Feed Quality

Feed quality is one of the most underestimated factors in equine nutrition. A feed that meets nutritional requirements on paper but is moldy, dusty, or has deteriorated in storage won't deliver those nutrients to your horse effectively. Quality feed is fresh, smells good, looks clean, and comes from suppliers who handle it carefully. Poor-quality feed might contain mold, mycotoxins, insect damage, or excessive dust. Your horse might refuse to eat poor-quality feed entirely, or worse, might eat it and develop respiratory or digestive problems that cost you money in veterinary care.

The challenge with assessing feed quality is that the guaranteed analysis label tells you nothing about actual quality. A bag labeled with 12 percent crude protein and 10 percent fat is meeting those guarantees whether it's fresh, high-quality feed or old, moldy feed with the same components. You can't tell what's actually in a bag just by looking at a label. This means you need to develop sensory skills to assess feed quality yourself—using your eyes, nose, and hands to evaluate whether the feed is actually what it claims to be.

Feed quality starts with the manufacturer's practices and storage conditions during the distribution chain. A company that purchases fresh ingredients, formulates carefully, and manufactures frequently will produce better quality feed than a company buying old ingredients or manufacturing in huge batches that sit for months before sale. The distributor's practices matter hugely. Feed stored in hot, humid warehouses in direct sunlight deteriorates faster than feed stored in cool, dry, dark conditions. The retailer where you buy matters too. A busy store that turns inventory quickly sells fresher feed than a store that stocks feed heavily and moves it slowly.

Once you bring feed home, you become responsible for maintaining quality. Feed stored improperly—exposed to weather, in damp conditions, with poor rodent control, or in containers that allow air and moisture in—deteriorates rapidly. Good storage preserves quality. Poor storage ruins feed. Many horse owners don't realize that their storage practices are compromising the quality they paid for by the time their horse eats it.

This article addresses how to assess feed quality when you're buying, what to look for to identify problems, how to maintain quality through proper storage, and when to reject feed that's compromised. Understanding feed quality helps you make sure you're getting what you paid for and that your horse is eating feed that will actually support health rather than create problems.

Quality feed delivers nutrients in forms your horse can absorb. Deteriorated feed has reduced vitamin content, degraded proteins, and potential contamination that interferes with nutrient absorption. When feed sits too long or is exposed to heat, light, or moisture, vitamins like A and E break down. These are crucial for immune function and overall health. A bag of feed might still contain the minimum vitamin levels required by the label even after deterioration, but your horse isn't actually getting the benefit because the vitamins have degraded. This is why fresh feed genuinely matters for health beyond just the labeled nutrients.

Mold and mycotoxins in feed represent a serious quality and health issue. Many kinds of mold grow in feed, particularly in humid storage conditions or after exposure to moisture. Some molds produce mycotoxins, which are toxic compounds that cause serious health problems in horses. Aflatoxins cause liver damage. Fumonisin causes neurological problems. Trichothecenes cause digestive upset and immune suppression. A horse might not refuse moldy feed, and symptoms of mycotoxin exposure can be subtle initially—poor coat, sluggish behavior, digestive upset—then worsen to serious problems like liver disease or neurological dysfunction. A horse that develops these problems while eating moldy feed has suffered real damage from poor feed quality.

Dust in feed indicates handling, storage, or aging issues. Fine dust in feed that your horse inhales can cause respiratory problems, particularly in horses predisposed to heaves or other respiratory conditions. Excessive dust also typically correlates with deteriorated feed quality generally. A little dust is normal. Dusty clouds coming out of the bag when you open it signal a problem. Horses with respiratory sensitivity might refuse dusty feed or develop coughing and respiratory distress from eating it. Some respiratory problems that seem to require veterinary treatment would resolve simply by switching to less dusty feed.

Insect damage and contamination are other quality indicators. Feed stored in conditions allowing insect infestation will have damaged grain pieces, insect presence, or insect feces. Some of this is cosmetic. Some of it affects palatability and digestibility. Serious contamination with insects or rodent droppings represents a serious health risk. Feed storage that allows rodent access is not just a feed quality issue but a health hazard. Rodent droppings can contain bacteria that cause serious digestive upset in horses.

The freshness of grain and hay components affects digestibility and nutrient availability. Freshly ground grains are more digestible than grains that have been sitting for months. Hay components in feed are better nutritionally when relatively fresh than when old. Some feed companies use hay that's been sitting in storage for extended periods, and it has lost nutritional value. Other companies use fresh hay components. This affects both the feed quality and the actual nutritional value your horse receives despite identical guaranteed analysis numbers.

Assessing feed quality begins before you buy. Smell the feed first. Good feed smells clean and pleasant—like grains and hay. Bad feed smells moldy, sour, or musty, or has an unpleasant or off smell. Trust your nose. If something smells wrong, don't buy it. Moldy smell is obvious to most people. Other off smells might be less clear, but your instinct that something is wrong is usually correct. Don't second-guess yourself thinking the bag must be fine since it came from a legitimate retailer. Legitimate retailers sometimes get bad feed too. It's on you to assess it.

Look at the feed closely. It should look clean and relatively uniform in appearance. Grain should look like grain—not discolored, not cracked excessively, not dusty. Hay pieces should look like hay—not moldy, not black, not musty-looking. Pelleted feeds should be intact, not crumbly or disintegrating. If you see obvious problems—black spots indicating mold, excessive dust, visible insects, or deterioration—reject the feed. Don't think you'll pick through it or that it's okay because only part of the bag is bad. Once feed is contaminated, you don't know how far the problem extends.

Feel the feed and check for moisture. Grain should not feel damp or sticky. Pelleted feed should not be soft or mushy. These textures indicate moisture exposure and are signs of compromised feed. Damp feed is vulnerable to mold development. Mushy pelleted feed might already have mold present. Feel the texture as you run your hand through bulk feed. It should feel dry and granular, not clumpy or stuck together. Clumping in pelleted feed indicates moisture exposure. Stuck-together grains indicate moisture or condensation.

Keep your receipt and the bag if possible. Many retailers will take back feed that's clearly problematic once you discover the problem. If your horse refuses to eat the feed, develops problems after eating it, or you discover it's moldy once you open it, you have recourse if you've kept the bag and receipt. Some feed stores will credit you or replace problematic feed. Others won't, but it doesn't hurt to try. More importantly, noting which specific bags were problematic helps you avoid buying from sources that consistently sell questionable feed.

Once you've brought quality feed home, maintain that quality through proper storage. Store feed in sealed containers that protect it from moisture, light, and pests. Galvanized trash cans with lids work well. Large plastic storage bins work. Feed stored in open bins or partially open bags deteriorates rapidly. Moisture and dust get in. Rodents find their way to open supplies. Light and air exposure break down vitamins. Sealed storage maintains freshness far longer. Store feed in a cool, dry, dark place—not in a barn where it experiences temperature swings and humidity changes. Store in a shed, garage, or storage room rather than outdoors. Stored feed lasts longest in cool temperatures.

Rotate stored feed so you use older feed before newer feed. Label containers with the feed name, type, purchase date, and expiration date. Many feeds have shelf lives—not expiration dates in the food poisoning sense, but dates after which vitamin content has degraded sufficiently that nutritional value is compromised. Don't store feed for extended periods. Grains are good for 3-6 months in good storage. Pelleted feed is good for 6-12 months depending on storage conditions. After that, vitamin degradation becomes significant even in good storage.

Senior horses have additional sensitivity to feed quality issues because their digestive systems are less efficient. A senior horse might tolerate slightly dusty or aged feed because it has to be, but dusty feed will worsen respiratory issues in older horses. Moldy feed is particularly dangerous for senior horses because their immune systems are less able to handle the challenge. If you have a senior horse with respiratory issues, feed quality becomes even more critical. Premium quality, dust-free or low-dust feed makes a real difference in a senior horse's respiratory health and overall wellbeing.

Performance horses depend on feed quality for both optimal nutrition and consistent digestion. A performance horse whose feed quality is inconsistent might have digestive upset that affects training and performance. A performance horse fed moldy or low-quality feed might develop subtle health issues that impair performance without obvious symptoms. Performance horses need consistent, high-quality feed to maintain digestive health and nutrient availability. If you're investing in a performance horse, the difference in cost between average-quality feed and premium-quality feed is typically small compared to your overall investment in the horse.

Hard keepers need high-quality feed more than easy keepers because they need maximum nutritional value from every pound they eat. A hard keeper eating low-quality feed isn't getting full nutritional value because of spoilage, degradation, or contamination. The same hard keeper eating high-quality, fresh feed might gain condition more easily. If you're struggling to keep a hard keeper in condition, feed quality might be part of the problem. Upgrade to higher-quality feed and you might see the condition improvement you've been seeking.

Easy keepers are less sensitive to modest quality issues because they tend to maintain condition despite challenges. However, an easy keeper eating poor-quality feed might refuse it, or it might cause digestion problems despite the overall easy keeper tendency. Fresh, quality feed at least ensures your easy keeper is eating well and staying healthy even if they don't need premium nutrition.

Young horses being grown and ridden need high-quality feed to support bone and tissue development. Quality feed ensures maximum nutrient availability during critical development periods. Growing horses are particularly vulnerable to mold and mycotoxins because their immune systems are still developing. Feeding a growing horse poor-quality feed puts them at higher risk for developmental problems. If you're raising a young horse, feed quality is an investment in their long-term soundness and athletic potential.

One major issue is assuming that all feed from a retail store is automatically acceptable. Retail stores buy from distributors who buy from manufacturers. Any point in that chain can have quality problems. Even reputable stores sometimes stock old feed, receive feed that got damaged in shipping, or store feed in suboptimal conditions. You can't rely on the store to guarantee quality. You have to assess it yourself.

Another issue is continuing to feed grain that has quality problems because you've already opened the bag or you're trying to use it up. If you open a bag and discover it's moldy, dusty, or smells wrong, stop feeding it. Don't try to use it up to save money. The health problems your horse might develop cost far more than the price of the bag. Don't feed questionable grain to someone else's horse either thinking it's not your problem. It is.

Many horse owners don't realize that grain dust and hay dust in stored feed can be addressed without buying new feed. Using a dust-reduction supplement or slightly dampening feed before serving can reduce dust significantly. If your horse is having respiratory issues from dusty feed, these simple solutions might help without requiring a feed switch. Some horses eat damped feed more readily anyway because it's more palatable.

Over-storing feed is a common mistake. Horse owners sometimes buy large quantities thinking they're getting a deal, then discover the stored feed has degraded before they use it. Buying enough for three months in good storage conditions is reasonable. Buying enough for six months and discovering it's broken down after three months was false economy. Store in reasonable quantities and replace as you use it.

Neglecting storage conditions is probably the most common quality issue horse owners create themselves. Brilliant feed stored in poor conditions becomes terrible feed. A shed without ventilation where temperature and humidity fluctuate creates a perfect environment for mold and degradation. A garage that gets hot in summer and receives sunlight damages vitamins and accelerates aging. Storage containers that aren't sealed let in moisture and insects. Proper storage seems like an unnecessary fuss until you open a bag three months later and discover it's moldy.

Build a relationship with a feed store where you buy regularly and feel comfortable with quality. Talk to the manager about their sourcing, storage practices, and how quickly they turn inventory. Ask how long they've been stocking certain feeds and whether they've had quality issues. Stores that are transparent about their practices and stand behind their products are worth buying from consistently. They'll also notify you of sales and help you get the best quality at reasonable prices.

Start keeping notes on the feed you buy. Write down the brand, date of purchase, bag number or lot code if available, and any quality observations. When you open the bag and your horse eats it, note whether everything was fine or if you noticed problems. Over time you'll have a record of which sources consistently provide good quality and which sometimes have issues. This information helps you make smarter purchasing decisions.

Don't be embarrassed to reject feed or take it back if it's clearly problematic. Many retailers appreciate the feedback and will replace questionable feed without argument. Some won't, but the worst they can say is no. A horse owner bringing back a bag of clearly moldy feed isn't being difficult—they're being responsible. Most retailers recognize this.

Invest in good storage containers and proper storage location if you're going to store feed for any length of time. A few garbage cans with tight lids and a dry storage location cost less than the price of replacing spoiled feed. Good storage systems protect your investment in feed and ensure your horse gets quality nutrition. It's genuinely worth the small expense.

Feed your horse consistently from the same sources when possible. If certain feed sources consistently deliver quality, keep buying from them. Some consistency in what your horse is eating is better than constantly switching to chase the cheapest option. A horse thriving on consistent feed is better off than a horse whose diet changes frequently even if that changes are all reasonable feeds. This also helps you monitor quality more easily because you know what to expect.