Nutrient ratios
PC-Horse reports contain ratios for relevant nutrients and we receive many requests for advice on determining desirable intervals for those ratios. Tables below are compiled by Dr. Dag Austbø, who is Professor in animal nutrition with horses as a speciality.
Units:
Energy: MJ digestible energy (MJ DE)
Protein: Crude protein (CP)
Ca: Calcium
P : Phosphorus
Comments:
● CP/MJ ratio should not be below the recommended values. Moderately higher values do not normally represent a problem.
● Ca/P ratio should not be below the recommended values and not be higher than 2,0. *The high recommended ratio for Light Work is meant for horses that come into training from a maintenance or convalescent state.
Recommended values:
MJ digestible energy /DE), Crude protein (CP)
| Category | Type | CP/MJ | Ca/P | Zn/Cu |
| Maintenance | Minimum | 8,5 | 1,4 | 4 |
| Maintenance | Elevated | 9,5 | 1,4 | 4 |
| Working | Light | 8,4 | 1,7* | 4 |
| Working | Heavy | 7,0 | 1,4 | 4 |
| Pregnant | 8 months | 9,8 | 1,4 | 4 |
| Pregnant | 11 months | 10,0 | 1,4 | 3 |
| Lactating | 1 month | 11,6 | 1,5 | 4 |
| Lactating | 3 months | 11,5 | 1,6 | 4 |
| Growing | 4 months | 12,0 | 1,8 | 4 |
| Growing | 6 months | 10,4 | 1,8 | 4 |
| Growing | 12 months | 10,8 | 1,8 | 4 |
| Growing | 18 months | 9,9 | 1,8 | 4 |
| Growing | 18 months, moderate exercise | 8,7 | 1,8 | 4 |
| Growing | 24 months, moderate exercise | 8,6 | 1,8 | 4 |