Ground Plants

Doc-t May 1, 2020
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Horses are one of 3 groups of animals with similar digestive tracts worldwide. Besides all equids (horses, asses and zebras), the other two are the tapir and the rhinoceros. They all feed on ground plants and use the bacteria located in the colon to digest this cellulose into short-chain fatty acids.  

Ground plants have little lignin, a type of cellulose that is stronger structurally. This “woody” cellulose makes bark, branches, and tall grasses such as bamboo. Ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats, deer, elk and many more) can digest lignin, and I consider their digestive tracts “best in class” because of their ubiquitous presence around the globe. Horses, however, are limited to the plants on the ground unless they are starving.

Another significant fact about these digestive tracts is that they have no gallbladder for storing bile. Fat digestion uses this substance, but the food eaten has no fat until created by the bacteria further along in the gut. Because ground plants are a relatively poor source of protein (as opposed to meat), horses need to consume many ground plants daily to meet their protein needs. Therefore, an abundance of a variety of ground plants is necessary for horses’ health – and hay, with only 1 or 2 grasses, does NOT replace a good pasture because of the lack of a variety of proteins.

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Horses knee high in late spring pasture.
Horses knee high in late spring pasture.
Roundup® is a brand of glyphosate used to kill broadleaf plants (weeds) around the world. Here it is in a spray applicator on a horse farm in FL. It also is used as a desiccant (drying agent) on crops including hay. It has been vilified as well as proclaimed a life saver with many people being left confused. If it is so bad, why is it still being used?
3 older horses with a broad variety of plants to eat . The 2 thin ones are in their 30’s. The fat one is fat on the summer grass.
A pasture scene in TN. Note the variety of ground plants. The thin horse in the center is over 30 years old with a shiny hair coat.
Horses prefer to eat the short grass rather than the taller weeds and plants
Horses prefer to eat the short grass rather than the taller weeds and plants
Horses prefer to eat the short grass rather than the taller weeds and plants
Fat horses in tall summer grass.
Fat horses in tall summer grass.
Cattle are browsers eating lignin as evidenced by these cattle eating as high as they can reach.
Cattle are browsers eating lignin as evidenced by these cattle eating as high as they can reach.
A large pasture with a low population provides enough pasture but notice the grass is of only 1 or 2 species (mono-grass).
Lichen growing on rock with surrounding ground plants.
Lichen growing on rock.
Timothy heads gone to seed
The Thistle on this farm grew over 7 feet tall.
A field of bahia grass.
Bahia grass seed head showing both male and female parts. Horses and other animals (the owner said turkeys love these seeds) suck off the seeds. Some horses have foundered on these.
Bahia grass seeds stripped off the seed head. Horses and other animals (the owner said turkeys love these seeds) suck off the seeds. Some horses have foundered on these.
Bahia grass seed head. Horses and other animals (the owner said turkeys love these seeds) suck off the seeds. Some horses have foundered on these.
A good crop of rocks are growing in this plowed field.
Pasture
A good crop of rocks are growing in this plowed field.
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