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.
Schubert R, Flachowsky G, Bochröder B.Chopped wheat straw was homogeneously mixed with urine of horses (5.75 gN per 1, 16.88 atom-% 15N-excess) and airtightly stored in plastic containers for 6 months. Three rumen fistulated sheep and goats each were fed with untreated or urine treated straw. Concentrate was added to straw. Untreated and urine treated straw were given in nylon bags and incubated in the rumen of sheep and goats for 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours. A three compartment exponential function was used to fit the measurements of 15N-excess and 15N-amount of bag content. The curves and the calculated partial Y-values of ...
Cí·¯ord D, Woodhead A, Muirhead R.The objective was to evaluate the nutritive value of short-cutting cycle, high temperature-dried (SCCHTD) alfalfa compared to timothy hay. This was achieved by carrying out 4 x 4 Latin Square digestibility trial using 4 Thoroughbred (one three-quarter Thoroughbred) horses (mean liveweight, 531 kg). The four dietary treatments were 0AA (timothy hay only), 33AA (0.33 alfalfa: 0.67 timothy hay), 67AA (0.67 alfalfa: 0.33 timothy hay) and 100AA (alfalfa only). Digestibility data were obtained by using acid-insoluble ash to estimate apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients. Rate of passage o...
Henry MM, Moore JN, Feldman EB, Fischer JK, Russell B.To investigate the effects of an omega-3 fatty acid-enriched ration on the in vitro response of equine monocytes to endotoxin, an 8-week feeding trial was conducted in which linseed oil served as the source of the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid. One group of horses was fed a control pelleted ration and the other group was fed an 8% linseed oil-enriched pelleted ration. After 8 weeks of feeding, monocytes were isolated and incubated in the presence of Escherichia coli O55:B5 endotoxin for 6 hr. After 8 weeks on the rations, the mean procoagulant activity and thromboxane B2 production ...
Cí·¯ord D, Woodhead A, Muirhead R.The potential of short-cutting cycle, high temperature-dried alfalfa as a source of calcium for horses was determined by means of a 4 x 4 Latin square digestibility trial using four thoroughbred horses (mean liveweight 531 kg). The four dietary treatments were timothy hay alone, 33 per cent alfalfa and 67 per cent timothy hay, 67 per cent alfalfa and 33 per cent timothy hay, and alfalfa alone. Significantly more calcium and magnesium were absorbed from the alfalfa than from the hay. Phosphorus absorption appeared to be unaffected by treatment. Alfalfa calcium was more available than timothy ha...
Nation PN.Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) has been implicated as the cause of two diseases of the horse. One of these is photosensitivity, of which alsike clover is only one of a number of presumed causal agents. The other is a fatal syndrome which is known as "alsike clover poisoning" and which is manifest by progressive loss of condition, signs of hepatic failure, and varying degrees of neurological impairment. The underlying lesion of alsike clover poisoning is fibrosis and proliferation of the biliary tree. The experimental evidence implicating alsike clover as the cause of this syndrome comes en...
Cymbaluk NF, Christison GI, Leach DH.Eighteen weanling horses were assigned to two treatments: limited or ad libitum feed intake. Growth and feed utilization were evaluated over a 78-wk period. Ad libitum-fed horses gained 24% more (P less than .05) weight than limit-fed horses. Total BW was distributed into 57% fore and 43% hind weight and did not differ between groups regardless of dietary treatment or age. Net gain and ADG in wither height of ad libitum-fed horses exceeded (P less than .05) that of limit-fed horses over 78 wk. Ad libitum-fed horses consumed 19, 44 and 34% more digestible energy (DE) than indicated in 1978 NRC ...
Cymbaluk NF, Christison GI, Leach DH.Eighteen Quarter Horse and Paint weanling colts were assigned to two treatments, either limit or ad libitum feeding. Nutrient digestibilities of diets were evaluated between 6 and 12 mo, 12 and 18 mo and 18 and 24 mo of age. From 6 to 12 mo, energy digestibility (64 to 68%) was unaffected by feed intake level. Ad libitum-fed horses had energy digestibilities 9 to 10% greater (P less than .05) than limit-fed horses between 12 and 24 mo of age, but adjustment for DM intake removed these differences. Limit-fed, mature ponies used dietary energy similarly to growing horses from 6 to 18 mo of age, ...
Thompson KN, Baker JP, Jackson SG.Thirty foals of mixed breeding, from two consecutive years, were used in two 120-d experiments to evaluate the effects of supplemental feeding (creep feed) on growth in nursing foals. At 10 d postpartum, foals were randomly assigned either to a creep-fed group (CF) or an unsupplemented group (NCF). Initial measurements of body weight (BW), height at the withers (WH), third metatarsal length (MtIII) and third metacarpal length (McIII) were made at 10 d of age and at 30-d intervals thereafter. Medial and lateral cortical peak values for radiographic bone density, cortical width and cortical area...
Mäenpää PH, Pirhonen A, Koskinen E.The effects of feeding two different vitamin-mineral concentrates on serum levels of vitamins A, E and D and some growth indicators were examined in 30 pregnant mares and 30 foals. One concentrate contained vitamins A and E and the other did not. Both contained vitamin D3. No differences (P greater than .05) in serum levels of retinol and alpha-tocopherol were observed between the feeding groups in the mares, whereas in the weanlings serum levels of dietary vitamins A and E increased (P less than .01) during late winter and early spring. However, the values did not increase to levels found in ...
McCann JS, Meacham TN, Fontenot JP.The digestibility and heat production values for three fats of different origin were determined. Four pony geldings (225 kg) were used in a study consisting of four successive digestion trials utilizing a 4 X 4 Latin square design. The four dietary treatments were basal alone and supplemented with 15% corn oil, blended fat or inedible tallow. The blended fat was composed of a mixture of animal and vegetable fats. A 7-d preliminary period preceded a 7-d total fecal collection period for each trial. Heat production values were obtained by indirect calorimetry and calculated from oxygen consumpti...
Laut JE, Houpt KA, Hintz HF, Houpt TR.In order to determine if horses will increase their intake in response to caloric dilution, four pony geldings were fed ad lib a mixed grain diet either undiluted (3.4 Mcal/kg of digestible energy) or diluted (wt/wt) with 25% sawdust (2.6 Mcal/kg) or with 50% sawdust (1.7 Mcal/kg). The mean daily caloric intake was 17,457 kcal (3.4 Mcal diet), 17,546 kcal (2.6 Mcal diet) and 12,844 kcal (1.7 Mcal). The mean time spent eating was 246 (3.4 Mcal), 351 (2.6 Mcal), and 408 (1.7 Mcal) minutes/day. Meal size increased and meal frequency decreased with increasing dilution. The median long survivorship...
Marlow CH, van Tonder EM, Hayward FC, van der Merwe SS, Price LE.Non-pregnant Thoroughbred mares were stabled and subjected to 2 trials, each 24 h in duration, to establish their total consumption of a mixture of freshly cut, lush green perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) in approximately equal proportions; and to compare the total intake of crude protein, calcium, phosphorus and mass of the grass mixture on a dry matter basis with their daily nutritional requirements. The body mass of each mare was calculated at the commencement of each trial. In the first trial 2 lactating mares with foals at foot, 65 days and 8 days of ...
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...
Tisserand JL, Ottin Pecchio M, Rollin G.The cellulolytic activity in the large intestine of the pony varies according to the form and the composition of the feed. This activity was measured on two caecal and ventral colon-cannulated ponies receiving the following 4 diets during four successive 6-week periods: --6 kg of hay, --4 kg of hay + 1 kg of oats, --6 kg of ground, pelleted hay. --5 kg of a ground, pelleted blend of 80 p. 100 hay and 20 p. 100 oats. Adding oats to a hay feed increased the cellulolytical activity in the caecum and the colon, whereas grinding and pelleting hay alone or hay enriched with oats diminished that acti...
McKenzie RA, Blaney BJ, Gartner RJ, Dillon RD, Standfast NF.Standardbred geldings were used in a number of nutritional balance experiments. These consisted of 28-day cycles each of an 18-day equilibration period in yards and a 10-day settling and collection period in metabolism crates. The crates were made of galvanised metal tubing over wooden flooring covered by rubber matting and rubber sheets. Total faeces were collected in trays at the rear of crates and total urine by canvas funnels slung beneath the sheath of each horse.
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...
Glinsky MJ, Smith RM, Spires HR, Davis CL.Three experiments, each utilizing three ponies, were conducted using a mixed VFA solution of [1−14C] acetate, [1−14C] propionate and [2–33H] butyrate to determine VFA production rates in the cecum of the pony. Diet A used in experiment 1, contained a forage to grain ratio of 1:2, while diet B, used in experiments 2 and 3, contained a forage to grain ratio of 3:1. Experiment 1, in which a constant infusion technique was used, resulted in net VFA production rates (mmoles/min) of 3.667 to 3.977 (x̄=3.836) for acetate, .410 to 1.664 (x̄=1.213) for propionate and .342 to 1.124 (x̄=.629) fo...
Pulse RE, Baker JP, Potter GD.Three mature Thoroughbred geldings were used in duplicated trials conducted before and after cecal fistulation to determine the effects of the fistulation on nutrient digestion and indicator (Cr2O3 and polyethylene) retention time. There were significant increases (P<.01) in crude fiber and ether extract digestion following fistulation, while dry matter, gross energy, and crude protein digestibilities were not changed significantly. Retention times of Cr2O3 and polyethylene were increased significantly (P<-01 and P<.05, respectively) following fistulation. There were no significant differences...
Hallebeek JM, Beynen AC.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...
Prado Silva RH, Carneiro de Rezende AS, Felipe da Silva Inácio D, Norberto F, Saraiva de Melo Queiroz JN, Melo MM, Colares de Araújo Moreira D....Mangalarga Marchador foals in Minas Gerais, Brazil, are usually weaned during the dry season, when there is a scarcity of forage. Although sorghum silage has been used to feed weanlings, the effect on their feeding behavior in comparison with grass hay has not been reported. Twelve Mangalarga Marchador weanlings were randomly assigned to two groups of six animals: SS: sorghum silage; VH: Vaquero hay. Both groups received commercial concentrate in the proportion of 1.2 kg.100 kg of the live weight and forage ad libitum. The animals were filmed for 48 hours, being timed: forage intake time, wate...
Busse NI, Gonzalez ML, Wagner AL, Johnson SE.Optimal athletic performance requires meeting the energetic demands of the muscle fibers, which are a function of myosin ATPase enzymatic activity. Skeletal muscle with a predominant oxidative metabolism underlies equine athletic success. Sodium butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, can affect muscle fiber composition in pigs. To determine if a similar scenario exists in horses, 12 adult Thoroughbred geldings (7.4 ± 0.6 yr of age; mean ± SEM) were fed 16 g of calcium butyrate (CB) or an equivalent amount of carrier (CON) daily for 30 d in a crossover design. Middle gluteal muscle biopsies were...
DeBoer M, Konop A, Fisher B, Martinson K.Thermoregulation is an energy-expensive process, which can be mitigated by blanketing horses in cold climates, potentially preventing weight loss or leading to decreased feed intake. The objective of this study was to evaluate feed intake, body weight (BW), and body condition scores (BCSs) in blanketed and nonblanketed horses. In October 2019, 16 mature adult horses were blocked by breed and BCS and randomly assigned to a blanketed (n = 8) or nonblanketed (n = 8) treatment; blankets were placed. Data were collected in December 2019 and January 2020 in River Falls, Wisconsin. During the study...
Darby S, Sanchez LC, Mallicote MF, House AM, Plummer CE, Nadruz V, Benmoha RH, Roberts SM, Derendorf H, Silva-Sanchez C, Claire J, MacKay RJ.Creeping indigo (Indigofera spicata) toxicosis is an emerging problem among horses in Florida and bordering states. Objective: To quantify the putative toxins l-indospicine (IND) and 3-nitropropionic acid (NPA) in creeping indigo collected from multiple sites and to measure plasma toxin concentrations in ponies fed creeping indigo and horses with presumptive creeping indigo toxicosis. Methods: Experimental descriptive study with descriptive observational field investigation. Methods: Air-dried creeping indigo was assayed for IND and NPA content. Five ponies were fed chopped creeping indigo con...
Cymbaluk NF, Christison GI, Leach DH.Eighteen Quarter Horse and Paint weanling colts were assigned to two treatments, either limit or ad libitum feeding. Nutrient digestibilities of diets were evaluated between 6 and 12 mo, 12 and 18 mo and 18 and 24 mo of age. From 6 to 12 mo, energy digestibility (64 to 68%) was unaffected by feed intake level. Ad libitum-fed horses had energy digestibilities 9 to 10% greater (P less than .05) than limit-fed horses between 12 and 24 mo of age, but adjustment for DM intake removed these differences. Limit-fed, mature ponies used dietary energy similarly to growing horses from 6 to 18 mo of age, ...
Turcott-White SK, Nielsen BD, Robison CI, Skelly CD, Rosenstein DS, Pritchard A, Herdt T.The objective of this study was to compare the feed intake and the apparent digestibilities of three different diets varying in concentrate-to-roughage ratios in weanling horses (n = 24) at 5 and 8 months of age. Horses were stratified by breed, gender, birth date and body weight and assigned to one of three dietary treatments containing the following concentrate-to-roughage ratios on an as-fed basis: 70:30 (High Con), 50:50 (Equal) and 30:70 (Low Con). All horses were fed their respective diets for a 10-day adaptation period and a 4-day collection period at 5 and 8 months. There were no d...
Maxfield M, Celaya R, Andrade E, Rodrigues MAM, Santos AS, Ferreira LMM.The assessment of feed intake in stabled horses is a difficult task to accomplish. Faecal markers, namely n-alkanes, have been used successfully for the estimation of this important nutritional parameter. This usually involves the dosing of synthetic n-alkanes via different matrices, a laborious task that may also influence the animal normal foraging behaviour. An experiment was conducted to evaluate a relative simple methodology to quantify feed intake in horses, based on the provision of measured amounts of a concentrate supplement labelled with beeswax and the utilisation of n-alkanes as fa...
Mueller C, Sroka L, Hass ML, Aboling S, These A, Vervuert I.Extensively used grasslands are frequently utilised for hay production for equines. Especially, extensive meadows have a great variety of plant species, which may include plants that are poisonous for equines such as meadow saffron (Colchicum autumnale L.). To authors' knowledge investigations about horses` avoidance behaviour towards dried meadow saffron in hay are missing. Reports of farmers are contrary to clinical symptoms described in case reports and associated with meadow saffron in hay. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the rejection behaviour of horses for hay contamin...
Marlow CH, van Tonder EM, Hayward FC, van der Merwe SS, Price LE.Non-pregnant Thoroughbred mares were stabled and subjected to 2 trials, each 24 h in duration, to establish their total consumption of a mixture of freshly cut, lush green perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) in approximately equal proportions; and to compare the total intake of crude protein, calcium, phosphorus and mass of the grass mixture on a dry matter basis with their daily nutritional requirements. The body mass of each mare was calculated at the commencement of each trial. In the first trial 2 lactating mares with foals at foot, 65 days and 8 days of ...
Martin-Rosset W, Andueza D, Vermorel M.The metabolisable energy (ME) content of feeds is a better estimate of their 'true' energy value than their digestible energy (DE) content, because ME takes account of the gross energy of methane (GEgas) and the gross energy of urine (GEurine) losses. The accuracy and precision of the Gesellschaft für Ernährungsphysiologie (GfE) and Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) systems for predicting the DE and ME contents of diets for horses were compared using the results of a study comprising 15 mixed diets. The INRA system was more accurate than the GfE system for predicting DE, G...
Jansen WL, van der Kuilen J, Geelen SN, Beynen AC.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...
Francis JM, Neander CR, Roeder MJ, Perry EB.Palatants may be added to equine feed and medication either during or after manufacturing to enhance product acceptance. Prior studies have examined a variety of palatants but results have been limited and inconsistent. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate topically applied oil-based palatants on feeding preferences in horses. Stock-type horses (n = 10) were used in this paired preference test across a two-phase study. Phase one compared six palatants (banana, anise, peppermint, apple, spearmint, and orange) to a control (corn oil), whereas phase two compared preference a...
Tisserand JL, Ottin Pecchio M, Rollin G.The cellulolytic activity in the large intestine of the pony varies according to the form and the composition of the feed. This activity was measured on two caecal and ventral colon-cannulated ponies receiving the following 4 diets during four successive 6-week periods: --6 kg of hay, --4 kg of hay + 1 kg of oats, --6 kg of ground, pelleted hay. --5 kg of a ground, pelleted blend of 80 p. 100 hay and 20 p. 100 oats. Adding oats to a hay feed increased the cellulolytical activity in the caecum and the colon, whereas grinding and pelleting hay alone or hay enriched with oats diminished that acti...
Ghajar SM, McKenzie H, Fike J, McIntosh B, Tracy BF.Introduced cool-season grasses are dominant in Virginia's grasslands, but their high digestible energy and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) levels pose a risk for horses prone to obesity and laminitis. Native warm-season grasses (NWSGs) have lower digestible energy and NSC levels that may be more suitable for horses susceptible to laminitis. Although NWSGs have desirable characteristics, they are novel forages for horses. Little is known about NWSG intake or potential toxicity to horses or how grazing by horses may affect NWSG swards. The overall objectives of this research were to 1) assess v...
Greppi M, Bordin C, Raspa F, Maccone E, Harris P, Ellis AD, Cavallini D, Bergero D, Valle E.Slow feeding devices (SFDs) are useful tools in order to improve the horse well-being and to reduce wastage, but their use may result in unnatural posture during feeding and frustration behaviours. Moreover, it may be important to evaluate the laterality during feeding. The aim of the study was to investigate ponies' feeding behaviour (i.e., lateralisation, frustration, postural eating style) with different hay feeding methods: on the ground (G), a fully filled hay net (HF), a partially filled hay net (HL), and a slow feeder hay box (HB). Nine ponies of two different breed types (Shetland and ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Brandi LA, Nunes AT, Faleiros CA, Poleti MD, Oliveira ECM, Schmidt NT, Sousa RLM, Fukumasu H, Balieiro JCC, Brandi RA.Different energy sources are often used in horse diets to enhance health and performance. Understanding how diet impacts the cecal and fecal microbiota is crucial for meeting the nutritional needs of horses. High-throughput sequencing and qPCR were used to compare the fecal and cecal microbiota of five healthy horses receiving three different diets: hay diet (HAY), hay + starch and sugar (SS), and hay + fiber and oil ingredients (FO). Assessment of short-chain fatty acids, pH, and buffer capacity was also performed. The HAY diet was associated with the highest values of fecal pH; the FO and SS...
Penazzi L, Pagliara E, Nervo T, Ala U, Bertuglia A, Romano G, Hattab J, Tiscar PG, Bergagna S, Pagliasso G, Antoniazzi S, Cavallarin L, Valle E....Foals commonly experience diarrhoea in the first weeks of life. Although this condition is rarely life-threatening, it can have significant health consequences. This study investigated whether new-born foals can benefit from a dietary supplement of nucleotides, as already demonstrated in other species. Dietary nucleotides have positive effects on rapidly proliferating tissues and are considered "semi-essential nutrients" since cells have only a limited capacity to synthesize these compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate whether providing foals with a dietary nucleotide supplementat...
Huang X, Li Q, Li X, Li C, Li J, He L, Jing H, Yang F, Li X.China's equine industry has shifted from traditional rough grazing to modern intensive farming, expanding the roles of horses into eventing, leisure, tourism, and meat and dairy production. Concurrently, equine nutrition has evolved from a forage-based diet to a more diverse regimen incorporating grain supplements to meet the heightened energy demands of intensive farming. However, nutrient digestibility and glycemic response vary considerably based on grain type, starch content, composition, and structural properties. Optimal grain selection is therefore essential for energy supplementation a...
Roig-Pons M, Bachmann I, Freymond SB.Finding feeding strategies that meet horses' needs without compromising health is essential for optimising welfare, particularly in group housing, where limited hay availability increases aggression and injury risks. Recently, two strategies have emerged: portioning daily intake into smaller, frequent meals using time-controlled hay racks, or slowing intake with "slow-feeders." However, the effects of such management practices on horse behaviour remain underexplored. We conducted a cross-over study with 18 mares divided into four groups to compare three feeding strategies: "traditional" (3 of ...
de Carvalho CN, Cunha PP, Belo J, Muñiz F, Baucon A, Cachão M, Figueiredo S, Buylaert JP, Galán JM, Belaústegui Z, Cáceres LM, Zhang Y....Multiple sources of evidence for the systematic use of coastal ecosystems and resources by Neanderthals are known. Fossil hominin footprints offer direct portraits of individual or social group presence and locomotor behavior, and interspecific interactions, in the coastal ecospace. Here we describe the first two hominin tracksites found in the southwestern most region of Europe. At Monte Clérigo, dated to 78 ± 5 ka, trackways of three individuals demonstrate how Neanderthals navigated dune landscapes. These behaviors suggest route planning, with dune systems serving as advantageous set...
Jing H, Liu P, Zheng S, Cao K, Li X.Total Mixed Ration (TMR) is recognized for its balanced nutritional composition, improved feed efficiency, enhanced animal production, and stabilization of the gastrointestinal microbiome. It has been extensively implemented in intensive ruminant farming, particularly for cattle and sheep, with demonstrated positive outcomes. However, its effects on the nutritional health of non-ruminant herbivores, such as horses, remain insufficiently investigated. This study aims to evaluate the comparative effects of TMR feeding versus conventional feeding practices in Akhal-Teke horses while maintaining i...
Valenchon M, Reigner F, Lefort G, Adriaensen H, Gesbert A, Barrière P, Gaude Y, Elleboudt F, Lévy I, Ducluzeau C, Dupont J, Lainé AL, Uszynski I....Social interactions shape both the physiological and behavioural development of offspring, and poor care/early caregiver loss is known to promote adverse outcomes during infancy in both animals and humans. How affiliative behaviours impact the future development of offspring remains an open question. Here, we used Equus caballus (domestic horse) as a model to investigate this question. By coupling magnetic resonance imaging, longitudinal biobehavioural assessments and advanced multivariate statistical modelling, we found that prolonged maternal presence during infancy promotes the maturation o...
