LOL, I wonder how they set up the story.
I can imagine the horses - once used to the schedule - start chowing down once the hooves hit the green stuff
In the original study, they measured the weight of the dry matter in the manure as a metric for how much grass they ate.
I think that, each time they started a schedule, they gave the horses a few days to get used to it before they started measuring the manure.
Watching our own horses 24/7 graze, they take a bite here, another there, as they walk around, move each other here and there, stand for a bit looking at the scenery, are not that interested in chowing down.
When horses are in part time and out not as much and/or at irregular times, they seem to stick their heads down to graze and hardly come up for air for a while.
Maybe it is the intensity of grazing in the same time what different turnout programs may change?
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Here are a couple of studies that looked at grazing rates:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251595569_Effect_of_Restricted_Grazing_on_Dry_Matter_Intake_Rate#pf6 (full text available for free)
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“The results of the present study support the hypothesis that restricting pasture access increases pasture [dry matter intake rate (DMIR)]. These results are in agreement with a previous report showing DMIR during the first 4 hours of grazing was 67% greater than that of the consecutive 4-hour grazing period.”
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“The results of the present study support the hypothesis that accelerated pasture DMI associated with restricted grazing alters hindgut microbial fermentation, as seen by the significantly higher fecal pH values in the 24-hourtreatment.”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S073708061100387X (full text behind paywall)
- Results summarized in the first linked study as follows: “Dowler et al. reported that dry matter intake rate (DMIR) does not remain constant within an 8-hour grazing bout. The DMIR was accelerated in the first 4 hours of grazing versus the second 4 hours of grazing. This initial accelerated DMIR allowed horses to consume approximately 55% of their daily maintenance dietary energy (DE) requirements in the first 4 hours of grazing.”
Completely non scientific but in spring/summer conditions we can keep my air fern in shape with 6 hours of grazing. It probably does help that this 6 hours is the only time he gets to be with our other horse so there is a good amount of crazy gelding playtime.
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That’s very interesting. Thank you for sharing.
I wonder what the impact / damage is to the pasture relative to 24/7 turnout vs 12 hrs etc… thinking about damage from hoof traffic
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I have plentiful pasture and air ferns who would blossom to the size of Yankee stadium if allowed.
Summer; 12 hrs in the pasture at night, 12 in stall with small hay ration.
Winter; Daylight out grazing, dark in stall with better hay ration.
Summer pasture is managed to less than luscious. No hard feed.
Stall in daytime also protects horse’s coat, and flies can be controlled.
