Web Presentation

Broodmare Nutrition

by Dr. John Shelle, PhD | Michigan State University
Recorded on December 6, 2007

After your mare is pregnant what do you do next? Most novice breeders have a great deal of concern about the nutritional program that the mare requires to deliver a healthy foal. In this web presentation, we will show you that it is not as difficult as you might guess.

It is important to provide all of the nutrients necessary to provide for the maintenance of the mare and the development of the foal, but most of the changes in nutrient requirements occur in the last trimester of pregnancy. If good quality feeds are used, feeding the brood mare is not as overwhelming as the novice may think.

Presenter Info:
Dr. Shelle grew up in the rural community of Hudson, MI, as the oldest boy in a family of 14 children. He was active in the horse and livestock industry from a very early age. This led him to enroll at Michigan State University and earn his BS degree in Animal Husbandry in 1973. He then managed the Horse Center at MSU for 12 years while doing graduate work. Dr. Shelle received his M.S. degree in Animal Husbandry in 1980 and his Ph.D. in 1984 in Animal Science at Michigan State University. In 1984 he was hired in a 100% teaching appointment by Michigan State to develop the Horse Program in the Department of Animal Science. He started the 2-year Institute of Agricultural Technology Horse Management Program and began to develop the BS program in Animal Science with an emphasis in horses in 1984. The program enrollment has grown to 50 students in the 2-year program and over 175 students in the BS program.

Dr. Shelle presently teaches 6 courses in the Animal Science, advises 90 undergraduates and serves on 4 graduate committees. The horse faculty has grown from 1 faculty position to 6 positions at the present time. He presently serves as Faculty Coordinator for the Horse Teaching and Research Center, is the Horse Section Coordinator with oversight responsibilities for the teaching, extension and research activities of this group. He is also the Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Animal Science.

Dr. Shelle has been involved in all major departmental curricular developments, and has served as the Chairperson of the Department Curriculum Committee on several occasions. Dr. Shelle obtained the rank of full professor in 1995 and is currently a member of the American Society of Animal Science, Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society, National Horse Judging Team Coaches Association, Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society (chapter president 1998-99), and Sigma Xi.

View Presentation Recording

Go back to Web Presentation main page

My Horse University is a national program located on the campus of Michigan State University and founded by the MSU Department of Animal Science, MSU Extension and MSU Global.