Maintenance (Light Work)
Moderate Work
Heavy Work
Senior/Very Light Work
Very Heavy Work/Performance
Hay
Pellets/Grain
(e.g., 1.5 for Hay, 0.5 for Pellets/Grain)
Your Horse's Estimated Daily Feed Amount
–.– kg
Understanding Your Horse's Nutritional Needs
Proper feeding is crucial for maintaining a horse's health, energy levels, and overall well-being. This calculator provides an estimated daily feed amount based on several key factors. It's important to remember that this is a guideline, and individual horses may have unique requirements.
How the Calculation Works:
The core of this calculation is based on a percentage of the horse's body weight, adjusted for their activity level. The general principle is that a horse should consume approximately 1.5% to 2.5% of its body weight in dry matter per day.
Base Requirement: We start with the horse's weight in kilograms.
Activity Level Multiplier: Horses engaged in strenuous work require more calories and thus more feed than those in light work or on maintenance. The activity level multiplier adjusts the baseline feed requirement. Higher values indicate a greater need for feed.
Feed Concentration: Different types of feed have varying nutritional densities and water content. For example, hay is a high-volume, lower-concentration feed, while concentrated pellets or grains are more energy-dense. The 'Feed Concentration' input allows you to input how much of that specific feed type is typically recommended per 100kg of horse weight. This is often provided by feed manufacturers or can be estimated based on feed type (e.g., 1.5% for hay, 0.5% for concentrates).
Horse Weight (kg) is the input weight of your horse.
Activity Level Multiplier is selected from the dropdown (e.g., 0.015 for Maintenance).
Feed Concentration Factor is the value you input for the specific feed type, representing the amount of feed (as a percentage of body weight) needed for that feed type. If you use a mix of feeds, you might need to calculate each component separately or use an average concentration.
Factors to Consider:
While this calculator offers a helpful starting point, always consult with a veterinarian or equine nutritionist for personalized advice. Other factors influencing feed requirements include:
Age: Young, growing horses and senior horses have different needs.
Health Status: Horses with medical conditions (e.g., metabolic disorders, dental issues) may require specialized diets.
Pregnancy and Lactation: Broodmares have significantly increased nutritional demands.
Metabolism: Individual horses have varying metabolic rates ("easy keepers" vs. "hard keepers").
Environmental Conditions: Cold weather increases energy requirements.
Forage Quality: The nutritional content of hay or pasture can vary greatly.
Use this calculator as a tool to better understand your horse's general daily feed needs, and always monitor your horse's condition and adjust feeding as necessary.
function calculateFeed() {
var horseWeight = parseFloat(document.getElementById("horseWeight").value);
var activityLevel = parseFloat(document.getElementById("activityLevel").value);
var feedType = document.getElementById("feedType").value;
var feedConcentration = parseFloat(document.getElementById("feedConcentration").value);
var resultValueElement = document.querySelector(".result-value");
var resultLabelElement = document.querySelector(".result-label");
if (isNaN(horseWeight) || horseWeight <= 0) {
resultValueElement.textContent = "Invalid";
resultLabelElement.textContent = "Please enter a valid horse weight.";
return;
}
if (isNaN(feedConcentration) || feedConcentration <= 0) {
resultValueElement.textContent = "Invalid";
resultLabelElement.textContent = "Please enter a valid feed concentration.";
return;
}
// Ensure feed concentration is a sensible value based on type if user input is ambiguous
// Example: If user selects Hay but enters 0.2, it might be a typo for 0.02 or 1.5.
// We will trust the user input for feedConcentration for now, as they might have specific feed data.
// A more advanced calculator might dynamically set a placeholder or warning for feedConcentration based on feedType.
var dailyFeedAmount = horseWeight * activityLevel * feedConcentration;
// Round to two decimal places for practical measurement
var roundedFeedAmount = Math.round(dailyFeedAmount * 100) / 100;
resultValueElement.textContent = roundedFeedAmount + " kg";
resultLabelElement.textContent = "Estimated Daily Feed Amount (" + feedType.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + feedType.slice(1) + ")";
}