Dietary supplements for horses are products added to a horse's diet to provide additional nutrients that may not be sufficiently available in their regular feed. These supplements can include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbal compounds. They are used to address specific nutritional needs, support general health, or enhance performance and recovery. Common types of supplements include those targeting joint health, digestive support, and hoof condition. The efficacy and safety of these supplements can vary, and their use often requires careful consideration of the horse's overall diet and health status. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the composition, usage, and impact of dietary supplements on equine nutrition and health.
Sklan D, Donoghue S.1. Serum and intracellular distribution of retinol was determined in equines maintained on four levels of vitamin A intake. 2. The form of retinol transported in serum was determined by gel filtration and chromatography to be a complex of retinol bound to a protein of molecular weight (MW) of approximately 20000, which was in turn complexed probably with prealbumin to yield a complex with a MW of 75000 to 80000. 3. Increasing dietary vitamin A levels enhanced the concentration of lipoprotein-bound retinyl esters in the plasma. 4. Vitamin A in the liver cytosol was found predominantly as retiny...
McKenzie RA, Gartner RJ, Blaney BJ, Glanville RJ.A supplement system for the control of equine nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (NSH) was evaluated on 4 farms in the Arcadia Valley of the Queensland brigalow region. Thirty-three local stock horses (of which 13 had clinical NSH and 7 were recent introductions) were grazed on buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) for the 6 months from September 1979 to February 1980. Each horse was fed 1.0 kg of a mixture of ground limestone plus dicalcium phosphate (1:2) in 1.5 kg molasses each week. The pasture was hazardous during this time (total oxalate content above 0.5% and calcium: oxalate ratio be...
Ott EA, Asquith RL, Feaster JP.Forty-six Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse yearlings were used in two experiments designed to determine the amount of lysine in the concentrate necessary to promote maximum growth when fed the Coastal bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay provided at 1% body weight (BW)/day. In the first experiment, a 196-day trial, supplemental protein sources and analyses of the concentrates compared were: (1) soybean meal (SBM; 15.4% crude protein, .70% lysine); (2) SBM + .2% lysine (15.7% crude protein, .81% lysine), and (3) brewers dried grains + .2% lysine (15.9% crude protein, .59% lysine). Concentrate inta...
Hintz HF, Kallfelz FA.The effects of overfeeding, calcium-phosphorus imbalance, misuse of supplements and false advertising on equine nutrition are discussed. Overfeeding is known to cause disorders in several species but, although a similar relationship has been suggested on clinical evidence, no controlled trials on horses have been reported. It has also been suggested that overfeeding is a problem only for those horses with a genetic predisposition to skeletal problems. The importance of adequate calcium and phosphorus levels has been known for many years but severe cases of calcium deficiency still occur. Clien...
Allison MJ, Cook HM.Rates of oxalate degradation by microbes in gastrointestinal contents from rabbits, guinea pigs, swine and a horse increased after additional of oxalate to diets. A similar response was previously observed with ruminal microbes from cattle and sheep. Bacterial that utilize oxalate for growth appear to be selected by increased levels of dietary oxalate.
Donoghue S, Kronfeld DS, Berkowitz SJ, Copp RL.Four diets were fed to pony fillies for 40 weeks. One group received a basal diet low in carotene, designated mildly deficient. Other groups were fed basal diet plus vitamin A propionate equivalent to 12 (control), 1,200 (mildly intoxicated) or 12,000 (severely intoxicated) microgram retinol/kg body weight/day. The mildly deficient group exhibited impairment of growth and hematopoiesis with decreased serum concentrations of iron, albumin and cholesterol prior to depletion of liver vitamin A. Growth was depressed in mildly intoxicated and severely intoxicated fillies. The latter became debilita...
Cymbaluk NF, Schryver HF, Hintz HF.The effects of copper intake on stable copper and 64Cu metabolism and on the excretory pathways of absorbed copper were examined in ponies. Bile and feces collected from two bile duct-cannulated ponies following an intravenous dose of 64Cu showed that bile was the main route of endogenous copper excretion. Stable copper and 64Cu metabolism were examined in three intact ponies fed dietary copper to provide 5.6, 16.6 and 25.7 mg Cu/100 kg body weight/day. The amount of copper excreted in urine was not influenced by dietary treatment. Stable copper absorption and 64Cu retention significantly incr...
Cymbaluk NF, Schryver HF, Hintz HF, Smith DF, Lowe JE.The effects of molybdenum ingestion on copper metabolism were investigated in bile duct-cannulated ponies fed diets containing 1.01, 27.4 and 107.3 ppm molybdenum. Copper metabolism was assessed by examination of 64Cu and stable copper excretion in feces, bile and urine. The addition of molybdenum to the diet decreased copper absorption and retention as a consequence of increased excretion of dietary copper in feces and increased excretion of absorbed copper in bile. Only 5% or less of the absorbed copper was excreted in urine regardless of dietary treatment. Biliary molybdenum excretion was o...
Hambleton PL, Slade LM, Hamar DW, Kienholz EW, Lewis LD.Four isocaloric diets containing 4, 8, 12 and 16% dietary fat (as soybean oil) were fed to four horses at four intervals according to a Latin square design. After 3 weeks of conditioning at each interval, diet effects were evaluated by trotting all horses at 3.2 m/sec for 6 hours. Pre- and posttrotting responses were measured in muscle and liver glycogen, serum long-chain fatty acids, serum electrolytes, serum enzymes, serum cholesterol, plasma glucose, packed cell volume and hemoglobin. Dietary fat was highly correlated with exercise-induced plasma glucose changes and with cholesterol concent...
Schryver HF, Hintz HF, Lowe JE.Absorption excretion and tissue distribution of stable Zn and 65Zn in mature ponies were studied in three experiments. In the first experiment, the metabolism of stable, dietary Zn and intravenously administered 65Zn was studied in three ponies in a 3 X 3 Latin square design. The ponies were fed a corn and beet pulp diet containing 35 mg Zn/kg or the same diet with 250 or 520 mg of supplemental Zn as ZnO. The ponies absorbed and retained more stable Zn when fed 250 mg of supplemental Zn that when fed the basal diet alone or the basal diet plus 520 mg of supplemental Zn. The ponies retained mor...
Maylin GA, Rubin DS, Lein DH.A survey of selenium and vitamin E concentrations in horses was conducted at four breeding farms in New York. There were no significant changes in mean blood selenium concentrations in horses at the three sampling dates whereas vitamin E concentrations underwent seasonal fluctuations. The mean blood selenium concentration in this survey for horses fed local feed was 7.7 microgram/dl. Horses fed commercial feed had a mean blood selenium concentration of 15.6 microgram/dl. A 0.94 correlation coefficient was found between blood glutatione peroxidase activity and blood selenium concentrations in h...
Swartzman JA, Hintz HF, Schryver HF.The effects of dietary oxalic acid on absorption, excretion, and retention of calcium was determined in Shetland ponies in 2 experiments. In each experiment, the results of feeding a control diet consisting of oats, molasses, and a complete pelleted horse ration were compared with those of feeding the control diet plus 1% oxalic acid. The diets contained 0.6% calcium in the 1st experiment and 0.45% calcium in the 2nd experiment. Oxalic acid increased the fecal excretion of calcium and decreased calcium absorption. The endogenous fecal excretion of calcium determined in the 1st experiment, usin...
Stevens CE.The rate of digesta marker passage through the large intestine of the dog, pig, and pony correlated with the relative length and degree of sacculation of the colon. Volatile fatty acids (VFA), the end products of microbial digestion of all forms of carbohydrate, were the major anions present in large intestinal contents of all three species. Total VFA concentration was little affected by the feeding of high-versus low-fiber diets. VFA were rapidly transported across colonic mucosa of all three species. Results of comparative studies indicate that production and absorption of VFA are important ...
Butler KD, Hintz HF.A pelleted ration was fed limited or ad libitum to two groups of seven Shetland 8-month-old ponies for 117 days. During the last 56 days, gelatin was added to the diets of four animals in each of the two intake groups. Gelatin was added at levels of 30 and 90 g per 100 kg body weight for the first and second 28-day periods, respectively.
Ponies fed the diet ad libitum consumed 180% more feed, had 50% greater rate of hoof growth (.384 ± .009 vs .254 ± .008 mm/d), 200% greater increase in height at the withers and 425% greater increase in body weight than ponies fed the limited level. The h...
Reitnour CM, Salsbury RL.Protein digestion, nitrogen retention, plasma protein, plasma urea, and plasma-free amino acids were determined for ponies fed 3 different protein supplements. Substitution of casein, corn gluten meal, or corn gluten meal plus lysine for a portion of the cornstarch in a low-protein basal ration increased apparent digestion of protein. Substitution with either casein or corn gluten meal plus lysine produced a significant increase (P less than 0.05) in nitrogen retention, whereas the corn gluten meal substitution did not. Nitrogen retention, expressed as percentage of nitrogen absorbed, was incr...
Harrington DD.1. The effects of feeding with a purified magnesium-deficient diet (--Mg, 7-8 mg Mg/kg) on horse foal blood serum and tissue concentrations of Mg, calcium and phosphorus were studied, and the results compared with histopathological findings. 2. Serum concentrations of Ca and P were unaffected by feeding with the --Mg diet, whereas serum Mg concentrations decreased from a mean initial (day o) concentration of 0.78 mmol/l to 0.53 mmol/l 7 d after foals were placed on the -Mg diet, and then continued to decrease at a slower rate. 3. Aorta concentrations of Ca and P, but not Mg, were positively co...
Van der Merwe JA.The revised NRC's Nutrient Requirements of Horses is changing the outlook on equine nutrition, dominated for so long by the traditional belief in oats. This has lead to the need for properly balanced diets, in the compounding of which dietary cubes offer the distinct advantage of providing a standardized diet of constant quality in keeping with modern knowledge. Additional factors are: longer storage, freedom from dust, palatability, refractoriness to mould infection, and facilitation of routine feeding. Cube size and hardness are important considerations for the manufacturer. Horses appear to...
McKenzie EC, Valberg SJ, Godden SM, Pagan JD, MacLeay JM, Geor RJ, Carlson GP.To determine the effect of dietary starch, bicarbonate, and fat content on metabolic responses and serum creatine kinase (CK) activity in exercising Thoroughbreds with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER), 5 RER horses were fed 3 isocaloric diets (28.8 Mcal/d [120.5 MJ/d]) for 3 weeks in a crossover design and exercised for 30 minutes on a treadmill 5 days/wk. On the last day of each diet, an incremental standardized exercise test (SET) was performed. The starch diet contained 40% digestible energy (DE) as starch and 5% as fat: the bicarbonate-starch diet was identical but was supplemente...
Brinsko SP, Varner DD, Love CC, Blanchard TL, Day BC, Wilson ME.Eight stallions were used in 2 x 2 crossover study to determine if feeding a nutriceutical rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) would improve semen quality. Stallions were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (n = 4 per group). Stallions were fed their normal diet (control) or their normal diet top-dressed with 250 g of a DHA-enriched nutriceutical. Feeding trials lasted for 14 week, after which a 14-week washout period was allowed and the treatment groups were reversed for another 14 week feeding trial. Feeding the nutriceutical resulted in a three-fold increase in semen DHA levels ...
Cota LO, Júnior OS, Oliveira APL, Paz CFR, Maróstica TP, Duarte PC, Leme FOP, Faleiros RR.Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a common condition in horses with gastrointestinal disorders. If not prevented or controlled, SIRS promotes multiple organ dysfunctions that may culminate in serious disabilities or even death. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lithothamnion supplementation on systemic inflammatory response and organ function variables in horses undergoing oligofructose overload (OFO) intake. Twelve healthy horses were randomly divided into control and treated groups. The treated group received Lithothamnion (100 mg/kg bw PO BID) for 7 ...
Lawrence L.The National Research Council (NRC) published the Recommended Nutrient Allowances for Horses in 1949. The subsequent publication was renamed the Nutrient Requirements of Horses and the 6th revised edition was published in 2007. The document has increased in size and scope from the initial publication in 1949 that contained 29 pages to the most recent version with 341 pages. Several formats for expressing requirements (dietary concentrations or daily amounts) have been utilized. In addition, a variety of methods have been employed to determine the nutrient requirements of horses since 1949. Man...
Morris DD, Henry MM, Moore JN, Fischer K.In laboratory animals, the incorporation of alpha linolenic acid or other n-3 series fatty acids into the diet results in marked changes in cell membrane composition as well as arachidonic acid metabolism. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether endotoxin-induced thromboxane A2 (TxA2) and/or prostacyclin (PGI2) production by equine peritoneal macrophages was altered by feeding horses a diet containing 8% linseed oil as a source of alpha linolenic acid for 8 weeks. Peritoneal macrophages were cultured in vitro in the presence of endotoxin (LPS) (0.5-500 ng/ml) or calcium ionop...
Gencoglu H, Orhan C, Sahin E, Sahin K.OA is quite common in companion animals, especially in large breed dogs and horses. Collagen, the most abundant protein of mammals, has specific connective tissue types for skin, bones, reticulate, basal lamina, bones, cell surfaces, while type II collagen (UC-II) forms the main structure of cartilage tissue. Even at the smaller dosages, UC-II has also been reported to be more effective than the glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements, which are the supplements most frequently used in the market. In this review, we summarize the effects of UC-II on joint health and function in health a...
Nogradi N, Couetil LL, Messick J, Stochelski MA, Burgess JR.Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) may benefit humans and animals with chronic inflammatory diseases. Objective: Omega-3 PUFA supplementation improves clinical signs, lung function, and airway inflammation in horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) and inflammatory airway disease (IAD). Methods: Eight research horses and 35 client-owned horses. Methods: A pilot study examined the dose of PUFA that can alter plasma PUFA composition. Then, a randomized, controlled clinical trial was performed in horses with RAO and IAD. Horses were fed a complete pelleted diet with no hay and rando...
Fayt J, Dotreppe O, Hornick JL, Istasse L.Spelt is a covered cereal with large glumellas. In experiment 1, it has been compared in terms of chemical composition with barley, oat and maize. Spelt is characterized by rather low protein and ether extract (EE) contents. The neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content of spelt was slightly higher than that of oat but the acid detergent fibre (ADF) content was lower. Two compound feedstuffs were fed along with hay to six horses used in a cross-over design. Both diets were well appreciated by the horses and there were no significant differences in the apparent digestibility coefficients, except fo...
Pearson RA, Archibald RF, Muirhead RH.Four donkeys and four ponies were fed molassed dehydrated alfalfa or oat straw, either ad libitum or restricted to about 70% ad libitum intake in a Latin-square design for four periods of 21 d. Measurements of apparent digestibility and gastrointestinal transit time were made on the last 7 d of each period. When the forages were provided ad libitum, all animals ate significantly more of the alfalfa than of the oat straw. Ponies consumed significantly more of both diets per unit live weight than donkeys. Higher apparent digestibilities of dietary DM, energy and fibre fractions were seen in donk...
Morrison PK, Newbold CJ, Jones E, Worgan HJ, Grove-White DH, Dugdale AH, Barfoot C, Harris PA, Argo CM.Bacteria residing in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals are crucial for the digestion of dietary nutrients. Bacterial community composition is modified by age and diet in other species. Although horses are adapted to consuming fibre-based diets, high-energy, often high-starch containing feeds are increasingly used. The current study assessed the impact of age on the faecal bacteriome of ponies transitioning from a hay-based diet to a high-starch diet. Over two years, 23 Welsh Section A pony mares were evaluated (Controls, 5-15 years, n = 6/year, 12 in total; Aged, ≥19 years, n = 6 Year 1;...
García EDA, Khusro A, Pacheco EBF, Adegbeye MJ, Barbabosa-Pliego A, Lagunas BC, Salas JMC, Mateos RG, Aarti C, Elghandour MMMY.The present context was designed to investigate the efficacy of devil fish (DF; Plecostomus sp.) silage and Staphylococcus saprophyticus on fermentation characteristics as well as greenhouse gases production mitigation attributes in horses. Four levels of ensiled DF at 0 (control DF0), 6 (DF6), 12 (DF12), and 18 (DF18) % were added into the diet. Moreover, three doses of S. saprophyticus (0, 1, and 3 mL/g dry matter [DM]) were used for in vitro fecal fermentation. The use of ensiled DF resulted in increased (P < .0001) pH during fermentation. The asymptotic gas production was the highest (P...
Schryver HF, Meakim DW, Lowe JE, Williams J, Soderholm LV, Hintz HF.The effect of level of protein intake on growth and calcium metabolism was studied in 24 foals. Starting at four months old, the foals were fed one of three diets containing all nutrients, with the exception of protein, at levels recommended by the United States National Research Council Subcommittee on Horse Nutrition for a 12 month period. The protein levels in the three diets were 9 per cent (low protein) 14 per cent (NRC recommended level) and 20 per cent (high protein). The foals fed the low protein diet were changed to the high protein diet after 140 days when they were nine months old. ...
Bachmann M, Glatter M, Bochnia M, Wensch-Dorendorf M, Greef JM, Breves G, Zeyner A.Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin may modulate hindgut fermentation. It was tested if digesta batch cultures taken from horses adapted to FOS and inulin show different fermentation compared with such taken from nonsupplemented horses. Six horses received 0.15 g FOS and inulin/kg body weight/d via Jerusalem artichoke meal (JAM) upon a hay-based diet; six horses received corncob meal without grains (CMG) as placebo. The horses were euthanized after 20 days. Digesta samples were taken from stomach, cecum, ventral colon ascendens (VCA), and colon transversum (CT). Digesta batch cultures we...
Burron S, Richards T, Krebs G, Trevizan L, Rankovic A, Hartwig S, Pearson W, Ma DWL, Shoveller AK.Both n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (FA) have numerous significant physiological roles for mammals. The interplay between these families of FA is of interest in companion animal nutrition due to the influence of the n-6:n-3 FA ratio on the modulation of the inflammatory response in disease management and treatment. As both human and animal diets have shifted to greater consumption of vegetable oils rich in n-6 FA, the supplementation of n-3 FA to canine, feline, and equine diets has been advocated for. Although fish oils are commonly added to supply the long-chain n-3 FA eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), ...
Kawaida MY, Maas KR, Moore TE, Reiter AS, Tillquist NM, Reed SA.To determine the effects of astaxanthin (ASTX) supplementation on the equine gut microbiota during a deconditioning-reconditioning cycle, 12 polo ponies were assigned to a control (CON; n = 6) or supplemented (ASTX; 75 mg ASTX daily orally; n = 6) group. All horses underwent a 16-week deconditioning period, with no forced exercise, followed by a 16-week reconditioning program where physical activity gradually increased. Fecal samples were obtained at the beginning of the study (Baseline), after deconditioning (PostDecon), after reconditioning (PostRecon), and 16 weeks after the ces...
Fresa K, Catandi GD, Whitcomb L, Gonzalez-Castro RA, Chicco AJ, Carnevale EM.Obesity is a complex disease associated with augmented risk of metabolic disorder development and cellular dysfunction in various species. The goal of the present study was to investigate the impacts of obesity on the metabolic health of old mares as well as test the ability of diet supplementation with either a complex blend of nutrients designed to improve equine metabolism and gastrointestinal health or L-carnitine alone to mitigate negative effects of obesity. Mares (n = 19, 17.9 ± 3.7 years) were placed into one of three group: normal-weight (NW, n = 6), obese (OB, n = 7...
Hart R, Bailey A, Farmer J, Duberstein K.Mastication is the initial phase of digestion and is crucial to equine health due to its role in saliva production and food particle reduction. Hay nets have been promoted to slow the rate of hay consumption, with many styles of slow feeders available. Limited research has shown that nets may slow consumption, but no research has examined their effect on the horse's chewing frequency and patterns. The objective of this study was to compare chew frequency (CF, total number of chews/kg consumed) and chew duration (CD, total minutes chewed/kg consumed), as well as distribution of chews over a fee...
Graham-Thiers P, Bowen K.Eight geldings weighing 544 ± 16 kg were used to evaluate feeding a postexercise protein meal on plasma amino acids during recovery. Horses were fed sweet feed, corn, grass hay and equal amounts of a protein pellet (32% CP) with meals (MP group) or postexercise (EP group). Horses exercised 1-2 h/day, 5 days/week, for 12 weeks. A pre and poststudy 4 days total urine and feces collection was conducted. Urine and fecal samples were analyzed for nitrogen (N) to calculate N balance. Blood samples were drawn immediately after and at 1 and 3 h postexercise at the start and end of the stud...
Lin J, Jing H, Wang J, Lucien-Cabaraux JF, Yang K, Liu W, Li X.The nutritional benefits of mare milk are attracting increasing consumer interest. Limited availability due to low yield poses a challenge for widespread adoption. Although lysine and threonine are often used to enhance protein synthesis and muscle mass in horses, their impact on mare milk yield and nutrient composition remains underexplored. This study investigated the effects of lysine and threonine supplementation on 24 healthy Yili mares, mares at day 30 of lactation, over a 120-day period. The mares were divided into control and three experimental groups (six mares each) under pure grazin...
Lashkari S, Beblein C, Christensen JW, Jensen SK.High-starch diets may affect equine hindgut microbiota and increase blood glucose levels, which may cause unwanted physiological changes, but may also elicit behavioural changes such as increased fear reactions. The purpose of the current study was to feed a high starch (300) and low fat (43; HS_LF) or a low starch (60) and high fat (85; LS_HF, g/kg of DM) concentrate within the available commercial range and investigate how muscle endurance and fear reactions of horses respond to different diets. Twenty Danish Warmblood stallions (4 years) were randomly allocated to two treatments: LS_HF (n...
Kerley BS, Harris P, Lea K, McClendon M, Adams AA.Forage low in nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) is recommended for insulin dysregulated (ID) horses, indicating the importance of an accurate forage analysis. However, it remains to be fully understood how handling forage samples pre-analysis impacts nutrient values. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of fresh-forage storage-handling methods: microwave-oven (MO; 9kw; 70s then stored at -20℃), room temperature (20℃), 3℃, -20℃, and -80℃. Subsamples collected from a mixed-grass pasture and a ryegrass plot were analyzed for crude protein (CP), water soluble carbohydrat...
Del Prete C, Vastolo A, Pasolini MP, Cocchia N, Montano C, Cutrignelli MI.The peripartum period constitutes a delicate physiological moment in mares showing a transient state of oxidative stress. Diet supplementation with antioxidants during pregnancy in women appears to have a beneficial effect on mother and neonate health. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of diet supplementation with a commercial product containing a mix of antioxidants (Oxyliver®, Candioli) on the length of gestation, weight, and haemato-biochemical parameters in Italian Salernitano mares and their newborn foals. Eight late-term pregnant mares were randomly divided into two group...
Malsa J, Reigner F, Riou M, Gesbert A, Guégnard F, Perrot N, Serreau D, Fleurance G, Sallé G.The increasing emergence of anthelmintic-resistant parasitic isolates prompts us to reassess the management of intestinal strongylosis in horses. Additionally, societal demand is shifting toward reducing the use of chemical treatments, aligning with environmentally-friendly practices and the exploration of natural alternatives. In this context, we provide an initial view of the antiparasitic activity and the effect on immune circulating blood cells of three commercialized plant-based feed additives in ponies. Three treatments, based either on mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), echinacea (Echinacea ...
Jacobs RD, Grum D, Trible B, Ayala DI, Karnezos TP, Gordon ME.Probiotics are commonly incorporated into equine diets to impart health and performance benefits; however, peer-reviewed evidence supporting their efficacy in horses is limited. Interestingly, bacteria from the Bacillus genus are gaining interest for their unique ability to impact metabolic, immune, and inflammatory pathways. The objective of this trial was to evaluate a selection of Bacilli for their role in altering the inflammatory response in horses to exercise. Eighteen horses were utilized in a randomized cross-over trial. Horses were randomly assigned to one of 6 starting treatments inc...
Maier I, Kienzle E.The aims of the present meta-analysis were (i) to re-evaluate the factorially calculated Ca, P and Mg requirements to replace endogenous faecal losses, taking new data into account, (ii) to identify potential differences between horses and ponies regarding requirements, apparent digestibility, serum levels and renal excretion of Ca, P and Mg and (iii) to investigate the influence of mineral sources, i.e., "inorganic" sources from added mineral salts and "organic" sources from feed plants. For P, the water solubility of "inorganic" sources was taken into consideration. Data on the aforementione...
Kwak YB, Stambler I, Yoo HH, Yoon J.Red ginseng (RG), a traditional herbal remedy, has garnered attention owing to its diverse health benefits resulting from its complex composition. However, extensive research is needed to substantiate the efficacy of RG and understand the underlying mechanisms supporting these benefits. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers and investigate the impact of RG on related metabolic pathways in horse plasma using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics. Unassigned: Ten horses were divided into control and RG groups, with the latter administered RG at a dose of ...
Springer RW, Cherry NM, Muir JP, Raub RH, Wellmann KB, Jones TN.Recent changes in legislation have put hempseed meal (Cannabis sativa L.; HSM) under consideration as a potential livestock feedstuff. Digestibility of HSM has been researched in other species, however, there are little data in horses. The study objective was to determine the in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) of HSM compared to common equine feedstuffs. An in vitro split-split plot design used four geldings (8.5 ± 3.9yr; 558.4 ± 31.0kg; 6.0 ± 0.4 BCS) to investigate the IVTD of HSM compared to alfalfa hay (ALF), Coastal Bermudagrass hay (CBH), soybean meal (SBM), rice bran pellets (RBP), a...
Giercuszkiewicz-Hecold B, Kulka M, Czopowicz M, Wilczak J, Szarska E, Strzelec K, Grzeczka A, Graczyk S, Hryniszyn A, Mularczyk M, Marycz K....Astaxanthin due to its strong antioxidant activity is believed to reduce oxidative stress and therefore is considered as feed additive in pathological conditions and also for the athletes. It is promoted by several equine web portals, however, data supporting that concept in horses is limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of astaxanthin supplementation on the parameters of oxidative status in 3 years old, racing Arabian horses during long term observation and the changes related to a single training session of high intensity. Six horses were supplemented with astaxant...
Silva RC, Coelho GJ, Sousa MBF, Caldas CS, Maciel RP, Mezzomo R, Gomes DÍ, Neta ERDS, Tavares FB, Alves KS, Oliveira LRS.In this study, we analyzed the effects of including açaí kernel, in the experimental diets fed to horses on the intake and digestibility of their nutrient and the resultant effects on the behavior of horses. The experiments were conducted in Federal Rural University of Amazonia. Five mares with no defined breeds, were allocated to five treatments (the replacement of Mombaça grass (Megathyrsus maximus) with crushed açaí kernel at 0, 18.75, 37.50, 56.25, and 75% levels of dry matter), in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. The animals were housed in covered stalls with concrete floors, equipp...
