Nutritional Value of Herbs Used in Horse Nutrition

Plants have always been a source of food for humans and farm animals. While search- ing for edible plants, early humans discovered those that relieved pain, accelerated wound healing and preserved food. Horses living in the wild used their innate instincts to independently select the plants they needed. Their diet included a variety of plants, roots, rhizomes and even bark, which were a natural source of medicinal herbs. Thanks to these plants, horses could independently find the right substances that helped them fight diseases, adjusting the doses to their needs. Nowadays, horses can be given a herbal bar to diversify their diet. Therefore, in this study, the proximate com- position, content of minerals and heavy metals in ten species of herbs were analyzed. The assessed plants were characterized by significantly different composition of macronutrients. Dandelion herb was characterized by significantly the highest content of crude protein, minerals (expressed as crude ash) and carbohydrates compared to the other herbs tested. Indeed, the highest content of crude fiber, which is an important element of the proper functioning of the digestive tract of horses, was characteristic of common yarrow and meadowsweet. Purple coneflower turned out to be the richest in macroelements, especially in terms of calcium and magnesium content, while having low sodium and potassium content. Dandelion deserves special attention as a plant with a high content of microelements with antioxidant properties (Fe, Zn and Mn). The content of Co, Cr, Mo, Pb, Cd and Ni was below the detection limit of the analytical method used in all tested herbs. The use of the tested herbal plant species in horse nutrition can enrich their diet with natural materials that can act prophylactically, reduce disease symptoms, and also provide dietary support in therapeutic treatment.