Omneity® Pellets
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Topic:Feeding Trial
Feeding trials in horses are controlled studies designed to evaluate the effects of different diets or nutritional strategies on equine health and performance. These trials systematically assess various dietary components, such as protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, to determine their impact on parameters like weight gain, digestive efficiency, and overall well-being. Participants in these studies may include horses of different breeds, ages, and activity levels to provide comprehensive insights. The data collected from feeding trials contribute to the development of evidence-based dietary recommendations and nutritional guidelines. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the methodologies, outcomes, and implications of feeding trials in equine nutrition.
Evacuation of sand from the equine intestine with mineral oil, with and without psyllium. The aim of this study was to determine the evacuation of sand from the equine intestine after a double treatment with psyllium and mineral oil or mineral oil only. A crossover study was conducted. Twelve healthy horses were fed 1 kg sand once a day for 5 days. Subsequently, these horses were divided into two groups: A and B. From day 6-10, both groups were treated with 2 l of mineral oil once a day and group B received an additional 0.5 kg of psyllium twice a day. The trial was repeated after 2 weeks with treatment crossover of groups A and B. The horses were housed sand free and 1.8 kg hay/10...
Mineral absorption in the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) as compared with the domestic horse. To test whether mineral recommendations for horses are likely to guarantee adequate mineral provision for black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis), we investigated the apparent absorption (aA) of macro- and microminerals in eight black rhinoceroses from three zoological institutions in a total of 32 feeding trials with total faecal collection, with additional data from three unpublished studies (18 feeding trials). Feeds and faeces were analysed for Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Co. The resulting aA coefficients, and the linear relationships of apparently absorbable dietary mineral content...
Effects of feeding sunflower oil or seal blubber oil to horses with recurrent airway obstruction. A crossover feeding trial was performed with 9 horses suffering from recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). The study aimed to determine whether ingestion of sunflower oil (SFO), rich in linoleic acid, or seal blubber oil (SBO), a source of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs), changes the fatty acid (FA) ratios in plasma and leukocyte membrane phospholipids (PLs) or the leukocyte numbers or proportions of cell types in the airways. We also investigated diet-related changes in respiratory rate, maximum change in pleural pressure (deltaPpl(max)), dynamic compliance (C(dyn)...
Fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorum) hepatotoxicosis in horses and sheep. Fourteen horses at a boarding stable in Virginia were diagnosed with hepatic disease and locally grown hay was implicated as the cause. Objective: Panicum dichotomiflorum, the predominant grass species in the hay, is hepatotoxic to horses. Methods: Naturally occurring cases were adult horses of various breeds. Two healthy adult horses and 2 healthy adult sheep were used in feeding trials. Methods: Blood and liver specimens collected from affected animals during the outbreak were analyzed. Some of the affected animals were treated supportively; the main intervention was hay withdrawal. Feeding ...
Meal size and feeding frequency influence serum leptin concentration in yearling horses. Energy is an essential nutrient for all horses, and it is especially important in performance horses, pregnant and lactating mares, and young growing horses. A negative energy balance in horses such as these may result in unsatisfactory performance, decreased fertility, or slow growth. Therefore, ensuring adequate energy intake is an important aspect of the nutritional management of the equine. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of feeding large, carbohydrate-rich, concentrate meals on the satiety-inducing hormone, leptin. Three groups of yearling horses were rotated through ...
Effect of selenium supplementation and source on the selenium status of horses. This study was conducted to determine the effect of Se supplementation and source on the Se status of horses. Eighteen 18-mo-old nonexercised horses were randomly assigned within sex to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) control (CTRL, no supplemental Se, 0.15 mg of Se/kg of total diet DM); 2) inorganic Se (INORG, CTRL + 0.45 mg of Se/kg of total diet DM from NaSeO3); or organic Se [ORG, CTRL + 0.45 mg of Se/kg of total diet DM from zinc-L-selenomethionine (Availa Se, Zinpro, Corp., Eden Prairie, MN)]. Horses were acclimated to the CTRL diet (7.1 kg of DM alfalfa hay and 1.2 kg of DM concentrate per horse ...
Effect of feeding a DHA-enriched nutriceutical on the quality of fresh, cooled and frozen stallion semen. 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 ...
The influence of calcium intake on phosphorus digestibility in mature ponies. Literature data show conflicting results on the effect of feeding high calcium (Ca) levels on phosphorus (P) digestibility in ponies. None of the studies reported involved a dose response as to the effect of Ca intake on apparent P digestibility while keeping P intake constant. Thus, the influence of high dietary Ca level on apparent P digestibility was studied in balance trials by feeding six mature ponies three different Ca levels against a constant P intake. The ponies received 148, 316 and 535 mg Ca/kg BW/day with the low, intermediate and high Ca diet. Phosphorus intake was approximately ...
Effect of diet composition and feeding pattern on the prececal digestibility of starches from diverse botanical origins measured with the mobile nylon bag technique in horses. This trial was conducted to determine the extent of prececal starch digestibility depending on the botanical origin of starch and on diet characteristics (i.e., composition and feeding pattern). The prececal disappearance of six substrates (oats, barley, corn, horse bean, potato, and wheat) was measured in four cannulated horses fed (as-fed basis) 11.8 g/kg BW of a high-fiber (HF) or high-starch (HS) pelleted feed and 10.0 g/kg BW of meadow hay using the mobile bag technique (MBT). The daily feeding pattern was either three meals (two meals of pellets and one meal of hay) or five meals (three ...
Glycemic index of cracked corn, oat groats and rolled barley in horses. Muscle glycogen synthesis depends on glucose availability. This study was undertaken to determine the glycemic and insulinemic response of horses to equal amounts of hydrolyzable carbohydrates (starch and sugar) in the form of one of three grain meals or intragastric administration of a glucose solution. In a randomized crossover design, seven horses were fed each of three grain meals (cracked corn, steamed oat groats, or rolled barley) or were infused intragastrically with glucose solution at 2 g of hydrolyzable carbohydrate (starch plus sugar) per kilogram of BW. The quantity of hydrolyzable...
Macronutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, plasma indicators of protein metabolism and mineral absorption in horses fed a ration rich in sugar beet pulp. In a cross-over study with six mature horses, the effect of iso-energetic replacement of dietary glucose by beet pulp on macronutrient digestibility, nitrogen metabolism and mineral absorption was studied. The test ration contained 25% beet pulp in the total dietary dry matter. Beet pulp feeding significantly lowered crude fat and non-structural carbohydrate digestibility, but had no significant effect on digestibility of other macronutrients, faecal and urinary nitrogen excretion and the faecal to urinary nitrogen excretion quotient. However, on the beet pulp diet, plasma ammonia and creatini...
Soybean hulls as an alternative feed for horses. Soybean hulls have been successfully fed to ruminant animals as an economical substitute for hay. This feedstuff is a source of highly digestible fiber that does not contain starch. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate soybean hulls as a replacement fiber in horse diets. Four cecally cannulated Quarter Horse geldings, aged 6 to 10 yr and averaging 502 kg, were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design with 21-d periods. Diets consisted of alfalfa/bromegrass hay (14.4% CP, 58.1% NDF, 39.1% ADF; DM basis) with the replacement of either 0, 25, 50, or 75% (as-fed basis) unpelleted soybean hulls (13...
The apparent digestibility of phytate phosphorus and the influence of supplemental phytase in horses. Availability of phytate-bound P as influenced by supplemental phytase was studied in eight horses consuming four diets in a 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment. The treatments were a control (containing a low P level, 18.4 g/d) and three high-P diets. These diets contained P as monocalcium phosphate (MCP; 43.7 g/d), myoinositol hexakisphosphate in the form of wheat and rice bran (MIHP; 41.8 g/d), or MIHP with microbial phytase (MIHPP; 42.5 g/d). The proportions of phytate-bound P were 3, 1, 55, and 56% for the control, MCP, MIHP, and MIHPP, respectively. The MIHPP diet was supplemented with 3...
Effects of feeding large amounts of grain on colonic contents and feces in horses. To assess changes in systemic hydration, concentrations of plasma electrolytes, hydration and physical properties of colonic contents and feces, and gastrointestinal transit in horses with access to large amounts of grain. Methods: 6 horses with right dorsal colon (RDC) fistulas. Methods: In a crossover design, horses were alternately fed 1 of 3 diets: orchard grass hay ad libitum after being adapted to this diet for at least 5 days, orchard grass hay ad libitum and 4.55 kg of grain offered every 12 hours after being adapted to orchard grass hay ad libitum for at least 5 days, or orchard grass...
Effects of hay intake and feeding sequence on variables in faeces and faecal water (dry matter, pH value, organic acids, ammonia, buffering capacity) of horses. To investigate effects of hay intake and feeding sequence on indicators of the microbial activity within the hindgut, six horses were fed 1.00 kg oats plus 0.50, 0.67, 0.83 or 1.00 kg hay/100 kg body weight (BW) x day, each for 14 days. Oats was offered either 30 min prior to hay (OA) or in the reversed sequence (HA) in a 2 x 8-week crossover design. Because typically exercised horses should be subjected to the study, faeces was used as substrate. Faecal dry matter (DM), the faecal waters' short-chain fatty acids (SCFA, in mmol/1) and molar percentages (mol%) of propionate and iso-butyrate wer...
Mathematical modelling of digesta passage rate, mean retention time and in vivo apparent digestibility of two different lengths of hay and big-bale grass silage in ponies. Welsh-cross pony geldings (about 300 kg live weight) were used in a 4x4 Latin square experiment to determine the rate of passage and apparent digestibility of unchopped big-bale grass silage (BBL), chopped big-bale grass silage (BBS), unchopped grass hay (HL) and chopped grass hay (HS) offered at approximately 15 g/kg live weight per d. On day 1 of collection weeks, ponies were fed 85 g ytterbium chloride hexahydrate-marked feed 1.5 h after the morning meal. Total faecal collections commenced 8 h later and continued for 168 h. Apparent digestibilities of feed DM, organic matter (OM), crude pro...
Effects of dietary flaxseed oil supplementation on equine plasma fatty acid concentrations and whole blood platelet aggregation. An 18-week feeding trial was performed to investigate the effects of an omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid-enriched ration on plasma fatty acid concentrations and platelet aggregation in healthy horses. Flaxseed oil served as the source of the n-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Twelve horses were fed dietary maintenance requirements using a complete pelleted ration (80%) and timothy grass hay (20%) for a 2-week acclimation period before being randomly assigned either to a treatment (group 1) or control (group 2) group. Group 2 horses (n = 6) were fed the diet described in the acclimation period,...
Dietary soyabean oil depresses the apparent digestibility of fibre in trotters when substituted for an iso-energetic amount of corn starch or glucose. The aim of the present study was to establish whether the inhibitory effect of fat feeding on fibre digestion has been underestimated due to the substitution of fat for corn starch. A high fat intake has been shown to lower total intestinal tract apparent digestibility of crude fibre in horses but, since fat was substituted for nonstructural carbohydrates, including starch, the specific effect of fat could not be ascertained. The possibility could not be excluded that starch also inhibits fibre digestibility, so that the fat effect observed earlier would have been underestimated. In this study...
Indirect measurement of the production of plasma triacylglycerols by horses given a high-fat diet. The hypothesis tested was that the feeding of extra fat to horses would raise the production of plasma triacylglycerols (TAG). To measure TAG secretion, the indirect Triton method was used. Six adult horses were given a low-fat control or a high-fat diet according to a crossover design. In keeping with our earlier work, the high-fat diet lowered fasting plasma TAG concentrations by an average of 42% and raised post-heparin total lipoprotein lipase activity by 79%. The rate of increase in plasma TAG concentration after Triton administration was 49% lower when the horses were fed the high-fat di...
The plasma level of triacylglycerols in horses fed high-fat diets containing either soybean oil or palm oil. The influence of dietary soybean oil versus palm oil on the plasma level of triacylglycerols was determined in a crossover experiment with four horses. Based on published data for humans and laboratory animals it was expected that a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids in the form of soybean oil compared to saturated fatty acids in the form of palm oil would lower the plasma triacylglycerol level. The feeding of soybean oil versus palm oil for a period of four weeks did not change the level of plasma triacylglycerols in horses. Mean levels of triacylglycerol, free fatty acids and 3-hydroxybuty...
Common vetch (Vicia sativa) for improving the nutrition of working equids in Campesino systems on hill slopes in Central Mexico. Campesino systems on hill slopes in Central Mexico rely on equids for multiple activities and have a problem in adequately feeding them. A participatory trial was conducted to evaluate the inclusion of common vetch in the traditional forage oat crop to improve its feeding value. An agronomic evaluation was undertaken by intersowing common vetch at 40 kg seed/ha with oats at 80-100 kg/ha in small plots, recording the yield and the chemical composition of the fresh forage in ten plots at harvest. The data were analysed as a completely random design, taking each farmer/plot as a treatment. A feed...
The apparent digestibility of fibre in trotters when dietary soybean oil is substituted for an iso-energetic amount of glucose. An attempt was made to quantify the effect of extra fat intake on fibre utilization in horses. In a 4 x 4 cross-over trial with feeding periods of 24 days each, eight mature trotting horses (age 4 to 12 years, 407 to 531 kg BW) were given four diets. The concentrates were formulated to contain either soybean oil or an iso-energetic amount of glucose or combinations of the two ingredients. The concentrates were fed in combination with the same amount of hay so that the whole diets contained 30, 50, 77 or 108 g EE/kg DM. Apart from the amounts of fat and glucose the four diets were identical. Wi...
Apparent digestibility of crude fibre in ponies fed either a low or high-protein diet. The question addressed was whether apparent crude fibre digestibility in ponies would change after lowering protein intake from adequate to borderline deficient. Four adult ponies were fed a low- and high-protein diet according to a cross-over design. The diets consisted of grass hay and concentrates and provided either 1.5 or 3.6 g digestible crude protein/kg(0.75) per day. The two whole rations provided 2.4 g crude fibre/kg body weight per day. Apparent crude fibre digestibility was not affected by protein intake (low-protein diet: 42.9 +/- 4.03%; high-protein diet: 38.1 +/- 1.14%, means +/-...
Alkanes as internal markers to estimate digestibility of hay or hay plus concentrate diets in horses. Dry matter intake (DMI), dry matter digestibility (DMD), and fecal output (FO) are difficult to measure directly in the field, and indirect methods using external and internal markers have thus been developed. An experiment was conducted consisting of two digestion trials with two periods in each trial to examine the use of five odd-chain alkanes (C25 to C33) of plant cuticular wax as internal markers to estimate DMD of hay or hay plus concentrate diets in horses. Eight mature Thoroughbred geldings were housed in 4- x 4-m stalls and randomly assigned to one of two mixed grass/legume hays (Diet...
Lipid metabolism in equines fed a fat-rich diet. The hypothesis tested was that dietary fat, when compared with an isoenergetic amount of non-structural carbohydrates, stimulates lipolysis in adipose tissue and also stimulates the fatty-acid oxidative capacity in skeletal muscle from horses. Six adult horses were fed a high-fat, glucose or starch containing diet according to a 3 x 3 Latin square design with feeding periods of three weeks. The diets were formulated so that the intake of soybean oil versus either glucose or corn starch were the only variables. In accordance with previous work, whole plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration d...
The effect of replacing nonstructural carbohydrates with soybean oil on the digestibility of fibre in trotting horses. The hypothesis tested was that the intake of extra fat at the expense of an isoenergetic amount of nonstructural carbohydrates reduces fibre utilisation in horses. In a crossover trial with feeding periods of 42 days each, 6 mature trotting horses (age 4-12 years, bodyweight 340-476 kg) were given either a control or test diet. The test concentrate was formulated to contain 37% of net energy in the form of soybean oil. The control concentrate contained an isoenergetic amount of corn starch plus glucose. The concentrates were fed in combination with the same amount of hay so that the control an...
Influence of chromium tripicolinate on growth and glucose metabolism in yearling horses. Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse yearlings (n = 24; 335+/-7 d of age) were used in a 112-d feeding trial to determine whether chromium (Cr) supplementation would alter growth, development, and energy metabolism of growing horses on high-concentrate diets. The horses were assigned at random within breed and gender subgroups to one of four treatment groups: A) basal concentrate; B) basal plus 175 microg of Cr/kg concentrate; C) basal plus 350 microg of Cr/kg concentrate; and D) basal plus 700 microg of Cr/kg concentrate. Chromium was provided via Cr tripicolinate (Prince Agri Products, Quincy, IL)...
Voluntary intake, digestibility, and subsequent selection of Matua bromegrass, coastal bermudagrass, and alfalfa hays by yearling horses. Matua bromegrass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth. cv. Grasslands Matua) was introduced in 1973, but little information exists concerning its potential as a hay for horses. Thus, voluntary intake and apparent digestibility of OM, CP, and fiber components of Matua by 18 Quarter Horse yearlings (mean initial BW 354 kg; SE 5.8) were compared with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and coastal bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) as hays in a randomized block design. A 15-d adjustment period was followed by a 5-d collection period during which the hays were consumed ad libitum. Voluntary intake of DM was greater...
