish their forage in the early evening and then spend most of the night without food. However, there was a small advantage of using small holed haynets as they slowed down forage intake by increasing chewing time. The most recent study, conducted using Shires’ haynets, suggests that layering two small holed haynets and placing them in several locations around the stable may be even more valuable in prolonging the time spent foraging. The full results of this study should be published later this year.
Following this practical research SPILLERS® has teamed up with Shires Equestrian to produce a guide on how to safety use small-holed hay and haylage nets to best effect. It is presented as a tag on all new Shires small-holed hay and haylage nets, which are available from local retailers or online at www.shiresequestrian.com.
“Any method of extending eating and foraging time may help reduce the risk of gastric problems that can be contributed to by long periods without food and may also help to alleviate boredom. We are delighted to be working with Shires Equestrian to provide horse owners with more information to enable them to manage their horses and ponies better,” explains Clare Barfoot, Registered Nutritionist at SPILLERS®.
For more information on how to manage a horse’s weight this spring visit www.spillers-feeds.com or call the SPILLERS® Care-Line on + 44 (0)1908 226626.