Vallfoderproduktion i norrländskt klimat till högpresterande hästar
High-performance equine athletes have an energy requirement that often reaches twice the maintenance requirement. Horses are grazers and adapted to a grass diet, and diets high in grains and concentrates are associated with digestive upsets and behavioural disorders. It could therefore be of interest if the energy requirement of a high-performing horse could be met by forage. It is important that the forage have a high concentration of energy so that the horse is able to consume the whole amount of energy needed from the forage without exceeding the maximum voluntary intake. The purpose of this literature study was to investigate if the energy demand of a high-performance horse can be covered by forage produced under Northern Swedish climate conditions. The climate at high latitudes offer long days with relatively low temperatures during the growing season. This stimulates photosynthesis but inhibits lignification, which has a positive influence on the amount of digestible energy in the forage. The study shows that forage produced under Northern Swedish climate conditions has the potential of reaching energy values high enough to provide for high-performance horses demands.