Proper horse breeding as a business. How to build a business by breeding horses for meat Breeding horse breeds

Since ancient times, our ancestors used horses as a form of transport, as well as as draft force for transporting goods and heavy carts. Breeding horses for meat has also gained some popularity. Moreover, if the first two areas of using such animals have become less in demand with the development of technology, the third remains promising and an increasing number of breeders are implementing it. In this regard, several specialized breeds of horses were bred and specific methods for fattening livestock were developed.

Pros and cons of raising horses for meat

Consumption of horse meat has been practiced since ancient times. Dishes made from such meat were highly valued in ancient Rome, Greece, and Persia. It also enjoyed some popularity among the Slavic peoples, losing it only with the advent of Christianity. And among the Kazakhs, Bashkirs and other eastern peoples, horse meat was valued much higher than the meat of a sheep or cow.

Today, breeding horses for meat is becoming popular in Russia. The reason for this is a wide range of benefits of such an undertaking and the advantages of the product itself. These include the following points:

• the meat of young horses has a delicate texture, good taste and is considered dietary;
• such a product contains an increased amount of nutrients, vitamins and fatty acids necessary for the normal functioning of the body;
• horse breeding can be a highly profitable business, since demand in this direction is steadily growing, and the number of product suppliers is still small;
• horse meat has a low cost, but on the market the price is only slightly inferior to beef;
• such animals require high meat productivity;
• if you have access to pastures, you can significantly save on animal feed;
• If desired, you can also sell horse milk additionally.

But it is worth noting that along with a wide list of advantages, such activities involve certain risks and disadvantages. The most significant among them are the difficulties of finding sales of products. In our country, horse meat is used primarily in the production of premium sausages, mixing it with other types of meat. In their pure form, such products are still considered exotic on the market and are not of interest to all buyers. In this regard, it can be quite difficult to find those who want to buy meat from raised horses.

Attention! It must be taken into account that the meat of animals that are more than three years old gradually becomes coarser. Therefore, slaughter should be planned before this point.

Meat productivity of horses

Meat productivity is determined by several indicators. The weight of the animal, the percentage of pure meat from the total weight, and precocity are taken into account. All these indicators have individual values ​​for each meat breed of horse.

As for the average values, the slaughter yield of meat from the carcass of a killed beef horse ranges from 48–55% of the total weight. If you properly organize the animal’s nutrition, then this parameter can be raised to 60%. Most often, the highest productivity indicators are observed in animals that are kept in stables. When keeping a herd on pasture, the nutritional composition does not always allow for weight gain. Therefore, the indicators fluctuate more.

Horses 2–3 years old are suitable for slaughter. It is at this time that horse meat acquires optimal consistency and taste. Some breeders also practice later slaughter. But in this case the meat will be coarser and more fibrous.

The Yakut, Bashkir, Dzhabe and Buryat breed lines are distinguished by the highest productivity among the entire variety of meat horse breeds.

Breeds of horses for meat production

It is worth noting that among the entire variety of existing horse breeds, only a few were purposefully bred as meat horses. During the selection process, breeders sought to instill in them the appropriate qualities. Today, among all these varieties, three are the most popular:

1. Kazakh.
2. Novoaltayskaya.
3. Yakutskaya.

Kazakh

Kazakh horses began to be bred on the territory of Kazakhstan more than a thousand years ago. Traditionally, local tribes raised horses exclusively in herds on open pastures. In this regard, such animals have a high resistance to cold, unpretentiousness in terms of feeding, and rapid weight gain even with a meager diet.

Representatives of not only local breeds of horses, but also Akhal-Teke, Arabian and Mongolian horses took part in the formation of the breed. Due to the influx of blood from other varieties, all Kazakh horses were divided into two main types:

1. Heavy. It was this type of horse that was originally called Jabe. They are distinguished by a stronger constitution. This type is highly valued in beef horse breeding.
2. Pacers. Their main difference is a lighter constitution and good endurance. Better suited for riding.

The height of the Kazakh horse varies between 132–144 cm. Features of the animal’s exterior include:

• strong muscular physique;
• long rectangular body;
• smooth, strong back;
• quite wide and deep chest;
• short croup, which often sags slightly downward;
• strong legs with developed ligaments and regularly shaped hooves;
• small neck;
• proportional head with a straight profile.

Productivity

When a horse reaches the age of 3.5 years, its weight, depending on diet and gender, ranges from 350 to 450 kg. From the specified mass of the carcass, the yield of clean meat varies between 53–60%. At the same time, the meat has an average calorie content and high taste.

The animal also shows fairly good performance in terms of milk production. One mare can produce from 15 to 20 kg of milk per day.

Among the two existing types of Kazakh horses, it is the Jabe that is used for productive horse breeding.

Novoaltaiskaya

The Novoaltai breed appeared only in 2000. The breeders bred it based on the more famous Altai variety of horses. The goal of the breeders was to improve the meat qualities of the animal. To accomplish this task, stallions of the Soviet draft horse and the Lithuanian draft horse were used.

This breed has a pronounced meaty build. The height of an adult stallion at the withers is 156 cm. At the same time, the body length of the animal reaches 167 cm, and the weight of an adult horse reaches 670 kg or more.

Among the characteristic features of the appearance of animals, the following points stand out:

• long body with developed muscles;
• straight back with strong lower back;
• large croup;
• strong legs of medium length;
• massive neck;
• wide chest;
• rough head.

The animal's mane and bangs are quite long. The prevailing horse colors are brown, bay and black.

Productivity

The productivity indicators of Novoaltai horses are quite high. The average slaughter meat yield for stallions is 58–60%. Livestock are determined for slaughter at the age of 2.5-3 years. In the absence of pastures with abundant vegetation, slaughter of foals under the age of one year is often practiced. Mares also assume average performance in terms of milk production.

It is worth noting that the animal’s strong constitution and endurance allow it to easily transport large loads. In addition, Novoaltai horses perform well in horseback riding.

Yakutskaya

Another extremely popular breed in meat horse breeding is the Yakut. Such horses are considered indigenous to Yakutia and have a very ancient history. During excavations of individual burials, scientists found the remains of such horses, which are more than 3.2 thousand years old. Yakut is the only breed that descended from tundra horses that lived back in the days of mammoths.

These horses are short in stature. As a rule, it does not exceed 138.9 cm. Moreover, the length of the animal’s body is 146-147 cm.

The following features stand out in the horse's appearance:

• dense body with developed muscle mass;
• flat, wide back;
• short legs with strong hooves and bones, as well as developed tendons;
• short massive neck;
• disproportionately large head;
• long mane, tail and bangs.

Also among the characteristic features of the exterior of Yakut horses is a special coat, which includes a dense undercoat. It protects animals from the most severe frosts and allows them to be grazed even on snow-covered pastures.

The color of the representatives of the breed is bay, gray or brown.

Productivity

The weight of an adult Yakut stallion is 500 kg. The meat of these animals has high taste. It contains small patches of fat, which make the product softer and more tender.

The milk produced by mares of this breed is also widely used. Kumis is made from it and used in the preparation of some other dishes.

In addition to the correctly selected breed, in order to obtain large volumes of horse meat, animals also need to be provided with proper care and maintenance. Only in this case will it be possible to significantly increase the size of the horse population and reach maximum productivity levels.

The best option for keeping meat breed horses is the herd method. It involves minimal feed costs. In addition, in this case, animals gain muscle mass better. But this method is only available if there are large areas for herd grazing.

It is best in this case to have several hectares of land, which is sown with perennial vegetation. Also next to the pasture there is a stable or paddocks, the area of ​​which varies depending on the size of the herd.

In the absence of suitable pastures, exclusively stable or corral keeping methods are used. But it will be profitable only in the case of parallel use of accelerated fattening, when in addition to greens, hay and concentrates, starter combined feeds, milk replacer and other components are also used.

Reference. When using the accelerated fattening method, by 12 months a horse can gain up to 450 kg of weight.

Features of fattening

Its future meat productivity directly depends on how well the fattening of an animal is structured. To make feeding as balanced as possible and at the same time save money, when preparing a diet, take into account the following points:

• affordable budget;
• location of the horse breeding enterprise;
• availability of free pastures for grazing animals.

In terms of feeding, horses are unpretentious. The diet for such animals is based on hay in winter and green vegetation in summer. To supplement the main menu and get the most out of fattening, they also use:

• corn;
• various vegetables;
• cake;
• silage;
• sugar beet molasses;
• grain bran.

Animals must have access to plenty of clean water. Also, despite the unpretentiousness of horses, their stomach is quite unstable to various diseases of the digestive tract. Therefore, in addition to the composition of the diet, special attention is paid to proper storage of feed. They should not contain dust, dirt, or impurities. Supplies containing traces of mold or rot are also not allowed to be used.

In general, fattening lasts about 2-3 months before slaughter. Its goal is to maximize the growth of muscle mass and, as a result, increase the slaughter yield of meat.

How to feed the young?

Feeding foals requires separate consideration. Until the age of two months, the babies are fed by a mare. If during the lactation period part of the milk is taken away, already at the beginning of the second month the missing volume is replenished with milk substitutes and fresh young grass.

The animal is accustomed to concentrated feed from the third week. To do this, he is given a special porridge, which includes:

• crushed oats;
• high-quality grain bran;
• cake;
• corn (added when the baby gets used to the main composition);
• premix

In parallel, the diet also includes small amounts of legume or cereal hay.

After being weaned from the mare at the age of 2–3 months, the foal is already eating normally on its own. During this period, it is transferred to bean hay, rolled oats or barley. It is also allowed to include meal, cake, and sugar beet molasses in the diet.

In addition to the indicated products, older young animals are also fed chaff, hay and straw, and vegetables. Of the latter, potatoes and carrots are the most popular when feeding horses. For draft horses, silage is often added to the main diet.

It is worth noting that it is best to feed horses in several meals, involving small portions. This will prevent the development of stomach diseases. The duration of feeding the young depends on what kind of meat the breeder wants to get. When foals are slaughtered at the age of 8 months, the owner receives dietary and tender meat. Marbled horsemeat can be obtained from animals that have reached 2.5 years of age.

Use of prebiotics

To improve the growth of muscle mass in foals, as well as to prevent gastrointestinal diseases in them, many breeders use feed with prebiotics. The most popular among them are “Starter” and “Prestarter”. The main advantages of such food include:

• the presence of humates of divalent metals, which contribute to the normalization of intestinal microflora and metabolism;
• establishing the balance of calcium and phosphorus in the body;
• the presence of sorbents in the composition that prevent the appearance of toxicosis and bloating.

Such food consists entirely of natural ingredients. In this case, the daily dosage of supplements is calculated from the ratio of 300 g of prebiotics for every 100 kg of animal weight.

Composition and nutritional value of horse meat

The popularity of horse meat in the market is gradually growing. The reason for this is the composition of the product. It includes:

• protein – at least 15–20%;
• water – 70%;
• fats in the amount of 2–5%;
• ash - about 1%.

As for microelements, the main part of horse meat is occupied by:

• potassium;
• iron;
• sodium;
• phosphorus, etc.

Horse meat is also rich in vitamins. This composition implies a high energy value of the product. In terms of its calorie content, it is classified as medium-calorie and amounts to about 120–180 kcal for every 100 g of meat.

Important! This meat is suitable for consumption by people with vascular problems. The product also helps improve health in patients recovering from treatment for hepatitis A. During the Middle Ages, horse meat was prescribed to patients with tuberculosis, believing that such food contributed to a faster recovery.

Conclusion

Breeding beef horses can be a good source of income for a breeder. This segment of agriculture is still gaining popularity, but since there are quite a few distributors of such products, competition in it is relatively low. Moreover, if you choose the right meat breed of animals, as well as organize proper care and feeding of the animals, the benefits from such activities will more than meet the expectations of the horse farm owner.

Horses are one of the most beautiful and graceful animals. Many people attribute the ability to heal to horses. For some, it's a way to calm down while spending time riding a large, friendly creature.

People who breed horses often turn their hobby into a very profitable business.

However, horse breeding is not an easy way to make money. A business plan for horse breeding involves considerable financial and physical investments in the process. If you are not one of the “timid” people and are sure that you have enough strength, definitely go for it. The profitability of a horse riding business can reach 300%!

There is more than one way to make money from horses: the business plan involves profiting from breeding horses for sport and work, providing horses for walking, and perhaps even from breeding animals for the purpose of meat production.

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Horse Care Basics

To begin with, take your time and study the characteristics of horses, their unusual behavior, rules for the supervision and care of animals, visit other equestrian schools or stables to include in your business plan all the nuances and additional costs that you did not know about before.

If you have never dealt with horses before and are starting your business from scratch, then it would be good to draw up a clear business plan. It needs to determine the main category of clients and the type of your activity. Assess the state of the market. Although, according to statistics, there are stables in only 4% of cities with a small population.

Be prepared for the fact that preparing the animals to the point where you can make money from them will take a lot of time. So, to prepare a sports horse, you will need 5-6 years, and to prepare a racing horse, 2-3 years.

Determine the format of your enterprise: stud farm, horse rental organization, horse breeding farm, etc.

When choosing a place to organize a business, be guided by the surrounding environment; if possible, give preference to places near the forest or in the field. There it will be much easier to build a corral for horses and fence off a place for grazing animals; if you are going to breed them, then this is an additional saving on feed. You also need to build pens for animals, sheds for storing food, premises for working staff, and a locker room for visitors. If your business plan includes horse breeding, then consider building an indoor arena.

To make your business more successful, when buying horses, give preference to breeding animals. Be sure to use a good veterinarian when choosing animals. If you are planning to seriously get into the horse business, you definitely need a “personal” livestock specialist who will be your assistant and adviser in most matters. He will help you decide on regular suppliers of feed and sawdust, and will also advise you on a number of other issues.

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The most popular ways to make money on horses

A business plan for breeding and selling thoroughbred horses is very profitable. Animals from Belgium, Germany and Holland are especially valued. It’s no secret that such a business requires huge investments, but if you really want it, you can find worthy investors. A living example is the Ukrainian horse farm, located on 12 hectares of land. The founders of this business managed to attract investors who invested about seven million dollars at the initial stage of implementing the business plan.

The equestrian club also brings in serious income. This business plan involves making money by teaching horse riding and renting trained horses. According to the latest data, horse rental costs 600-800 rubles per hour, and horse riding lessons - from 1,300 per hour. If you decide to earn money in this way, then you will have to seriously try to recruit staff, choosing highly qualified people who have extensive experience in communicating with animals.

According to many stable owners, a dozen thoroughbred horses can bring in a profit of about 3 million rubles a year. Of course, horses require huge investments: to build a high-quality plant for breeding and keeping horses, you may need about 20-40 million rubles. But considering that the calculation made above provided for the horse’s workload for 3 hours a day, and the working day for 8-10 hours, it is quite possible to assume that the payback time for a horse farm will be about 2 years, or even less.

Its full payback occurs in at least several years (the maximum period is up to fifteen years). And then in the most favorable cases. Most of the modern stud farms in our country are unprofitable enterprises. All this scares off entrepreneurs, so small business in the field of horse breeding is very poorly developed. As a rule, private horse breeding and horse clubs are classified as “businesses for amateurs.” This means that you shouldn’t expect a lot of money from such activities, but, nevertheless, you can get a small income and, most importantly, pleasure from work.

One of the most difficult and expensive business options in this industry is horse breeding. The purposes for which these animals are raised directly depend on the breed. All breeds of domestic horses can be divided into two main types - riding and heavyweight. Saddle or riding horses are used for riding. They are more popular and are of greatest interest for breeding. Heavies are massive and durable animals that are usually used in agriculture or for transporting heavy loads. A good purebred horse can cost as much as an expensive sports car. So it is not surprising that breeding pedigree animals is not a cheap pleasure. The number of breeding plants, not counting small horse breeding farms, in our country is several dozen. However, it is very difficult (if, in general, impossible) to estimate the volume of this market more accurately, since most thoroughbred horses are sold at auctions, and therefore their prices will vary significantly. The livestock of large breeding farms in Russia numbers no more than 350-400 animals. Moreover, about a third of them are breeding dams and stud stallions. More than half of domestic horses, according to the Russian Research Institute of Horse Breeding, are sold at Western auctions. The number of domestic sales is significantly lower than these indicators.

Entrepreneurs often buy young racing horses (usually imported), which they subsequently train and exhibit in tournaments. The more often a horse participates in races and wins, the higher its price will be. Animals with a large number of victories are sold at auctions, where their price can rise by several thousand dollars at once. Organizing an auction in itself is profitable, since an application to participate in it costs a little less than $1000 (of course, we are talking about large international auctions). In addition, the organizer receives another 10% of the amount received for the sold horse.

The cost of maintaining one horse is 1000-3000 dollars per month. This amount includes feeding, training, veterinary care, care... In addition, to improve the line during breeding, the uterus must be periodically covered by foreign stud stallions, which entails additional costs (payments to the stallion owner, transportation, paperwork, etc. .). At the same time, the horse breeding industry is not supported by the state. And it will be problematic to get a bank loan for such a business. Investors view horse breeding as a risky area, since it is impossible to calculate in advance or plan anything. Good animals are very expensive, and it is impossible to insure them against all risks.

Horses can be bred for two main purposes - for the further sale of animals or for the provision of various services (in addition, horses are also bred for meat, but this option is not considered here). In the first case, foals are purchased, feed is purchased, and pastures are rented. The animals are raised for two to four years and then sold. The issue of organizing “sales” deserves special attention. Expensive breeding horses of elite breeds are usually sold through auctions. The greatest demand is for animals of sporting breeds, which are purchased for participation in various races, as well as recreational breeds, which are used in tourism.

In order to breed horses, you need to have a lot of knowledge and experience in this field. If you don’t have any, then you will have to hire a specialist (livestock specialist) with the appropriate salary, or even better, seek advice from specialists from the All-Russian Research Institute of Horse Breeding, who will give recommendations on the successful development of your equestrian business. However, you can also educate yourself. Moreover, in our country there are even specialized courses that teach how to build effective business models, the intricacies of creating horse farms in accordance with modern technologies and rules, the basics of selecting breeding stock, qualified personnel, and modern technologies for raising young animals.

A significant expense item is the construction of the necessary structures. These include a stable, a parade ground for walking horses, and outbuildings for storing tools and feed. Ideally, the land should be your property, but the plot can also be rented. In addition, you can rent an existing stable. A stable is a place for keeping horses. As a rule, it consists of one building, divided into sections separate for each horse, which are called stalls and stalls. A stable can consist of several rooms: a fodder room, an inventory room, a harness room (tack room), a room for attendants, a platform for a water tank (still), if there is no water supply to the building, a room for testing the semen of stallions (if there is no artificial insemination station), a room for washing animals, room with solarium. Of course, in most stables many of these areas do not exist at all or are located outside the horse paddock. Horses are afraid of the cold, so the building must be frost-resistant and must retain heat inside. The width of the stable building depends on the location of the animals in it, and the length depends on the number of horses. If the horses are placed in a single row along the wall after placing the stalls, then a corridor two meters wide must be provided. The minimum length of stalls is three meters, and the total width of the stable is 4.5 meters. The length per horse should be about 1.5 linear meters, if the stalls are not separated from each other in any way. Up to 1.5 meters per horse is allowed if animals are separated by overhead rollers or solid partitions.

Experts recommend making stalls of equal width and length (thus, there are almost three meters for each horse in the stall). They house the most expensive animals, sick animals, foals, pregnant women before foaling, etc. The height of the building where horses are kept should not exceed 3.5 meters (3 meters is best). From a practical point of view, it is better to make the floor in the stable adobe. It doesn't dry out horses' hooves and is fairly easy to repair. The floor in each individual stall should have a slope towards the animal's hind legs to allow urine to drain (on average, it is 6 cm, but not more than 9 cm). To clean the stables from manure, special windows are provided in the rear wall of the building. Doors must be strong and close well. The stable building must be well ventilated (without creating drafts, which are very dangerous for horses). In summer, windows are sufficient for ventilation, which usually occupy about an eighth of the stable area. Each window, approximately 1 meter by 0.7 meters, should open inward and be equipped with fly screens and mats to protect against direct sunlight.

On the territory of your farm there will also be utility rooms, a place for storing feed and for workers to rest. In addition to the area for buildings and walking, it is desirable to have your own pasture where animals will graze in the summer. Horses prefer green feed, hay, vegetables, fruits and grains.

If you seriously decide to breed horses, then you should not skimp on personnel who will work directly with animals. In addition, carefully select the most reliable suppliers of quality feed and sawdust. Experts also advise concluding a contract for veterinary services with a well-established specialist. All this will help save a lot of money and protect animals.

Many stud farms offer potential clients the opportunity to rent any horse for a long period of time. The temporary owner of the animal can visit his pet, care for it and feed it. Often he is provided with additional bonuses, for example, discounts on riding lessons. From a legal point of view, the horse still belongs to the stud farm, however, the long-term lease option can significantly reduce the cost of maintaining the animal, which, as mentioned above, is very high (especially considering that preparing one horse for subsequent sale can take from three up to six years old).

Another additional (or even main) source of income is organizing your own riding club. Renting one horse costs over 1,200 rubles per hour. The exact amount depends on the region. You will have to pay another 2500-3000 rubles for the help of an instructor. Classes cost less on weekdays, and are usually less expensive on weekends. In addition to regular classes, riding clubs and schools offer additional courses (for example, steeplechase riding or elegant riding training). In this case, the cost of an hour of classes can reach 9-10 thousand rubles. Each school sets its own prices, but with proper promotion and a favorable location of the club, it can generate considerable income, amounting to several million a year (these figures are given by the owner of one equestrian club for a dozen horses).

Horse breeding as a separate branch of livestock farming is a complex and expensive occupation. Most entrepreneurs consider it either as an expansion of an existing business of a similar profile (for example, a poultry or sheep farm), or as an independent direction in the presence of free and free space (half a hectare per animal) and labor. Many breeding farms and stud farms in our country did not survive the crisis of 2009-2010 and went bankrupt. Those farms that survived were mainly those that were engaged in breeding sports breeds of horses.

The construction of a horse breeding complex can cost tens of millions of dollars. In order for such a significant investment to pay off as quickly as possible, it is necessary to have regular customers and an excellent reputation in our country and abroad. In this case, the profitability of such an enterprise reaches 300%! A stud farm is a simpler and faster payback project. If you have a large area and qualified personnel, you can take on other horses for maintenance, which brings considerable profit.

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1. Introduction
2. Horse.
3. Digestive system of the horse.
4. Feeding foals.
5. Fattening horses. Broiler horse
6. Prebiotic feed.
7. Prebiotic feed production technology

Introduction.

The horse has been used for meat since humans domesticated the animal. For the peoples who inhabited the steppe and semi-desert lands, it was very convenient when the horse, as potential food, was always nearby. Whether it was military operations, or whether it was simple cattle breeding, the herd was always nearby, and the horse was like a “live can.”

Time passed and many steppe lands became degraded due to overexploitation of pastures. Currently, this is clearly visible in China, Inner Mongolia, in the floodplains of rivers - the load on the soil, due to the increase in livestock tens of times, has led pastures to sharp degradation, some lands have already turned into desert. That is why we are considering stable technology for fattening horses for meat. This is not the raising of racehorses or horse-drawn horses, but the accelerated production of pure horse meat within one year, in the same way as bull calves are fattened. In this case, the production of horse meat becomes a profitable business with high profitability.

Breeds of horses for meat production

The main breeds of horses for meat production include local breeds that were formed under the influence of artificial and natural selection in conditions close to natural: Kazakh type Jabe, Bashkir, Altai, Buryat, Tuvan, Yakut, as well as Kushum, steppe type Kustanai and massive type Novokyrgyz breeds that are bred in herd conditions. In addition to these breeds, in the beef horse breeding areas there is a small number of horses - Kyrgyz, Khakass, Minusinsk, Narym and Ob breeds.

In terms of meat productivity, many local horse breeds are not inferior to cattle, their slaughter yield with good fatness reaches 56-62%, the yield of pulp in the carcass is 75-82%. Each of these breeds has its own history and differs in appearance, development, live weight and carcass yield. For example, a Yakut horse is kept on pasture all year round, in the open air, receiving minor feeding during the most difficult periods of tebenevka. In the harsh northern conditions, this breed developed such valuable qualities as high meat productivity (live weight 400 - 450 kg, slaughter yield - 50-55%, bone content in the carcass - 13.2%), the ability to quickly fatten, produce extreme climate of full-fledged offspring. In conditions of stable keeping, horses of heavy breeds (live weight 600-800 kg, slaughter yield 54-62%), their crossbreeds on a local basis (live weight 480-520 kg, slaughter yield 54-58%) have high meat qualities.

Horse - it is a herbivore with a single-chambered stomach. A monochamber stomach means that horses do not have a stomach divided into many compartments, like cattle. Instead, the horse has a simple stomach that works similar to a human stomach. The term "herbivore" means that horses eat only plant material. The horse's digestive tract is unique in that it first digests portions of food with the help of acid and enzymes in its anterior part (pharynx, esophagus, stomach and duodenum), then ferments in the posterior part.

The horse's digestive system indeed, it should be considered as consisting of two sections. The first section is similar to the prececal digestive system of monogastric animals such as the dog, human or pig. The second section looks more like a cow's rumen. The cow benefits because bacterial breakdown of fiber-containing foods occurs early in the gastrointestinal tract and absorption of nutrients can then occur throughout the intestine. Dietary protein is not used effectively because bacterial fermentation destroys it and some carbohydrates.

In horses, unlike ruminants, bacterial fermentation occurs after the “one-chamber” section, and not before it.

Mouth. Horses grasp food using a combination of their lips, tongue, and teeth. When it comes to food consumption, a horse's lips become extremely tactile. Food is mixed in the mouth with saliva to moisten the bolus, which can then be easily swallowed. Three pairs of glands produce saliva - the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands. Horses produce between 20 and 80 liters of saliva per day. Saliva contains bicarbonate, which stores and preserves amino acids in the highly acidic stomach. Saliva will also contain small amounts of amylase, which helps digest carbohydrates.

A horse's mouth has 36 teeth (mares) and 40 (stallions). Wolf teeth are not included because not all horses have them. The horse's upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw, which allows for a fairly complex chewing movement. The chewing action of a horse is a gathering (raking) action that combines both horizontal movements, forward and backward, and vertical movements. This allows food to be effectively chewed and mixed with saliva to start the digestive process. The texture of the food we feed a horse has a significant effect on the amount of chewing (continuous jaw movements) and swallowing. The average horse generally makes 60,000 jaw movements per day when grazing. This number drops significantly when the horse is stabled and fed large amounts of grain.

Esophagus. It is a simple muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. In an adult horse, the esophagus is approximately 1.5 m long. Since the esophagus is quite long and the horse has a very weak ability to regurgitate (backflow), improperly chewed large pieces of food such as carrots can become stuck in the esophagus and cause choking. That's why It is important to keep your horse's teeth in good condition so that they chew the food sufficiently, just as they stop swallowing food without chewing. By adding straw to the feed, or placing a brick or large rock in the feeder, we help slow the horse's rate of food consumption and reduce the risk of choking due to ingestion.

Stomach. The horse's stomach is small compared to the animal's size, accounting for only 10% of the digestive system's capacity, or 9-15 liters in volume. A horse's natural feeding pattern is to eat small amounts of roughage, but often. Domestication made its own adjustments to this. Now, in order to fit into our lifestyle, horses are forced to consume large amounts of grain once or twice a day. This circumstance seriously undermines the horse’s digestive abilities and its health. It has been proven that we can improve the efficiency of a horse's digestive system by feeding small amounts of food frequently (similar to herding), but labor costs come into play on the other side of the scale.

In the stomach, food is mixed with pepsin (an enzyme for digesting proteins) and hydrochloric acid to break down solid particles. The speed at which food passes through the stomach varies greatly depending on the type of feeding. The passage time can be 15 minutes if the horse eats a large amount of feed. If a horse is fasting, it may take 24 hours for the stomach to empty.

The stomach is divided into three main parts: the cecum, the fundic part (related to the bottom of the organ) and the pyloric part (related to the pylorus of the stomach). Each part is quite unique in its structure and functioning. The blind sac is located at the entrance to the stomach, at the junction with the esophagus. When food enters the stomach, it is exposed to hydrochloric acid and pepsin, an enzyme that digests protein.

Moreover, such food (especially if it is mainly grass) already releases soluble sugars for absorption and bacterial fermentation to produce lactic acid. Under normal conditions, once hydrochloric acid is mixed with food, the pH level drops and fermentation slows and eventually stops. This is an important process - if this did not occur and fermentation continued, the relatively inelastic stomach with a fixed volume would very quickly fill with gas, and due to the small ability to relieve pressure through the esophagus, the result could be gastric colic, or in extreme situations, rupture of the lining stomach.

As food moves further through the stomach, it enters the fundus. The pH level drops to about 5.4 and fermentation begins to stop. Pepsin and stomach acid initiate the digestion and breakdown of lipids (fats) and proteins (amino acids). The final part of the stomach is the pyloric part, where the stomach connects to the small intestine. Level The pH drops to 2.6, which eliminates all fermentable lactobacilli. Proteolytic activity (protein digestion) in this part is 15-20 times higher than in the fundic part.

Changes in horse feeding principles have resulted in long periods of time when the horse's stomach is essentially empty. The mixture of food and saliva mixes with the acid secreted in the stomach. When the horse's stomach is empty, the acid destroys the unprotected squamous cells of the cecum sac of the stomach. This causes ulceration of the lining of the stomach. Gastric ulcers affect the horse's appetite, behavior and performance. Feeding horses mostly roughage, frequent small meals, and a constant supply of water will significantly reduce the frequency and danger of stomach ulcers.

Small intestine. Food follows from the stomach to the small intestine. The small intestine makes up approximately 28% of the horse's digestive tract, its length is 15-22 m, its volume is 55-70 liters. This is an essential part of the digestion of modern horses. The small intestine consists of three sections: the duodenum, the small intestine (jejunum), and the ileum.

Horse saliva contains very little amylase, and in most horses only a small portion of the actual digestion occurs in the stomach. Most digestion therefore occurs in the small and large intestines. Although the intestine itself secretes some emylase, the pancreas secretes much more. In the small intestine, digestive processes (enzymatic breakdown of proteins, fats, starches and sugars) are similar to those in monogastric animals, but the activity of some enzymes in the chyme (food gruel in the intestines), in particular amylase, is lower than in monogastric animals .

Many components take part in this digestive process. Pancreatic enzymes help digest food, carbohydrase digests sugars and starches; protease breaks down proteins into amino acids; lipase and bile from the liver are added to emulsify (break into small particles) the fats and retain the fat in the water. Bile constantly flows into the small intestine from the liver because the horse does not have a gallbladder to store the bile.

Pancreatic juice also contains some alkalis and bicarbonates, which create a protective zone (pH) for acidic food (bolus) leaving the stomach and help maintain an optimal environment for digestive enzymes to function.

After food is digested, it is absorbed through the walls of the small intestine and carried through the bloodstream to those cells that need nutrients. Approximately 30-60% of carbohydrate digestion and absorption and almost all amino acid absorption occurs in the small intestine. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are absorbed in the small intestine, as are some micronutrients such as calcium and some phosphorus. Therefore food processing in ETR extruders(deep saccharification of carbohydrates), significantly increases the digestibility of feed in the small intestine by up to 90%. This reduces the load on the large intestine and can reduce the risk of overload (overcrowding) of the digestive tract and diseases of colic, laminitis and acidosis (disturbance of the acid-base state in the body).

Food can even take 30 to 60 minutes to pass through the small intestine, since most food moves at a speed of about 30 cm per minute. However, it typically takes 3-4 hours for food to pass through the small intestine. The faster food passes through the small intestine, the less time the enzymes have to act. Adding oil to a horse's diet slows the flow of food through the small intestine, thus allowing more time for digestive enzymes to process starches, proteins and fats, and therefore increasing the digestibility of these nutrients throughout the tract and maximizing the efficiency of digestion in the small intestine.

Horses are very prone to colic or death from toxic substances in the feed. Unlike cows, which have bacteria in their rumen that can neutralize toxic substances before they reach the small intestine, toxic substances that a horse may eat enter the intestines and are absorbed into the bloodstream before they can be neutralized. Therefore, it is extremely important to feed horses with disinfected feed, which is processed in ETR extruders, where the temperature in the reactor part reaches 120-170 degrees Celsius and probiotic feed is produced, which will be discussed at the end of the horse fattening technology.

Urea is a cattle feed additive that can be used in the rumen to produce protein. Horses cannot consume this feed additive because it is absorbed in the small intestine before reaching the cecum where it could be used. Urea can be toxic to horses, but they can tolerate the levels added to most cattle feeds.

Microbial proteins, which are synthesized in the large intestine, cannot be used by horses in significant quantities. This means that animals with high protein requirements (foals, lactating mares and possibly horses in intensive training) should be fed high quality protein that can be broken down and absorbed primarily in the small intestine. In a practical sense, this does not mean that we must necessarily increase the crude protein content of our horses' diets, but rather improve its quality. Or process it in ETP extruders, where the protein undergoes hydrolysis to produce peptides and a mixture of amino acids.

Colon. The hindgut, or large intestine, to which it usually refers, consists of the cecum, large (or ascending) colon, small colon, rectum and anus. This is where most of the digestion takes place. The large intestine includes 62% of the entire gastrointestinal tract, its length is approximately 7 meters, and its volume is 140-150 liters. Digestion in the large intestine is more bacterial than enzymatic. Digestion is carried out by billions of symbiotic bacteria that effectively break down plant fiber and undigested starch into simple components called volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which can be absorbed through the intestinal wall.

Compared to the digestive tract of ruminants, horses are not as well adapted to digest grass-based foods, which are high in crude fiber and low in protein, carbohydrates, starches and fats. However, much more than people or pigs!

Cecum. The cecum is a hidden pouch, about 1.2 m long, which can contain approximately 28-36 liters of food and liquid. The cecum is a microbial inoculation reservoir similar to the rumen of cows. The bacteria break down feed that is not digested in the small intestine, especially roughage such as hay or pasture grass.

The cecum is unusual in its design: its entrance and exit are at the top of the organ. This means that food comes in from above, is mixed throughout the area and then pushed to the top. This design causes problems if the animal eats a lot of dry food without the required amount of water, or when there is a rapid change in diet. Both can cause a hardening at the lower end of the cecum, which in turn causes pain (colic). The microflora of the cecum is specific to those foods that it can digest. In order to adapt to the new diet and resume normal functioning, the microflora of the cecum may take up to 2-3 weeks. Food sits in the cecum for about seven hours, giving bacteria time to begin breaking it down using enzymatic processes. Bacteria produce vitamin K, B vitamins, proteins and fatty acids.

Large (ascending) colon. The ascending colon consists of the right and left ventral colons and the dorsal colon, about 3-3.5 m long, and holds 86 liters. Bacterial digestion (fermentation) continues, and most of the nutrients resulting from bacterial fermentation are absorbed here, as well as B vitamins produced by bacteria, some trace elements and phosphorus. The ventral colons have a pouch-like structure, resembling a series of pouches.

This design facilitates the digestion of a large volume of fibrous materials (fiber), but at the same time is a large risk factor for the occurrence of colic. The bags can easily become twisted and filled with gas due to the fermentation of the food. Food can travel here no longer than seven hours and remain here for 48-65 hours.

Small colon, rectum and anus

The small colon is about the same length as the large colon, but its diameter is about 10 cm. At this point, the vast majority of the nutrients have already been absorbed, and what is left cannot be absorbed or used by the horse. The main function of the small colon is to take excess moisture and return it to the body. This leads to the formation of fecal pellets. These fecal pellets, which are undigested and largely undigested portions of what was eaten about 36 to 72 hours ago, then pass into the rectum and are expelled through the anus as poop.

Feeding and maintenance of weanlings.

It is known that the most critical year is the first year of foals’ lives, especially the first months. At this age, the most intensive growth and development of foals occurs. At an early age, the foal's body is more plastic and susceptible to changes under the influence of feeding and housing conditions than in the second and subsequent years of life. However, care for raising a foal should begin even earlier, during its uterine development.

By increasing the nutritional value of a pregnant mare, you can have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of the fetus and thereby change and improve the quality of the future newborn foal. Foals born from mares that received adequate feed rations and were kept in good conditions are larger, stronger and, most importantly, develop much better after birth than foals from mothers who were in worse feeding and housing conditions before foaling.

Most of the foal's postnatal growth occurs in its first year of life. Thus, after the first three months of life, the height of the foal at the withers, as well as the girth of the pastern, already reach 74-75% of the values ​​of these measurements in adult racing and trotting horses; at the age of six months, the height of the foal at the withers is already 82-83% of the corresponding measurement of an adult horse. The use of prebiotic feed allows foals at 1 year to reach the size and weight of adult horses of 400-450 kg.

During the first three weeks, the foal feeds only on its mother’s milk and suckles very often, every 30 minutes to 1 hour, and in the first month sometimes more often. From day 3 you can add milk replacer to your diet. After two to three weeks, the prebiotic food “Prestarter” is added to the feeding. During the first month, the average daily weight gain of foals of trotting breeds reaches 1.3-1.7 kg, foals of heavy breeds - 1.7-2.2 kg or more. Foals accustomed to feeding early not only develop faster, but also tolerate weaning and the transition to completely independent feeding easier and better. The amount of feeding is determined depending on the mother's milk production, breed, breeding value, size and individual qualities of the foal. Approximately in the second month of life, the suckling is given 1 kg of Prestarter daily, in the third month - 1.5-2.5 kg, in the fourth month - 2.0-3.5 kg, etc.

The foal is gradually accustomed to eating “Prestarter”, starting from 100-200 g per day in such a way that each dacha is completely eaten. If the feeding does not exceed 2 kg, it is usually fed in two doses in equal parts, and above this amount - in three doses. Foals get used to hay themselves, eating it with their mothers, you just need to make sure that it is good, without mold, without rot.

Weaning a foal from its mother is a very important moment in its life. By the time of planned weaning, the foal should be fully prepared for independent life without a mother. Typically, when the foal is healthy and has almost completed its first molt, it is weaned from its mother by six months of age. The most common practice nowadays is to wean breeding foals at 6-7 months of age and non-breeding foals no earlier than 4-6 months.

Foals should be weaned from their mothers immediately, in one go; in this case, a group of foals, more or less identical in terms of birth and development, are separated from the uterus and are not allowed to meet them until the foals are completely weaned from their mothers.

During the day, feed should be given to weanlings in at least four doses, since their stomach capacity is small; Under their mothers they are accustomed to eating little but often. The diet should consist of concentrated feed for 55-60% of its total nutritional value. However, as foals age, the amount of roughage in the diet should be gradually increased. Particular attention should be paid to the quality of hay and its composition.

With the transfer of weanlings to stall housing, special care should be taken to ensure the completeness of feed rations, for which farms must have a varied range of feeds and, first of all, good cereal and legume hay, prebiotic feeds. During the stall period, weanlings (aged from 6 to 12 months) are fed per day: hay from 4 to 6 kg, prebiotic feed up to 5-7 kg.

When foals are kept in stalls, the skin of foals inevitably becomes dirty, and particles of the upper stratum corneum (dandruff) also peel off from it. Contaminated skin cannot perform its functions normally, and skin diseases can easily appear. Therefore, the foal should be cleaned with a brush, and especially contaminated areas should be washed with water. Cleaning is also useful as a body massage. It is necessary to accustom foals to brushing while they are still under the uterus. The foal should be brushed carefully so that it is pleasant for him. Particular attention should be paid to cleaning during the molting period. Shedding occurs even before weaning; it causes the foal to itch and need to scratch.

Group housing of foals. As in other branches of livestock farming, positive results here are achieved by the transition from stall housing of weaned foals and yearlings to group housing. In particular, labor costs for caring for foals when kept in groups are reduced by approximately 25% compared to labor costs when keeping them in stalls. In addition, with group housing in a stable, approximately 25% more foals can be accommodated than when they are kept in stalls. With the new method of keeping foals of the same sex and age in enlarged stall stalls, foals of the same sex and age are placed in groups of 10-20 animals. At least 5-6 m2 should be allocated for one foal, and for foals of older and larger breeds - 7-8 m2 (air volume 25-30 m3).

For group housing of foals in the stables, stall partitions are removed and the entire interior is divided into sections. Each section has a separate exit to the paddock at the stables. Adjacent sections are connected by passages. The gate in the stable should be such that a hay cart or a bulldozer can freely enter the section to clear the room of manure. When clearing manure with a bulldozer, the partitions between the sections are removed. Lifting wall feeders are installed in sections; they are raised as litter accumulates.

When keeping foals in groups, it is important to ensure that some of the strongest and most pugnacious foals do not offend the weaker ones, especially during feeding. During the feeding of concentrates, the first ones should be tied so that they cannot eat someone else's portion of food. The system of group housing of foals should be more widely introduced into practice.

Fattening horses. Broiler horse.

For rapid fattening of horses, probiotic feeds such as milk replacer and Prestarter are used. "Starter". During fattening, horses must be kept in a dry, bright, well-ventilated room and given daily exercise in the fresh air. Fattening horses for meat lasts 8-12 months, when the horse reaches a weight of 400-450 kg. Horses of special meat breeds fatten better. They have a long body, a wide back with relatively short and moderately bony limbs.

The meat of horse breeds is distinguished by its high calorie content, marbling, and special taste. The weight of foals when prebiotic feed is used at 5.5-6 months of age is 200-230 kilograms, or on average 50% percent of the weight of adult mares. A horse can reach full weight by 12 months, the meat yield from the carcass is 55-58%.

To increase the fat content of meat at the age of 10 months, replace the ordinary prebiotic food with “Starter”. Prebiotic feeds are rationed according to the animal feeding guide, and it is necessary to take into account the animal’s breed and age. The use of prebiotic feeds ensures the constant presence of water in close proximity. To activate water, see the “Aqua-stimulus” section on our website, as well as the water treatment device for farms and livestock complexes “Mountain Potok” - this is the only device in the Russian Federation that uses the cavitation-magnetic effect to activate water.

Acceleration of fattening is achieved due to the fact that the foal develops the functional properties of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and gastrointestinal microflora in the shortest possible time. This is facilitated by the fact that extruded prebiotic feeds have a digestibility that is 30-40% higher than conventional concentrates. For the development of microflora, highly chopped hay is included in the prebiotic feed, which is extruded under pressure of up to 60 atm. and temperatures up to 170 degrees, releases part of the lignin from its composition in the form of humic acids and salts, the hay particle itself becomes a sorbent with a high specific surface area. The specific surface area of ​​prebiotic feed particles in the foal's intestines exceeds the intestinal area for the development of microflora by tens of times. At the same time, the feed contains humic substances at this moment, and they are stimulators of microflora growth. The foal's body receives all the necessary nutrients and vitamins in a shorter time, so the rate of muscle mass building is 30-40% higher than with regular feeding.

Prebiotic feed

These are multifunctional prebiotic feeds of the new generation “Prestarter”, “Starter”, which are used for raising foals using the “Broiler Horse” technology:

• Prebiotic food contains substances, carbohydrates, that are not digested in the stomach, but are food for the intestinal microflora.
• It is a stimulator of life processes and the development of microflora in the gastrointestinal tract; it contains humates of divalent metals, which are processed throughout the gastrointestinal tract.
• An accelerator of enzymatic processes, since its presence creates a huge specific surface area, several tens of times larger than the surface of the intestine, for nutrition and accelerated development of microflora; humic stimulant substances also contribute to this.
• This is a sorbent that is produced using the latest technology in the process of producing prebiotics from ligno-cutin substances in hay or straw. It belongs to the filled sorbents, as it contains polysaccharides that are digested in the intestines of the animal and release the sorbent, which collects gases and toxic substances in its pores.
• Anti-stress - prebiotic food works as an anti-stress drug, it contains calcium salts of various organic acids, including humic acids, a set of amino acids produced during the extrusion of protein substances (hydrolysis process). The absorption of calcium is facilitated by the balance of phosphorus, as well as the accelerated growth of microflora in the animal’s gastrointestinal tract, which during its digestion provides vitamins B, C, D, E, K. It is known that the absorption of its microflora in an animal is 20-25%, and digestibility of own microflora - 85%.
• Prebiotic feed is a sterile feed that prevents mycotoxicosis during feed digestion and helps to unlock the genetic potential of a productive animal.

The accelerated technology of growing “Broiler Horse” using extruded prebiotic feed provides for fattening horses within 12 months to a weight of 400-450 kg. Unlike the technology for fattening bulls, horses are also fed hay.

Recipe for complete prebiotic food "Prestarter" for foals from 2 weeks to 2 months.

			Rye	Barley	Rapeseed cake	Meat and bone meal	Hay is chopped	Salt	Monocalcium phosphate
Metabolic energy
Dry matter
Crude protein
Cellulose
Crude fat
Manganese
Vitamin D-thousand
Vitamin E
Table salt.

Recipe for Whole Milk Substitute

			Rye	Barley	Rapeseed cake	Oats		Meat and bone meal	Hay sown	Salt	Monocalcium phosphate
Metabolic energy
Dry matter
Crude protein
Cellulose
Crude fat
Methionine+cystine
Tryptophan
Manganese
Vitamin D-thousand
Vitamin E
Table salt.

Recipe for complete prebiotic food “Starter” for foals from 2 to 6 months

			Rye	Barley	Rapeseed cake	Meat and bone meal	Meadow hay	Salt	Monocalcium phosphate
Metabolic energy
Dry matter
Crude protein
Cellulose
Crude fat
Manganese
Vitamin D-thousand
Vitamin E
Table salt.

Recipe complete regular prebiotic feed for foals from 6 to 12 months.

Rye

Barley

Rapeseed cake

Oats

Meat and bone meal

Hay sown

Salt

Monocalcium phosphate

Actual(kg)

Metabolic energy

Dry matter

Crude protein

Cellulose

Crude fat

Methionine+cystine

Tryptophan

Manganese

Vitamin D-thousand

Vitamin E

Table salt.

Technology for the production of complete prebiotic feeds “prestarter” and “starter”, milk replacer.

Hay in rolls is fed into the IRS - a roll straw (hay) chopper, or manually into the IM-200 crusher, or into the “Shmel”. The hay is crushed to a size of no more than 1-10 mm and enters the SSh-2 mixer (twin-screw mixer). Grain or grain mixture is fed into the mixer through the crusher; later, cake and vitamins are supplied; tricalcium phosphate is introduced through the mixer pocket. The mixture is mixed during feeding and then unloaded into a storage hopper above the ETR extruder; from the storage hopper the feed mixture enters the extruder. Extrusion occurs at a temperature of 120-170 degrees Celsius and a pressure of up to 60 atmospheres. Then, the resulting prebiotic feed is sent to the feed shop or animal feeders. This technology uses the SSh-2 mixer, it allows you to mix coarse fibers with grain, while mixing does not lead to natural separation, stratification of the mixture and clogging of the augers; mixing occurs evenly throughout the entire volume of the mixer, which speeds up the mixing process by 3-4 times. The uniqueness of the technology is that the ETR extruder processes coarse fibers with grain (the only one in Russia), which makes it possible to obtain cheap prebiotic feed, reduce the cost of feed and increase the speed of raising horses.

For sale, prebiotic feeds can be positioned as premixes and sold at existing prices in the region for such premixes.

To prepare the work “Technology of fattening horses “Broiler Horse”” the following materials were used:

1. Horse breeding and horse use. Ed. prof. V. O. Vitta. M., Kolos Publishing House, 1964. 383 p. (Textbooks and studies, manuals for higher agricultural schools and institutions).
2. Materials from the sites hygain.com.au and zooclub.ru

Kira Stoletova

Animal husbandry, namely horse breeding as a business, is one of the most amazing activities. Powerful and very intelligent cattle were domesticated many centuries ago. Humanity used horses in agricultural work, as a means of transportation, and also obtained various raw materials from them. The ability to properly fatten and raise stallions can be turned into a very solid source of income. Whether horse breeding as a business is profitable or not must be looked at based on the capabilities of the farmer himself.

Even a small farm with the right approach will not remain at a loss. Breeding horses is a difficult and very expensive craft. Any competent calculation is primarily based on a detailed business diagram. The main goal of a business scheme is to determine the benefits of investing money in a project. With its help, you can determine what the starting investment should be, what difficulties may arise, and what are the options for eliminating them. Breeding horses for meat must pay off; for this you need to find sales points and supply them with high-quality products, which must be checked periodically.

Farming costs

The costs of running your own household include a number of things, including:

• purchase (rent) of a plot of land;
• purchase of livestock;
• construction of a stable;
• fattening animals;
• salary of staff (workers).

Registration of this type of activity is inexpensive, since such a business does not require any additional licenses. You can acquire a plot of land if you are registered as a legal entity. Also, the plot can be partially or fully rented if the budget is limited or if suddenly the horseback riding business does not work out at first. A very important point for opening a real beef horse breeding is the selection of personnel.

Both professional grooms and simple handymen will be useful in this matter. Also, to carry out regular preventive examinations, treatment and vaccinations of horses, you will need the help of a veterinarian. At the very beginning, investing in future meat from a horse may require several tens of millions of rubles. However, if you accurately and competently build a business plan and spend your budget economically, the level of income will be high: it can reach up to 300%. If events develop successfully, then the costs will be justified in 5-7 years.

Earning options

As a production activity, horse breeding has several ways of implementation. The bulk of the funds must be invested in areas that bring the greatest wealth. What is usually chosen as the main direction? Livestock breeding. If you breed and then sell thoroughbred stallions and mares, you can ensure high income for yourself. You can also breed horses for meat. Insignificant costs to provide livestock make this direction very attractive and promising.

The cost of feed is usually much lower than the income received from selling horse meat. But in this case, any farmer should know how to fatten his horses for meat. To do this, professional breeders and stud farms have a table according to which fattening is carried out, depending on the age and condition of the animal.

The business of breeding different breeds of horses can also involve training. We are talking about such areas as riding school and hippotherapy. Often, city residents are ready to learn horse riding, as well as take part in various developmental activities, for which they happily pay.

Many owners try to combine several directions. Most options for realizing profit can be both main and auxiliary. It depends on what angle you look at the situation from.

Another option for doing business on horses is animals for rent. This involves riding and caring for the animal on the part of those who rent the horse. Sometimes it happens that a person becomes imbued with feelings for a particular horse and eventually buys it back.

Many owners love to leave their animals in nearby stalls. You can also sell accessories. By selling products designed for caring for livestock and for riding, you can provide an additional flow of customers.

When choosing a development path, it is necessary to take into account the location of the business site. Typically, developmental and therapeutic activities are preferred by representatives of large cities. Walking and horseback riding with a group is very popular in resort areas. Places with a grazing area are ideal for beef horse breeding.

Buying horses

The horse meat business will be profitable if you choose the right breed. Thoroughbred animals are the key to valuable meat and good performance in horse racing. The goal of horse breeding with the aim of selling meat is to breed and fatten horses of meat breeds. If the business is based on breeding horses for meat, then it is recommended to immediately buy purebred animals with a good pedigree. Such animals produce more meat with better taste characteristics. Thanks to such an acquisition, the return on investment increases.

To start meat production, you need to calculate everything before purchasing horses and evaluate the productivity of a particular breed. Each breed has its own nuances both in breeding and feeding; you need to understand that such a profitable horse business requires effort and a lot of work. At the beginning, it is difficult to understand which breed to choose, whether it will be profitable or not. Farmers have many concerns about this. In this case, you can consult with other breeders, chat on the forum, watch photos and videos of the breed you like.

Choosing a horse breed

The horses have a massive build, a wide back and short legs. In Russia, many breeds have been bred that are raised specifically for meat, which include, for example:

• Yakutskaya;
• Kazakh;
• Novoaltayskaya.

It is more profitable to give preference to the breed that is adapted to a particular environment, where fattening is easiest to produce. Such animals are not too demanding, are resistant to various viruses, and quickly gain weight. At home, these breeds of horses reproduce better and are considered not so whimsical.

Meat characteristics

Horse meat is dense, veiny meat that is dark red in color. In terms of satiety, it is similar to beef, and the composition of this meat includes 5% fat, 23% protein and 70% water. The back part is considered the most delicious, while the neck and peritoneum produce fattier pieces. The classification of horse meat does not have strict standards; it is usually divided into 2 groups: marbled (has the highest percentage of fat content and is taken from adult animals 3-5 years old) and dietary (meat of foals whose age reaches 1.5-2 years).

Horse meat gained the greatest popularity among nationalities whose lifestyle was nomadic (Kazakhstan, Tatarstan, Kyrgyzstan).

As for Europe, horse meat is mixed with various sausages, but its pure form is not particularly welcome. Thanks to it, deli meats become more elastic and have a special taste. But Muslims do not recognize horse meat for food use at all, although there is no strict ban on it. It is extremely important to remember: agricultural labor negatively affects the weight growth and meat characteristics of horses, so it will not be possible to obtain both nutritious meat and a good worker at the same time.

Rural business #4. In pursuit of the Tatar heavy truck

Horses as a business idea

Horse business (Yenisei Minusinsk)

Raising horses in pastures and stables

In the herd

Horses are herbivores; pasture vegetation is best suited for their diet. Nutritious perennials are added to the grass to improve the characteristics of the green mass. To survive cold periods, stalls or pens for herds are built near pastures. These buildings must be provided with a supply of water, feed and salt. To raise horses in a herd, you need to draw up a detailed plan, as this is a rather complicated method for a novice farmer.

In the stall

To increase profits from horse breeding, animals are fattened and kept in stables. The building is designed in such a way that from 6 to 10 square meters are allocated for one animal. m. Heating in the stables is not necessary, but the horses should be provided with high-quality thermal insulation and protection from drafts. For the starting stage, the purchase of expensive automatic equipment (feeders, drinkers) is not necessary: ​​over time, materials can be purchased. However, it is extremely important that the livestock is always well fed and kept clean.

Before purchasing animals and expensive equipment, you should draw up a business plan and calculate possible costs and profits.

Which is more profitable?

Pasture maintenance pays for itself within 1-3 years. Horse meat is a very tasty and dense meat, but it is a little tough. Due to its low fat level, it has dietary properties. When bred in a stable, horses gain weight faster, and the meat turns out to be fattier and more tender. Despite the high costs of providing animals with food, the efficiency of this type of breeding is more profitable.

Basic principles of fattening

The quality of feed used to feed horses must be exceptionally good. On an industrial scale, horse breeding is a difficult task: these animals are finicky and demanding of food. To breed them, you need high-quality food without possible solid additives (thorns, mold). This also applies to home breeding.

Feed composition

• The diet mainly includes grass and hay. They are enriched with many components that serve to gain live weight.
• Barley, oats, clover serve to store energy, which allows you to gain live weight.
• Green feed and ready-made vitamin supplements supply the animal with vitamins.
• For better digestion, bran is introduced into the diet.
• A horse needs about 1 kg of rock salt per month, but mineral supplements are an excellent substitute.

The meat yield with proper feeding is as follows: horses reach a weight of 400-450 kg if they are kept on pasture. Usually these animals are slaughtered at three years of age, or at most at five years of age. From the carcass you can get 56-62% high-calorie meat. Pulp yield - 80%.

Prebiotics

Today, modern technologies are used for faster fattening. Prebiotic feed is included in the diet along with hay. Unlike standard mixtures, they are digested 30-40% better, which contributes to faster muscle growth. Prebiotic feeds improve the utilization of the body’s internal resources:

• serve to stimulate the vital functions of the body and microflora;
• lead to neutralization of toxic components;
• accelerate fermentation processes.

At six months of age, the weight of foals reaches up to 200 kg, and at one year old the animals weigh about 400 kg. Some species are capable of reaching 600-800 kg. After slaughtering this type of livestock, the meat yield is 54-62%.

Thanks to accelerated fattening, horse breeding is considered to be the same effective activity as cattle breeding. It is extremely important to promptly request advice from specialists on the proper feeding of horses. You especially need to be careful in the period before slaughter. The order of proper nutrition is based on the conditions of detention, the state of health and the breed of horses. It is necessary to choose proven feed suppliers who will be responsible for the quality of the animals.

Extraction and sale of horse meat

Preparation for the winter

Usually the slaughter of horses begins just before winter. For 3-4 months before slaughter, the animals are intensively fed: in addition to the daily diet, corn, turnips, and carrots are added. Animals begin to gain weight rapidly, resulting in an increase in meat yield. This is also beneficial because, due to the reduction in livestock numbers in winter, the remaining livestock will need less feed. In addition, during cold periods of the year, storing meat is much more convenient.

Nomadic tribes passed on their knowledge about the proper killing of horses from father to son. Having previously tied up the horse, they cut its neck. Most often, cutting work was done on the ground, which made the meat dirty. Today, in production, an animal is immobilized by a powerful blow to the head or by a discharge of electricity. After this they do the cutting. The greatest benefit can be expected when slaughtering a meat horse, but sometimes sport or used draft animals are sold for meat.

Sales

Horse meat is sold through retail trade; it is first sent to meat processing plants frozen or chilled. In medical institutions and sanatoriums, dietary meat from young stallions is used. One of the most effective investment options is the acquisition of a personal sausage production workshop.

Conclusion

A horse requires very careful care, but animal husbandry is more than interesting. On the one hand, horse meat breeding dictates its own requirements, which state how to properly fatten, care and slaughter, but on the other hand, such a business can bring great profits, as well as delight in communication with graceful and amazing animals.

Beginning businessmen may be put off by the high cost of the venture, but the start-up capital will begin to pay off within a couple of years, thanks to taking into account the characteristics of the area chosen for breeding and a flexible approach