A stallion’s fertility, health, and performance rely on carefully balanced nutrition. The right diet supports sperm production, libido, and body condition, while also contributing to long-term reproductive success.

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Feeding the Breeding Stallion

The Importance of Stallion Nutrition in Breeding Performance

A breeding stallion’s diet must go beyond maintenance requirements, as covering activity significantly increases energy demands. Proper feeding also plays a role in temperament management, ensuring the stallion remains healthy, trainable, and capable of sustaining fertility across the season.

Energy Intake and Weight Management in Breeding Stallions

Maintaining an ideal body condition year-round is essential. Calorie requirements can vary greatly between stallions depending on:

• Individual metabolism and activity levels
• Number of coverings during the season
• Age, breed, and temperament

Obesity in stallions can predispose them to laminitis, insulin resistance, and hindlimb lameness due to increased strain during breeding. Regular body fat scoring helps detect subtle changes in condition before they become problematic.

Concentrate Feeding for Stallions

Concentrate rations must be tailored to individual needs:

• Laid-back stallions may thrive on forage alone, requiring only a stud balancer to provide vitamins, minerals, quality protein, and antioxidants.
• Stressed or highly strung stallions often lose weight quickly and may require higher-calorie feeds. In such cases, selecting energy sources is critical.

Reducing starch and incorporating digestible fibres (such as beet pulp or alfalfa) and oil helps to maintain a calm and trainable temperament while meeting calorie needs without compromising fertility.

Antioxidants and Fertility Support - the Role of Vitamin E in Stallion Fertility

Supplementing with natural vitamin E has been shown to:

• Improve libido and sperm quality
• Increase total sperm output, concentration, and motility
• Reduce DNA fragmentation within sperm cells

Feeding vitamin E during the covering season is recommended for all stallions, particularly those with known fertility concerns.

Essential Fatty Acids and Reproductive Health

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are critical components of semen, influencing motility, cold shock sensitivity, and fertilisation capacity. Research shows that omega-3 supplementation can:

• Increase total, progressive, and rapid sperm motility
• Double sperm concentration compared to non-supplemented stallions
• Improve motility in frozen-thawed semen
• Enhance coat shine, benefitting stallion presentation

Fibre Sources for Sustainable Energy

Super fibres such as soya, alfalfa, and beet pulp are highly digestible (60–80% more than traditional fibres). These provide energy equivalent to cereal grains but without increasing the risks of digestive, metabolic, or muscular issues.

Conclusion: Feeding Strategies for Breeding Stallions

Feeding breeding stallions requires a strategic approach that balances energy, fertility-supporting nutrients, and temperament management. By tailoring diets with antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and digestible fibre sources, stallions can maintain optimal reproductive health and performance throughout the season. Pair this with the optimum diet for a broodmare (link to linking blog) as well as the perfect feeding programme for a growing foal (link to relevant blog) and ensuring optimum health and well being within your breeding programme may be easier than you think.