Nutrition in horses encompasses the study of dietary requirements and feeding practices that support equine health, growth, and performance. It involves the analysis of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, and their roles in equine physiology. Proper nutrition is essential for maintaining optimal body condition, supporting metabolic processes, and preventing dietary-related disorders. Research in this field examines the nutritional needs of horses at different life stages and activity levels, as well as the effects of various feed types and supplements. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the composition, digestion, and impact of different dietary components on equine health and performance.
Kalantari RK, Rouzbehan Y, Fazaeli H, Direkvandi E, Salem AZM.The aim of this study was to investigate, the effect of different levels of concentrates and grain processing on feeding behavior, nutrient digestibility, fecal pH and blood metabolites in the horse. Sixteen 5 to 11 years old Turkmen horses with an initial body weight 433±50 kg were used in this experiment based on completely randomized design. Four treatments were studied, in three treatments were used 20, 25 and 30% of concentrate containing processed grains (A20, A25 and A30, respectively), and in one treatment was used 25% of concentrate containing whole grain (B25). The amount of feed in...
Cameron A, Harris P, Longland A, Horseman S, Hockenhull J.Laminitis and obesity are leading welfare issues for UK leisure horses. Limiting grass intake is a common preventative measure but may result in other aspects of welfare being compromised. This study aimed to determine how commonly different restricted grazing methods are used in the UK, barriers limiting their accessibility, and the potential benefits and welfare issues associated with each. A cross-sectional online survey was distributed with questions relating to horse carers' opinions of different restricted grazing practices, which methods they used, and how they implemented these. Closed...
Pollard CL, Gibb Z, Swegen A, Lawson EF, Grupen CG.NAD deficiency has recently been linked with increased occurrences of congenital abnormalities and embryonic death in human and animal subjects. Early embryonic death is a major component of pregnancy loss in mares and very little is known regarding the requirement for NAD in horses. The aim of this study was to quantify NAD and its metabolites in the plasma and urine of mares after orally administering an acute dose of nicotinic acid and determine the absorption, metabolism and excretion of this essential precursor for NAD biosynthesis. Nicotinic acid (5 g per os) was administered to four ma...
Duarte PC, Ribeiro RM, Machado ART, Faleiros RR, Pimenta LPS, Filho JDS.The incidence of equine metabolic syndrome, a condition that results in endocrinopathic laminitis, is increasing worldwide. Although it is well known that the development of this syndrome depends on imbalances in energy metabolism and genetic traits, its pathophysiology remains unclear. Hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR) is a powerful tool used to compare metabolic profiles and to discriminate metabolites in living beings. The aim was to apply this technology to detect blood biomarkers candidates in horses that were previously demonstrated to developed metabolic changes when subjected...
Berreta A, Kopper JJ, Alexander TL, Kogan CJ, Burbick CR.Probiotics, by definition, are live micro-organisms and should remain viable when they reach the intended site of action which is typically the cecum and/or colon. In humans, probiotics often need enteric protection to survive transit through the proximal gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Typically, equine probiotics do not advertise enteric protection and to the author's knowledge the viability of equine probiotics after exposure to the proximal GI tract has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an in vitro simulation of the equine proximal GI tract on probi...
Dockalova H, Zeman L, Baholet D, Batik A, Skalickova S, Horky P.Milk thistle seeds contain a mixture of flavonoids known as silymarin, which consists of silybin, isosilybin, silychristine, and silydianin. Until now, there has been no evidence of monitoring the digestibility of silymarin complex in horses. The aim of the research was to evaluate the digestibility of silymarin complex and the effect of nutrient digestibility in horses. Different daily feed doses (FD) of milk thistle expeller (0 g, 100 g, 200 g, 400 g, 700 g) were administered to five mares kept under the same conditions and at the same feed rations. Digestibility of silymarin complex was mon...
Nemec Svete A, Vovk T, Bohar Topolovec M, Kruljc P.The effects of antioxidant supplements on exercise-induced oxidative stress have not been investigated in untrained leisure horses. We investigated the effects of 14-day supplementation with vitamin E (1.8 IU/kg/day), coenzyme Q (CoQ; ubiquinone; 800 mg/day), and a combination of both (the same doses as in mono-supplementation) on the blood levels of CoQ, vitamin E, and oxidative stress parameters in untrained leisure horses subjected to acute moderate exercise. Correlations between lipid peroxidation and muscle enzyme leakage were also determined. Forty client-owned horses were included in th...
Wong DM, Young L, Dembek KA.Sepsis is common in foals and several treatments are used to facilitate recovery. Evidence in people suggests an association between low blood concentrations of thiamine, ascorbic acid, and cortisol and sepsis, with further evidence suggesting that administration of hydrocortisone, thiamine, and ascorbic acid may improve outcome. No information is available with regard to these treatments in foals. Objective: To compare blood concentrations of thiamine, ascorbic acid, and cortisol in healthy and ill foals. Methods: Fifteen healthy and 27 ill (septic and sick-nonseptic [SNS]) foals were evaluat...
Prigge JL, Sheaffer CC, Jungers JM, Jaqueth AL, Lochner HL, Martinson KL.Cover crops are commonly used to provide environmental benefits and can extend the grazing season, but have not been explored in horse pastures. The objectives of this research were to evaluate forage mass, forage nutrient composition, and preference of annual ryegrass, winter rye, berseem clover, purple top turnip, and daikon radish under horse grazing. Cover crops were seeded in monoculture and mixtures in August 2018 and 2019 as a randomized complete block with four replicates and grazed by four adult horses. Prior to grazing, forages were sampled to determine herbage and root mass and nutr...
Lindenberg FC, Lützhøft DO, Krych L, Fielden J, Kot W, Frøkiær H, van Galen G, Nielsen DS, Hansen AK.Some oligosaccharides induce growth of anti-inflammatory bacterial species and induce regulatory immunity in humans as well as animals. We have shown that the equine gut microbiota and the immune-microbial homeostasis largely stabilize within the first 50 days of life. Furthermore, we have previously established that certain bacterial species in the equine gut correlated with regulatory immunity. Accordingly, we hypothesized that an oligosaccharide rich diet fed to foals during the first 50 days would increase the abundance of bacterial species associated with regulatory immunity, and that thi...
Grev AM, Hathaway MR, Sheaffer CC, Wells MS, Reiter AS, Martinson KL.Reduced lignin alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has the potential to provide a higher-quality forage source for livestock by improving forage digestibility. This study was conducted to evaluate apparent digestibility when feeding reduced lignin and nonreduced lignin alfalfa hay to adult horses, and to examine mean fecal particle size (MFPS) and mean retention time (MRT) between alfalfa forage types. In 2017, reduced lignin ("54HVX41") and nonreduced lignin ("WL355.RR") alfalfa hay was harvested in Minnesota at the late-bud stage. Alfalfa hays were similar in crude protein (CP; 199 g/kg), neutral d...
Fausto GC, Fausto MC, Vieira ÍS, Freitas SG, Carvalho LM, Oliveira IC, Silva EN, Campos AK, Araújo JV.Equine gastrointestinal nematodiosis contributes to the lower productivity of these animals. There are growing reports of the emergence of nematodes resistant to the drugs used for decades in anthelmintic treatments. An alternative to the emergence of resistance may be the use of nematophagous fungi as a complementary method of treatment. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effects of the use of the product Bioverm® as a carrier of Duddingtonia flagrans, on pasture contamination level and equine parasitic burden. Sixteen mares were used, divided into two groups, one control and one t...
Beldarrain LR, Morán L, Sentandreu MÁ, Insausti K, R Barron LJ, Aldai N.A full-randomized block design was used for the study of the FA composition and meat quality parameters, considering ageing time as a split-plot factor. Chemical and fatty acid composition of steaks (longissimus thoracis and lumborum muscle) from 15 month old semiextensively reared Hispano-Bretón horses were characterized (day 0), and the effect of vacuum ageing (0, 7, 14 and 21 days) on several meat quality parameters (pH, instrumental color and texture and cook loss) was determined. The average fat content of horse loin was 3.31%, and the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content, although hig...
Park T, Yoon J, Kim A, Unno T, Yun Y.(1) Background: The large intestine of horses is an anaerobic fermentative chamber filled with fibrolytic bacteria that play essential roles in digesting and absorbing nutrients for energy production. Although Jeju horses are a prominent local breed in Korea, few studies have investigated the gut microbiota of Jeju horses; (2) Methods: This study performed sequencing of V3 and V4 hypervariable regions of the partial 16S rRNA genes obtained from horse fecal samples and compared the gut microbiota between Jeju and Thoroughbred horses. Thirty and 24 fecal samples were obtained from Jeju and Thoro...
Zhu Y, Wang X, Deng L, Chen S, Zhu C, Li J.Diet is an important factor affecting intestinal microbiota in horses. Fecal microbiota is commonly used as a substitute for studying hindgut microbiota when investigating the relationship between intestinal microbial changes and host health. So far, no study has compared the difference between the fecal microbiota found in horses that are fed pasture grass, silage, and hay. The present study aims to characterize the fecal microbiota in horses that were exclusively on one of the three forage diets, and to analyze the potential impact of these forages, especially silage, on horse intestinal hea...
Castellaro G, Orellana CL, Escanilla JP.For an adequate management of natural grasslands, the knowledge and understanding of the dietary habits of herbivores and their trophic interactions are fundamental. During two summer seasons, in a mountain range of a sector of the Coquimbo Region, Chile, the botanical composition, diversity, and similarity of the diets of horses, European brown hares, and guanacos were studied, as was the selectivity of the main grassland plant species, using feces microhistology. The contribution of hydromorphic grasses was similar in the diets of guanacos (35.90 ± 7.27%) and horses (32.25 ± 4.50%), differ...
Senefeld JW, Shepherd JRA, Baker SE, Joyner MJ.Elite performing men continue to record faster record times in running events compared to women. These sex-based differences in running speed and endurance in humans are expected based on sexual dimorphisms that contribute to differences in the determinants of aerobic performance. Comparatively, the sexual dimorphisms contributing to sex-based differences in elite aerobic performance are not ubiquitous across other species that compete in running events. The purpose of this review is to offer a framework and model for ongoing discussions of the physiological determinants and ultimately limits ...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Dusemund B, Fašmon Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B....Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of vitamin K1 (phytomenadione) produced by chemical synthesis when used as a nutritional additive in complementary feed of horses at a maximum supplemental level of 14 mg vitamin K1/horse per day. The use of vitamin K1 is safe when used as a feed additive for horses under the proposed conditions of use. The use of vitamin K1 in nutrition of horses under the proposed co...
Spurgin CL, Coverdale JA, Leatherwood JL, Redmon LA, Bradbery AN, Wickersham TA.This study was conducted to determine the effects of forage crude protein () level on intake and digestion of Coastal bermudagrass hay by horses. Four cecally fistulated geldings were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with four treatments and four periods. Horses were fed one of four Coastal bermudagrass hays consisting of 7%, 10%, 13%, or 16% CP during each of the four 15-d periods. Intake and apparent digestibility were determined for each horse at the end of each period by total fecal collection. In addition, cecal fluid and blood samples were collected on the last day of each period for...
Collinet A, Grimm P, Julliand S, Julliand V.In horses, abrupt changes from high-fiber (HF) to high-starch (HS) diets can affect the cecal and colonic microbiota. This study investigated modifications and recovery of fecal microbiota after two consecutive abrupt dietary changes. Twelve horses fed HF for 2 weeks were changed to HS for 5 days then returned to HF for 7 weeks. Six received lactic acid bacteria supplementation. Bacterial population diversity, structure, and activity, especially fibrolysis, were assessed to obtain an overview of alteration in hindgut microbiota. Two days after the abrupt change from HF to HS, the findings in f...
Emmerich IU.In 2020, one novel pharmaceutical agent for horses or food-producing animals was released on the German market, rendering the inhaled glucocorticoid ciclesonide (Aservo EquiHaler) available for horses for the first time. The authorization of one established veterinary active ingredient was extended to an additional species: The anthelmintic fenbendazole (Gallifen) from the benzimidazole group is now also authorized for pheasants. Additionally, 3 veterinary drugs with a new combination of active ingredients (ketoprofen + tilmicosin, ketoprofen + tulathromycin, prednisolone + lidoc...
Kushugulova A, Löber U, Akpanova S, Rysbekov K, Kozhakhmetov S, Khassenbekova Z, Essex M, Nurgozhina A, Nurgaziyev M, Babenko D, Markó L....Probiotics and prebiotics are widely used for recovery of the human gut microbiome after antibiotic treatment. High antibiotic usage is especially common in children with developing microbiome. We hypothesized that dry Mare's milk, which is rich in biologically active substances without containing live bacteria, could be used as a prebiotic in promoting microbial diversity following antibiotic treatment in children. The present pilot study aims to determine the impacts of dry Mare's milk on the diversity of gut bacterial communities when administered during antibiotic treatment and throughout ...
Lacerda MDSC, Wilson TM, Argenta VLS, de Araújo Pinto ÉG, E Macêdo JTSA, Soto-Blanco B, Keller KM, Ocampos Pedroso PM, Câmara ACL.The present report describes the clinical and pathological changes induced by the consumption of oats contaminated with Crotalaria spectabilis seeds by horses. Eighty horses were exposed to oats containing 10 g/kg of C. spectabilis seeds with 0.46% pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and 21 horses died within a 6-month period. Clinical signs included jaundice, apathy, a hypotonic tongue, ataxia, hyporexia, weight loss, aimless wandering, violent behavior, and proprioceptive deficits. Pathological findings were predominant in the liver and included periportal bridging fibrosis, megalocytosis, centrilobul...
Christmann U, Hancock CL, Poole CM, Emery AL, Poovey JR, Hagg C, Mattson EA, Scarborough JJ, Christopher JS, Dixon AT, Craney DJ, Wood PL.Horses with asthma or osteoarthritis frequently receive ω-3 fatty acid supplements. Docosahexaenoic (DHA; 22:6) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA; 20:5) acids are essential ω-3 fatty acid precursors of anti-inflammatory mediators and components of structural glycerophospholipids (GPL) that act as reservoirs of these fatty acids. Analysis of the incorporation of dietary DHA + EPA into GPL pools in different body compartments has not been undertaken in horses. We undertook a detailed study of dietary supplementation with DHA + EPA in horses and monitored incorporation into DHA- and EPA-contain...
Chen N, Liu Y, Qin P, Li Y, Ma D, Li J, Shi T, Zhu Z.The microorganisms in the cecum of donkeys share similar functions as those in the rumen of cattle. Transformation of the cecal microenvironment by probiotics plays an important role in the health and growth of donkeys. In order to screen out excellent donkey probiotic preparations, in this study, we isolated an antibacterial strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (designated as DQB-1) from the cecum of Dezhou donkey. The strain was assessed in terms of antibacterial activity, antibacterial substance analysis, and stability. The results show that, the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DQB-1 exhibited p...
Khelil-Arfa H, Reigner F, Blard T, Barrière P, Gesbert A, Lansade L, Faugeron J, Blanchard A.In horses, it is well established that nutrients and the palatability of feed material (odor and taste) play an important role in diet selection. For example, high-fiber feed taste is not well accepted by horses. Consequently, manufacturers have begun to supplement horse feed with flavors to mask feed bitterness, to overcome feed neophobia and to encourage water drinking. However, only few studies have been performed to evaluate the acceptance and preference of flavors in horses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptance and preference of flavors supplemented on top of concentrate o...
Kosinska MK, Eichner G, Schmitz G, Liebisch G, Steinmeyer J.The current limitations in evaluating synovial fluid (SF) components in health and disease and between species are due in part to the lack of data on normal SF, because of low availability of SF from healthy articular joints. Our study aimed to quantify species-dependent differences in phospholipid (PL) profiles of normal knee SF obtained from equine and human donors. Knee SF was obtained during autopsy by arthrocentesis from 15 and 13 joint-healthy human and equine donors, respectively. PL species extracted from SF were quantitated by mass spectrometry whereas ELISA determined apolipoprotein ...
Habib H, Finno CJ, Gennity I, Favro G, Hales E, Puschner B, Moeller BC.Vitamin E deficiencies can impact normal growth and development in humans and animals, and assessment of circulating levels of vitamin E and its metabolites may be an important endpoint for evaluation. Development of a sensitive method to detect and quantify low concentrations of vitamin E and metabolites in biological specimens allows for a proper diagnosis for patients and animals that are deficient. We developed a method to simultaneously extract, detect, and quantify the vitamin E compounds alpha-tocopherol (α-TP), gamma-tocopherol (γ-TP), alpha-tocotrienol (α-TT), and gamma-tocotrienol...
Boshuizen B, Moreno de Vega CV, De Maré L, de Meeûs C, de Oliveira JE, Hosotani G, Gansemans Y, Deforce D, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Delesalle C.Aleurone, a layer of the bran fraction, is deemed to be responsible for the positive health effects associated with the consumption of whole-grain products. Studies on rodents, pigs, and humans report beneficial effects of aleurone in five main areas: the reduction of oxidative stress, immunomodulatory effects, modulation of energy management, digestive health, and the storage of vitamins and minerals. Our study is the first aleurone supplementation study performed in horses. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an increase in the dose levels of aleurone on the postprandial g...
Abraham M, Bauquier J.The peripartum period is critical in equine medicine for maintaining healthy mares, and ensuring the delivery of healthy neonatal foals. The field of perinatal mortality in horses is continuously evolving, with several advances being recently made in causes of perinatal fetal and foal loss. This review details the main causes of perinatal loss in horses, through late pregnancy, parturition and the neonatal period. Recent advances in identification of infectious organisms and indicators of survival in neonatal foals will be discussed. Continued advances in reproductive and neonatal medicine wil...
Harlow BE, Lawrence LM, Kagan IA, Flythe MD.The goals of this study were to determine if β-acid from hops (Humulus lupulus L.) could be used to control fructan fermentation by equine hindgut micro-organisms, and to verify the antimicrobial mode of action on Streptococcus bovis, which has been implicated in fructan fermentation, hindgut acidosis and pasture-associated laminitis (PAL) in the horse. Results: Suspensions of uncultivated equine faecal micro-organisms produced fermentation acids when inulin (model fructan) was the substrate, but β-acid (i.e. lupulone) concentrations ≥9 ppm inhibited lactate production and mitigated the d...
Salazar-Ortiz J, Camous S, Briant C, Lardic L, Chesneau D, Guillaume D.Mares have an annual reproductive rhythm, with a phase of inactivity in midwinter. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of food restriction on physiological and metabolic hallmarks of this rhythm. Methods: Over three successive years, 3 groups of 10 mares were kept under natural photoperiod. A 'well-fed' group was fed to maintain the mares in good body condition; a 'restricted' group received a diet calculated to keep the mares thin and a 'variable' group was fed during some periods like the 'restricted' group and during some other periods like the 'well-fed' group, with the aim o...
O'Connor CI, Lawrence LM, Lawrence AC, Janicki KM, Warren LK, Hayes S.Ten horses of Thoroughbred or Standardbred breeding were used to study the effects of dietary fish oil supplementation on the metabolic response to a high-intensity incremental exercise test. Horses were assigned to either a fish oil (n = 6) or corn oil (n = 4) treatment. The fish oil (Omega Protein, Hammond, LA) contained 10.6% eicosapentaenoic acid and 8% docosahexaenoic acid. Each horse received timothy hay and a textured concentrate at a rate necessary to meet its energy needs. The supplemental oil was top-dressed on the concentrate daily at a rate of 324 mg/kg BW. Horses received their as...
Muirhead TL, Wichtel JJ, Stryhn H, McClure JT.Serum selenium (Se), vitamin E, and resting thyroid hormone concentrations were measured in 201 horses in Prince Edward Island (PEI). Selenium concentrations were either marginal (0.0053 to 0.1200 ppm) or deficient (< 0.0053 ppm) in 79% of horses based on current reference ranges for Se in serum. Aged and young adult pleasure horses had a higher prevalence of inadequate Se concentrations compared to racehorses and broodmares (82% and 97% versus 45% and 72%, respectively). Overall, 13% of horses had inadequate (< 200 μg/dL) serum vitamin E concentrations; most of these were young pleasure hors...
Robles M, Couturier-Tarrade A, Derisoud E, Geeverding A, Dubois C, Dahirel M, Aioun J, Prezelin A, Calvez J, Richard C, Wimel L, Chavatte-Palmer P.Foals born to primiparous mares are lighter and less mature than those born to multiparous dams. Factors driving this difference are not totally understood. Using 7 multiparous and 6 primiparous standardbred mares, we demonstrated that, in late gestation, primiparous mares were less insulin resistant compared to multiparous mares, and that their foals had reduced plasma amino-acid concentrations at birth compared to foals born to multiparous mares. Vascular development, as observed through structure and gene expression, and global DNA methylation were also reduced in primiparous placentas. Ano...
Moore JL, Siciliano PD, Pratt-Phillips SE.Weight loss plans in horses typically use dietary restriction, but exercise may have additional benefits. This study aimed to compare the effects of a diet or exercise protocol resulting in comparable caloric restriction in obese horses. Ten obese horses were paired according to sex, age, and breed or breed type. One horse from each pair was randomly assigned to either diet (DIET)-intake restricted to approximately 85% of digestible energy requirements or exercise (EX)-exercised to expend approximately 15% of digestible energy requirements, resulting in 85% of requirements available, for 4 we...
Blaue D, Schedlbauer C, Starzonek J, Gittel C, Brehm W, Einspanier A, Vervuert I.The objective of this study was to illuminate the changes in serum NEFA concentrations during a combined glucose-insulin test (CGIT) and basal serum triacylglycerides (TGs) with increasing BW in Shetland ponies and warmblood horses. Therefore, basal blood samples were taken during fasting and a CGIT was performed in 19 healthy equines (10 Shetland ponies, 9 warmblood horses) (t0). After one (t1) and two (t2) year(s) of receiving 200% of their maintenance metabolizable energy requirement, procedures were repeated in the same equines. Sixteen of 19 equines had no signs of insulin dysregulation c...
Kristoffersen C, Jensen RB, Avershina E, Austbø D, Tauson AH, Rudi K.Knowledge on dynamic interactions in microbiota is pivotal for understanding the role of bacteria in the gut. We herein present comprehensive dynamic models of the horse cecal microbiota, which include short-chained fatty acids, carbohydrate metabolic networks, and taxonomy. Dynamic models were derived from time-series data in a crossover experiment in which four cecum-cannulated horses were fed a starch-rich diet of hay supplemented with barley (starch intake 2 g kg body weight per day) and a fiber-rich diet of only hay. Cecal contents were sampled via the cannula each h for 24 h for both die...
Crowell-Davis SL, Houpt KA, Carnevale J.The feeding and drinking behavior of 11 mares and 15 foals living on pasture with free access to water was recorded during 2,340 15-min focal samples taken over 2 yr. Lactating mares on pasture spent about 70% of the day feeding. Foals began feeding on their first day of life. As they grew older, they spent progressively more time feeding, but still spent only 47 +/- 6% of the time feeding by 21 wk of age. Foals fed primarily during the early morning and evening. While grass formed the major proportion of the diet of both foals and mares, they also ate clay, humus, feces, bark, leaves and twig...
Siegers EW, de Ruijter-Villani M, van Doorn DA, Stout TAE, Roelfsema E.Health risks associated with obesity are more likely a factor of the localization of fat excess, rather than of elevated BW per se. The aim of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to determine the effect of a long-term high energy diet on BW, fat accumulation and localization. Eight Shetland pony mares, 3 to 7 years old, were randomly divided into a control and a high energy (HE) diet group fed either maintenance or double maintenance energy requirements (200% net energy (NE)) for two consecutive summers, with a low energy diet in the winter in between. Body condition score (BCS) did ...
Garber A, Hastie P, McGuinness D, Malarange P, Murray JA.Abrupt dietary changes, as can be common when managing horses, may lead to compositional changes in gut microbiota, which may result in digestive or metabolic disturbances. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the faecal microbiota of ponies abruptly changed from pasture grazing ad libitum to a restricted hay-only diet and vice versa. The experiment consisted of two, 14-day periods. Faecal samples were collected on day 0 and days 1-3,7,14 after abrupt dietary change from grass to hay and from hay to grass. Microbial populations were characterised by sequencing the V3-V4 region of ...
Fernandes KA, Gee EK, Rogers CW, Kittelmann S, Biggs PJ, Bermingham EN, Bolwell CF, Thomas DG.Seasonal variation in the faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses was investigated over a 12-month period to determine whether the bacterial diversity fluctuated over time. Horses ( = 10) were maintained on pasture for one year, with hay supplemented from June to October. At monthly intervals, data were recorded on pasture availability and climate (collected continuously and averaged on monthly basis), pasture and hay samples were collected for nutrient analysis, and faecal samples were collected from all horses to investigate the diversity of faecal microbiota using next-generation sequencing ...
Aboling S, Drotleff AM, Cappai MG, Kamphues J.Because the occurrence of Claviceps in European pastures may have been overlooked to cause serious health problem for grazing animals, we documented the degree of Claviceps contamination in two horse pastures and estimated whether the horses could have ingested a critical quantity of alkaloids. We counted the Claviceps sclerotia and determined alkaloid levels using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Depending on the location, the number of sclerotia varied from 0.09 to 0.19 per square meter (central area) and from 0.23 to 55.8 per square meter (border strips). ...
Foote RH.Several inherited conditions associated with testicular defects, abnormal spermatogenesis and morphologically abnormal sperm have been found. These usually are controlled by single gene pairs. A notable exception is testicular size, with heritability in young bulls ranging from .42 to .88. Testicular size directly affects sperm output potential. The major contributor to variation in semen quality is the environment. Environmental effects may be temporary or permanent. Permanent effects occurring during prenatal and prepubertal periods and temporary or permanent factors acting after spermatogen...
Wilson G, Pritchard PP, Papageorgiou C, Phillips S, Kumar P, Langan-Evans C, Routledge H, Owens DJ, Morton JP, Close GL.The present study assessed the effects of a diet and exercise intervention in jockeys on body composition, metabolism, bone and mental health. 10 jockeys followed an individually prescribed 6-wk diet (Carbohydrate=2.5-3.5 g/kg, Protein=2.5 g/kg, Fat=1.0 g/kg). Body mass (59.2±4.6 vs. 57.6±4.5 kg), fat mass (7.5±3.5 vs. 6.2±2.6) and body fat (13.1±5.9 vs. 11.5±4.9%) all decreased (P<0.05) from pre to post-intervention whilst lean mass (47.1±5.3 vs. 47.0±5.5 kg) was maintained (P=0.80). RMR (1703±329 vs. 1975±313 kcal.d(-1)), VO2max (3.8±0.8 vs. 4.1±0.7 L/min(- 1))...
Guo L, Xu WL, Li CD, Ya M, Guo YS, Qian JP, Zhu JJ.Mare milk originated from female horses, known as mares, to feed their foals during lactation. The health-promoting characteristics of traditionally fermented mare milk (Chigee) are well known for the function of clinic treatment in the traditional Mongolian medicine. This study was conducted to investigate the production technology of Chigee and to evaluate the nutritional and microbiological characteristics of mare milk and Chigee based on 188 samples. The nutritional analysis of mare milk and Chigee indicated that lactose significantly decreased from 6.95 ± 0.45% to 2.82 ± 1.65% and a...
White SH, Wohlgemuth S, Li C, Warren LK.Exercise is known to promote mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle as well as enhance mitochondrial function and efficiency in human and rodent models. These adaptations help to decrease exercise-associated production of reactive oxygen species, which can negatively affect health and performance if antioxidant mechanisms are overwhelmed. Little is known about the adaptations of mitochondria in response to exercise training in the growing horse or if supplementation with a dietary antioxidant can improve mitochondrial function. To evaluate the separate and combined effects of selenium (Se...
Séguin V, Garon D, Lemauviel-Lavenant S, Lanier C, Bouchart V, Gallard Y, Blanchet B, Diquélou S, Personeni E, Ourry A.Improving the hygienic quality of forages for horse nutrition seems to be a reasonable target for decreasing the prevalence of pulmonary diseases. The aim of the experiment was to study the effects of different agricultural practices on the main aero-allergens contained in forages, including breathable dust, fungi, mycotoxins and pollens. Results: Results showed that the late harvest of hay, a second crop or a haylage production provides a good alternative to increase hygienic quality by reducing fungi contamination and breathable dust content. Barn drying of hay, while having no effect on bre...
Edouard N, Fleurance G, Martin-Rosset W, Duncan P, Dulphy JP, Grange S, Baumont R, Dubroeucq H, Pérez-Barbería FJ, Gordon IJ.Food intake is a key biological process in animals, as it determines the energy and nutrients available for the physiological and behavioural processes. In herbivores, the abundance, structure and quality of plant resources are known to influence intake strongly. In ruminants, as the forage quality declines, digestibility and total intake decline. Equids are believed to be adapted to consume high-fibre low-quality forages. As hindgut fermenters, it has been suggested that their response to a reduction in food quality is to increase intake to maintain rates of energy and nutrient absorption. Al...
Parashar R, Singla LD, Gupta M, Sharma SK.The haemato-biochemical indices and oxidative stress markers in horses naturally infected with Trypanosoma evansi were evaluated by analyzing the level of these parameters between T. evansi infected (microscopically positive patent group and PCR positive latent group) and infection free horses. To compare the hemato-biochemical indices and oxidative stress indicators, horses were divided into three categories based on diagnostic test employed and positive results obtained. These included Romanowsky stained slide positive group (Group I; n = 6), PCR positive group (group II; n = 28) and negativ...
Ringmark S, Roepstorff L, Essén-Gustavsson B, Revold T, Lindholm A, Hedenström U, Rundgren M, Ogren G, Jansson A.The aim of this study was to, from a holistic perspective, describe the effects of a forage-only feeding system and a conventional training program on young Standardbred horses and compare data with similar observations from the literature. Sixteen Standardbred colts fed a forage-only diet for 4 months from breaking (August to December) and with the goal to vigorously trot 5 to 7 km at a speed of 5.6 m/s (3 min/km) were studied. The horses were fed grass haylage (56 to 61% dry matter (DM), 2.80 to 3.02 Mcal DE/kg DM and 130 to 152 g CP/kg DM) ad libitum, 1 kg of a lucerne product and minerals....
Oftedal OT, Jenness R.Milk samples of four species of wild equids (onager, Equus hemionus onager; mountain zebra, E. zebra hartmannae; plains zebra, E. burchelli; Przewalski horse, E. caballus przewalskii) and two domesticated equids (ass, E. asinus; pony, E. caballus) were analysed. At mid to late lactation the milks of all species were very similar, containing on average 10-12% total solids, 1-2% fat, 1.6-1.8% true protein, 6-7% 'lactose', 0.3-0.5% ash, 0.08-0.12% calcium, 0.04-0.07% phosphorus and a calculated energy content of 2.0-2.4 kJ/g. Milk samples collected in the first 2 weeks after birth showed elevated...
Kienzle E, Pohlenz J, Radicke S.Structure of starch in feed and chyme of horses (7 with a cannula at the caudal end of the jejunum and 2 with a cecal fistula) after feeding high starch diets (maize: whole, broken, ground, expanded and as silage, oats: whole, rolled or ground, rolled barley, raw potatoes, and tapioca) was investigated by light and electron microscopy. Structure of feed starch and morphology or starch degradation in the chyme corresponded to data on preileal starch digestibility which was investigated in a parallel study. Barriers for starch digestion in the gastrointestinal tract of the horse were structure o...
Lendal S, Larsen MM, Bjørn H, Craven J, Chriél M, Olsen SN.A questionnaire survey to obtain information on endoparasite control practices and management on 68 Danish horse farms was undertaken in 1995. The study revealed that foals, young horses and adults were on average, annually treated 4.3, 4.0 and 3.7 times, respectively. The most commonly used drug from 1993-1995 was ivermectin. On average 2.4 different drugs were used annually. The most used method of weight estimation was eye measure: for foals by 78%, for youngsters by 81% and adults by 82% of the herd owners. The most commonly used weight in the dosing of anthelmintics was individual weights...
Nemoto K, Osawa R, Hirota K, Ono T, Miyake Y.Gram-negative tannin-protein complex degrading bacteria (T-PCDB) were first isolated from animals except for the koala. The occurrence of T-PCDB in feces of 15 species of mammals with different feeding habits was investigated. T-PCDB occurred in 7 of 54 horses but they could not be isolated from other mammals tested. These T-PCDB comprised less than 0.1% of the facultative anaerobic microflora in horse feces and it was much less than that previously reported in koala feces ( > 60%). A total of 7 T-PCDB fecal isolates showed a range of phenotypic diversities. They were all Gram-negative rods...
Elzinga SE, Betancourt A, Stewart JC, Altman MH, Barker VD, Muholland M, Bailey S, Brennan KM, Adams AA.Much of the equine population is obese and therefore predisposed to the development of additional health concerns such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). However, pharmacologic treatments for EMS are limited. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is a therapeutic strategy in humans with metabolic dysfunction that improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation, but the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in horses with EMS are unclear. Therefore, in this pilot study, 10 mixed-sex and mixed-breed horses with EMS were fed a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich microalgae containing 16 ...
McManus CJ, Fitzgerald BP.In a variety of species, short-term feed restriction leads to rapid changes in the reproductive axis and reduces serum levels of leptin. Two experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that a single day of feed restriction in aged and young mares would cause a suppression of the gonadotropins and serum leptin concentrations. The estrous cycles of 12 aged (>eight years; Exp. 1) and eight young (<five years; Exp. 2) mares were synchronized and the mares were conditioned to twice-daily meal feeding. On the seventh day after synchronization, restricted mares (n = 6 for Exp. 1; n = 4 fo...
Knight DA, Tyznik WJ.Fifteen Shetland ponies were used in a 7-wk trial to study the effect of supplemental Se on humoral antibody production. Four 3-yr-old, five 2-yr-old and six yearling ponies were depleted of Se before being assigned randomly to either a low Se (.02 ppm) or higher Se (.22 ppm) diet. Each pony was challenged antigenically with 2 ml of sheep packed red blood cells upon receiving its respective diet and again 2 wk post-treatment. Blood samples were drawn weekly and assayed for glutathione peroxidase activity, Se and immunoglobulin concentration and antibody titers. Compared with those ponies recei...
George LA, Staniar WB, Treiber KH, Harris PA, Geor RJ.Nutritional management of animals during pregnancy can affect glucose and insulin dynamics in the resulting offspring through influences on fetal development. Additionally, high starch feeding in mature horses is associated with reduced insulin sensitivity and an increased risk for diseases such as obesity and laminitis. However, no study has yet evaluated the effect of feeding a high starch diet to pregnant mares on glucose and insulin dynamics in their offspring. Twenty late-gestation mares maintained on pasture were provided two-thirds of digestible energy requirements from isocaloric, ison...
Schmid-Lausigk Y, Aurich C.Seasonal changes in the reproductive physiology of stallions contribute to a decrease in the quality of frozen-thawed semen during late winter. Changes in the lipid composition of the sperm plasma membrane may contribute to this phenomenon. In the present study, we have, therefore, investigated the effects of adding linseed oil (LO) in combination with antioxidants to the diet of breeding stallions on the motility and membrane integrity of cooled-stored and cryopreserved semen. Starting in November, the diet of LO stallions (n = 6) but not control (C) stallions (n = 5) was supplemented with LO...
