FEEDING PRACTICES FOR RACEHORSES IN TURKEY

The aim of the survey was to obtain information on feeding practices, the type and balance of feeds and the use of nutritional additives and pre-race supplementation in racehorses in Turkey.

To have information about feeding practices of racehorses in Turkey, the questionnaires were prepared and some of them were mailed to horse owners and the others were completed by personal interview. The rate of mailed surveys returned through the mail was 40%. There were 50 surveys completed. Overall of the survey, horse owners were conscious about horse feeding. Ninety percent of surveyed horse owners fed horses with grain and hay based diets supplemented with protein concentrates and vitamin-mineral mixtures, only ten percent of them fed horses mixes/pelleted compound manufactured feeds as whole ration. Oat was the major energy source alone (%45) or together with barley (%45). The percentage of usage of alfalfa hay (40%) was less than oat and wheat hay (60%). The survey results indicated that the pasture and silage feeding was indeed limited (10%). Ninety percent of respondents reported that they supplemented diets with a general mineral and vitamin supplement.