Protection of environmental resources through the implementation of optimum feed-management practices on equine farms

Environmental Effects of Sport Horse Production Farms in Argentina

“…Westendorf et al [9] surveyed horse breeders in New Jersey and found that 60% of them balanced diets on their own or had no feeding plan. These results show that the role of the professional veterinarian is key in minimizing environmental impact and that the management of excretions and stall bedding should be reviewed in order to reduce their impact, for example, by seeking sustainable alternatives for their reuse.…”

“…For example, the composition of a balanced diet must be prescribed exclusively by veterinarians. This is essential since many authors such as those of [16] state that overfeeding is a health issue for sport equines and also has an important environmental impact [9,14,15]. The supplementation with inorganic phosphorus must be controlled in horses' diets to diminish its excretion in feces, since this is the main way of elimination and, considering the rise of equine production globally, there might be an increase in the environmental risks produced by phosphorus leaching [17].…”

“…On the other hand, considering the hours that sport horses spend in the stalls, the abundant droppings they produce, the lack of environmental protocols for the destination of the stall bedding and the amount of water required for direct and indirect consumption, among other factors, we can demonstrate that this production generates relevant environmental effects that must be minimized [10,12]. For example, the concentration of nutrients in the diet and overfeeding is one of the main dilemmas in relation to the conformation of manure and its environmental implications [9,14,15].…”

“…The environmental effects of livestock productions have been studied worldwide in recent decades [1][2][3][4]. However, these are focused on cattle [5][6][7] and there are very few studies on horses and more specifically on sport horses [8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

Environmental Implications of Nitrogen Output on Horse Operations: A Review

“…Determining nitrogen balance will always be more of a challenge on horse farms since there are a variety of types of operations, including breeding, boarding, performance and pleasure, etc. [58] often having a high turnover rate of horses; a Rutgers University study [59] found that an average of only 5 of 13 horses remained on 20 farms sampled after one year (most left the farm, some were removed due to age, disease, physical defect, etc.). Manure that remains on pasture when horses are grazed can be substantial and will also influence balance calculations, and is complicated if rotational pastures are poorly maintained.…”