Importance of Horse Feed Storage Overview
Horse feeds on different categories of feed, which could be forage, hay, and pellet. Feeds should be properly managed in the mill, stable, and warehouse to avoid deterioration.
The horse is often used for different activities such as transportation, and work which requires that feed is made available for the animal as at when due.
Manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers of horse feed need to handle feed properly to avoid spoilage.
Forage and horse feed contain high water content that if not properly processed can lead to spoilage. The spoilage of horse feed can be due to the activities of micro-organisms, improper handling, physical and chemical changes, and rodents.
What is Horse Feed Storage?
Horse feed storage involves the preserving and keeping of feed to ensure all-year-round availability. Horse feed storage on the other hand refers to the safe keeping of the horse feed to prevent spoilage and to extend the shelf-life.
Horse feed should be packaged and stored after processing especially when the produce is not sold immediately in the market or consumed.
The reason for storing horse feed immediately after manufacturing feed is to preserve the commodity for future use without necessarily losing its quality.
The loss of quality, spoilage, and damage are of primary concern to the feed manufacturer, consumer, and suppliers.
This may be to due loss of moisture content, the presence of a large insect, and weight loss in stored feed is problematic.
Preservation and keeping of feed should be such that there is no change in chemical or physical condition to reduce its quality.
The production and supply of processed feed such that they are susceptible to deteriorative processes. quality standards reflect the relative importance attached to quality in commercial transactions of feed commodities.
Thus, the main objective of storage is to preserve the produce such that it will still be valuable and useful to the ultimate consumers.
Importance of Horse Feed Storage.
The importance of horse feed storage cannot be underestimated, poor storage or deteriorated feed poses serious health risks to horses.
Proper storage of horse feed is paramount to prevent, control, and maintain quality standards of horse feed. Some of the important horse feed storage for manufacturers, suppliers, and ranchers are:
Increase the Shelf Life
fresh forages, grass, and legume horse feed contain a high amount of water that if not quality processed and stored could lead to infestation and destruction by insects, pests, fungi, and bacteria (Food and Agricultural Organisation).
The activities of these organisms may lead to extensive weight loss and loss of quality of feedstuff.
Improper storage of equine feed may result in intense insect activity often resulting in mold growth which may destroy feedstuffs and pose serious health challenges to the horse feeding on rations containing damaged feed ingredients.
Pest and micro organisaism attracts on feedstuff may lead to the secretion of enzyme lipase which will increase the deteriorative chemical processes of horse feed. some of the Importance of Horse Feed Storage are:
Make Food Available Throughout the Year
Proper food storage of feedstuff is important to ensure food availability of horse feed. The performance of a horse depends on the nature of the feed consumed and the health and safety of feed are paramount for the overall well-being of the horse.
inadequately processed feed ingredients may lead to the susceptibility of feed to deteriorative processes, hence In the warehouse, stable, and production centers lack of proper stage may attract pests and provoke diseases to spread which leads to the destruction of large quantities of feed thereby leading to wastage of resource and feed scarcity.
Adequate storage keeps food chemical compounds unchanged within feed which will preserve the quality. Because changes in the chemical properties of food can lead to the growth of mold, fungi, and bacteria in a warehouse or the stable.
Preservation of Nutritional Quality
The nutritional contents of horse feed need to be preserved for maximum feeding, well preserve feed contains necessary nutrient elements that will enable the horse to grow, perform better, and gain weight.
Proper feed storage helps preserve the chemical nature of feed and increases palatability, flavor, and nutritive value for the animal.
Well-stored feedstuff does not undergo some chemical changes that will affect the flavor and nutritive content of the feed. Manufacturers, suppliers, and buyers of horse feed priories quality hence it is important that is adequately storage.
Loss of quality may be due to the attack of insects or feedstuffs which may accelerate harmful chemical changes. the production and supply of qualitative and nutritive horse feedstuff show relative importance attached to value considerations of feed in the commercial transactions of horse feed commodities.
More so well preserved horse feed not only increases the nutritive value but also increases the aesthetic value in terms of commercial transactions of feed.
Pilling/ Provision for Large-scale Processing
The success of every business is continuity, storage of horse feed ensures that feed is available in either a processed or unprocessed form. Storage of feedstuff makes feed available for large-scale processing.
If feed is not properly stored it may lead to loss of moisture content or attract a large insect population to the stored feed which leads to post-harvest loss leading to inadequate quantity for feed for processing.
Ineffective enforcement of storage ability may encourage scarcity of feed during production and supply processes.
Save Cost
storage of feed for horses helps producers/manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers to save costs.
Proper Storage prevents the occurrence and development of a pest and microorganism from infestation on feedstuff which may lead to sourcing for resources in purchasing additional feed which may increase the cost of production.
Proper storage of feed after production can help producers control and regulate the price of feed in order to make a profit.
Proper storage of Feedstuff prevents feed from discoloration, Staleness, or mustiness which may lead to the destruction of feed in the warehouse thus reducing feed spoilage and increasing cost.
Factors Affecting the Quality of Horse Feed.
Poor handling of feed may lead to the occurrence and development of microorganisms in the feed.
Thus leading to poor nutritional quality, feed discoloration, staleness or mustiness, and above all, an increase in the cost of production. deteriorated feed may lead destruction of feed in the warehouse increasing feed spoilage and cost of production.
The quality of feed is paramount to all stakeholders in the equine industries. The nutritional value of horse feed should not be comprised of any factors.
The feed should be able to retain its integrity for a long period without losing it for better performance, growth, and weight gain.
Pest and microorganism infestation of storage feed is a primary concern to the feed processor, supplier, and consumers. The Major factors affecting the quality of horse feed are
- Temperature: low temperature favors the growth of microorganisms in the storage structure. There is a crucial relationship between the growth of microorganisms and temperature. A temperature of about 28oc favors the growth of most organisms. There is the maximum temperature at which store ‘feedstuff has an optimum zone of temperature at which populations of this organism increase most rapidly. Temperature is the most important factor determining the effectiveness of store feed. High temperature increases Mould growth in feedstuffs. At high temperatures, there are rapid breakdown of lipids in feedstuff which can accelerate chemical degradation and destruction of vitamin food and the development of rancidity.
- Relative humidity: The relative humidity of the storage facilities affects the growth of microorganisms. The relative humidity content of horse feedstuff has led to the growth of certain pests on feed. Low humidity of horse feed will help protect feed against pest and disease infestation. Relative humidity of above 70 percent will lead to the growth of mold on store feed.
- The moisture content of the feed ingredient: Mould growth in feedstuffs is greatly influenced by high-rising moisture content. The attack of Aspergillus flavus in feedstuff led to the destruction of the grain feedstuff in the warehouse. A low moisture content of about 14% can lead to the infestation of mold in feed. A high moisture content of about 16 percent or higher can lead to the serious attraction of microorganisms that can lead to the whole destruction of feed grains soft and susceptible to attack.
Types of Structure and Containers for the Storage of Horse Feed
There are different types of storage structures and containers for the storage of horse feed. The storage structure adopted depends on the nature of production.
Horse feed containers can be air-resistant structures, water-resistant, and storage facilities. Small-scale horse farmers should go for small storage containers while commercial horse feed sellers and process will use modernized and sophisticated storage structures. Read types of horse feed storage containers and storage bags
People Also Ask
What are the best ways of storing horse feed?
The storage of horse feed depends on the nature of production. The types of storage structures for wholesalers are different from those of the retailers and for stable uses.
For wholesalers, feeds should be stored in the warehouse or silos, for retailers, feed should be stored in storage rooms or containers for stable managers or equestrians, feed should be stored in containers or bins.
The storage structure should be well-ventilated and free from moisture to prevent the growth of microorganisms.
How do you store feed?
The importance of horse storage feed is paramount for the growth and development of feed. The following are the fields that should be stored
- After the processing and packaging of the feed, it should be taken to the animal room and the warehouse.
- the horse feed storage structure should thoroughly be cleaned and pest-free.
- ensure that the storage facilities are well-ventilated.
- place feed in the storage facilities.
- gain such as rice, cowpea, and soybeans should be stored in the silo, yams should be stored in the barn, oil should be stored in a drum or gallon barrel and fresh feed should be stored in the refrigerator.
- Keep good airflow at the storage facilities at all times.
- Avoid structures that retain moisture.
- Ensuring that the inlet and outlet sides of the silo and hermetic facilities are in proper working.
- In the warehouse place newly produced bags down while older bags of feed are placed on the top.
- The feed should be stored in containers and should be properly covered with a lid.
- Know the production date and expiration date of each feed.
- Monitor feed continually to ensure optimal performance
How long can horse grain be stored?
How a feed is stored depends on the management practices adopted by the manufacturer, consumers, and suppliers, to ensure the quality, palatability, and freshness of feed it is proper that all feed should be feed used within 6 six months to (1) one year from the production or milling date.
What is the shelf life of horse feed?
The shelf life of horse feed refers to the maximum period in which feed may be stored and remain suitable before spoilage.
The shelf life for horse Fruits and vegetables should be two weeks, and hay and pellets should be six months to (1) one year from the production or milling date.
In conclusion
Improper handling of horse feed will result in the deterioration and waste of resources. Appropriate relative humidity and moisture must be maintained in the storage structure or facilities to ensure the quality and nutritive value of feeds.
This article stresses the importance of Horse Feed Storage which Increases the Shelf life, saves costs, and makes food available throughout the year.
Optimal moisture content coupled with optimal relative humidity in the storage facilities will help protect horse feed from the infestation of pests and diseases.