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Topic:Nutrition
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.
Factors contributing to plasma TCO2 and acid-base state in Ontario Standardbred racehorses. Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorses around the world are tested for performance enhancing substances. Among these are blood alkalising substances that raise plasma pH and total carbon dioxide (TCO(2)) concentration. However, many horses have an elevated TCO(2) due to dietary, environmental and health concerns without having been administered an alkalising substance. Objective: The purposes of this study were to determine the acid-base profile of a cross section of Standardbred horses in racing/race training in Ontario and the main independent variables that contributed to acid-base state....
Plasma aldosterone concentration and cardiovascular response to low sodium intake in horses in training. Horses in training lose large amounts of sodium but little is known about the cardiovascular response to low sodium intake. Objective: To investigate the effect of low sodium intake on plasma aldosterone (pAldo) concentrations and the cardiovascular system of athletic horses, and to identify markers of low sodium intake. Methods: Seven Standardbred geldings in training (trained twice a week) were randomly offered a standardised diet supplemented (NaS, 58 mg Na/kg bwt) and not supplemented (NaN, 3 mg Na/kg bwt) with NaCl for 5 weeks in a changeover design. Blood samples were taken once a week a...
Long-term effects of endurance training on total tract apparent digestibility, total mean retention time and faecal microbial ecosystem in competing Arabian horses. In endurance horses, commonly fed 80% forage, energy is provided mainly by VFA produced in the hindgut during cell wall degradation, but cell wall digestibility has been reported to be impaired by exercise. Objective: To assess the influence of a long-term endurance conditioning on cell wall digestion in horses. Methods: The total tract apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and fibrous constituents, solid and liquid total mean retention time and the faecal microbial ecosystem of purebred Arabian horses were measured for 2 years in 2 longitudinal experiments. Methods: Performed a...
Effects of crude protein intake from forage-only diets on muscle amino acids and glycogen levels in horses in training. There is little information about the influence of crude protein (CP) intake on glycogen and free pool amino acid concentrations in the muscle of horses in training. High energy forage-only diets may be an alternative to concentrate rich diets and may provide high levels of CP. Objective: To study the effect of feeding 2 forage-only diets, containing either high or moderate CP concentrations on glycogen and free pool amino acid concentrations in the muscle. Methods: Two high energy forage-only diets based on high-energy grass forage were fed for 23 days in a crossover design to 6 Standardbred ...
Sweat composition in Arabian horses performing endurance exercise on forage-based, low Na rations. Excessive sweat loss during endurance exercise may lead to electrolyte disturbances and previous research suggests dietary factors may affect hydration status. While investigating the effect of dietary fibre type on hydration status, sweat samples were collected which allowed for the evaluation of sweat composition in horses consuming forage-based, low sodium (Na) rations. Objective: To investigate sweat composition in Arabian horses performing endurance type exercise while fed forage-based, rations low in Na. Methods: Six 2-year-old Arabian horses were fed, according to a replicated 3 × 3 La...
Dietary energy source and physical conditioning affect insulin sensitivity and skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in horses. Starch rich (S) feeds reduce insulin sensitivity in untrained horses when compared to high fat (F) feeds, but insulin sensitivity is not affected when S or F are fed during exercise training. The effects of S vs. F on training-associated alterations in skeletal muscle glucose metabolism are unknown. Objective: To determine the effects of dietary energy source on training-associated changes in insulin sensitivity, skeletal muscle GLUT4 protein and hexokinase (HK) and glycogen synthase (GS) activities in horses. Methods: After a baseline period on an all forage diet (Phase 1), horses were adapte...
Nutrient intake during an elite level three-day event competition is correlated to inflammatory markers and antioxidant status. Dietary intake and feeding management practices could affect the degree of physiological stress and subsequent performance of high level 3-day event horses. Objective: To assess whether a relationship exists between dietary intake levels of selected nutrients and the inflammatory and antioxidant status in horses competing in a high level 3-day event. Methods: Riders competing in a CCI2*/CCI3* 3-day event (n = 35) answered a nutritional management survey conducted by the investigators at the competition. Actual and recommended intakes of vitamin E, potassium (K), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) an...
Effects of leucine or whey protein addition to an oral glucose solution on serum insulin, plasma glucose and plasma amino acid responses in horses at rest and following exercise. Providing protein or amino acid mixtures in combination with glucose to post exercise in man has resulted in increases in the post feeding insulin response and in muscle glycogen and protein synthesis rates. However, whether protein and/or amino acids can modify the post exercise insulin responses in horses remains to be fully elucidated. Objective: To determine whether whey protein or leucine addition to a glucose solution affects the post gavage plasma insulin, glucose and amino acid responses in horses and whether these responses are different following a period of exercise vs. rest. Method...
Effects of feed deprivation on Standardbred horses fed a forage-only diet and a 50:50 forage-oats diet. A higher forage allowance to athletic horses might be an alternative to increase health and the gut fluid reservoir. However, more forage might increase bodyweight (bwt) and could therefore be a limitation during competition. Objective: To investigate the effect of a forage-only diet (FD) compared to a 50:50 (dry matter basis) forage:oats diet (OD) on bwt, plasma protein concentration and some metabolic plasma parameters during 12 h of feed deprivation. Methods: Twelve adult Standardbred horses in training were used. The 2 diets were fed in 2 experimental periods of 3 weeks each in a crossover...
Effect of feed restriction on plasma dantrolene concentrations in horses. Dantrolene sodium is used to prevent exertional rhabdomyolysis in predisposed horses. Food intake might negatively impact dantrolene bioavailability in horses; however, prolonged feed restriction might be detrimental to performance. Objective: To determine a minimum duration of feed restriction that would optimise plasma dantrolene concentrations in horses after nasogastric administration. It was hypothesised that feed restriction for 4, 8 or 12 h before dantrolene administration would result in higher plasma dantrolene concentrations than achieved with no feed restriction before treatment. Me...
Oxidative stress and antioxidant status in intensely exercising horses administered nutraceutical extracts. Many nutraceuticals are used as equine supplements without their efficacy having been scientifically tested. Black tea, cranberries, orange peel and ginger are a few of those nutraceuticals that warrant further study. Objective: To test the effects of single doses of black tea, cranberry, orange peel and ginger extract on markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status following exercise in horses. Methods: In Study 1, 9 mature, healthy but unfit Standardbred mares were administered 2 l of a control (water), orange peel extract (30 g extract) or decaffeinated black tea extract (28 g extract...
Assessment of glucose disposal with the hyperglycaemic clamp technique during low intensity exercise in Warmblood horses. The quantity of glucose disposal during exercise (walk and trot) compared to rest by use of the hyperglycaemic clamp technique has not been reported previously and has relevance to nutritional requirements. Objective: Exercise (walk and trot) significantly increases glucose disposal compared to rest. Methods: Seven healthy Dutch Warmblood mares, all in dioestrus, mean ± s.d. age 11.6 ± 2.4 years and weighing 569 ± 40 kg were fasted for 12 h prior to a hyperglycaemic clamp at rest (maintaining a steady state of the blood glucose concentration during 30 min), walk (10 min, 1.5 m/s), trot (20 ...
Effect of fitness on glucose, insulin and cortisol responses to diets varying in starch and fat content in Thoroughbred horses with recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis. Recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) occurs in fit, nervous Thoroughbreds fed high nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) diets. Clinical signs are diminished by feeding low NSC, high fat diets; however, the mechanism is unclear. Objective: To determine if the glucose, insulin and cortisol response to isocaloric diets varying in fat and NSC availability differ in fit vs. unfit Thoroughbreds with RER. Methods: Four fit (10 weeks treadmill training) RER Thoroughbred mares were exercised and fed 3 isocaloric (121 MJ/day) diets in a 5 day/diet block design. Two high NSC concentrates, sweet feed (SF...
Effects of high and moderate non-structural carbohydrate hay on insulin, glucose, triglyceride, and leptin concentrations in overweight Arabian geldings. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of high and moderate non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) hay on insulin, glucose, triglyceride, and leptin concentrations in overweight Arabian geldings. Eight adult overweight (average BCS 7 [9-point scale]) Arabian geldings were fed each of two orchardgrass hays, high NSC (18% DM) and moderate NSC (12% DM), in a cross over design during two 28-day periods. Body weight and body condition score assessment along with blood sampling to measure insulin, glucose, leptin, and triglyceride concentrations were performed on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and ...
Pasture composition in a trace element-contaminated area: the particular case of Fe and Cd for grazing horses. Pasture selection by livestock is an essential topic for rangeland management, especially in trace element-contaminated soils. We have studied the composition (nutrients and trace elements) of a grass-based diet from soils affected by a mine spill at different growth stages (October 2008 to May 2009). A diet based on other plants (mainly Compositae species) was also studied (May 2009) for comparison. Faeces and mane hair of horses feeding on these pastures were also analysed. Micronutrient (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) and potentially toxic trace element (As, Cd, Pb, Tl) concentrations were below the ma...
[Horse milking industry in The Netherlands and Flanders]. The horse milking industry is expanding in The Netherlands and Flanders. Horse milk has become popular due to its (supposed) health-enhancing properties. A horse-milking farm is not a common client for the Dutch veterinarian. When giving advice in this circumstance it should be recognised that these horses are production animals and that their milk is for human consumption. A review of the literature is given together with the results of an extensive enquiry amongst 13 horse-milking farms in The Netherlands and Flanders.
Effects of oral supplementation with β-carotene on concentrations of β-carotene, vitamin A and α-tocopherol in plasma, colostrum and milk of mares and plasma of their foals and on fertility in mares. In this study, effects of oral β-carotene supplementation to mares (β-carotene group: 1000 mg/day, n = 15; control group: n = 15) from 2 weeks before foaling until 6 weeks thereafter on concentrations of β-carotene, vitamin A and α-tocopherol in plasma, colostrum and milk and plasma of their foals were determined. In addition, effects on fertility were studied. Beta-carotene concentrations increased in plasma and colostrum of β-carotene-supplemented mares compared to control mares (p < 0.05). In mares of both groups, β-carotene concentrations were higher in colostrum than in milk (p &...
Evaluation of the effects of pregnancy on insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, and glucose dynamics in Thoroughbred mares. To characterize the effects of pregnancy on insulin sensitivity (SI) and glucose dynamics in pasture-maintained mares fed supplemental feeds of differing energy composition. Methods: Pregnant (n = 22) and nonpregnant (10) healthy Thoroughbred mares. Methods: Pregnant and nonpregnant mares underwent frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests at 2 times (period 1, 25 to 31 weeks of gestation; period 2, 47 weeks of gestation). Following period 1 measurements, mares were provided a high-starch (HS; 39% starch) or high-fat and -fiber (14% fat and 70% fiber) supplemental feed. From a sub...
A brief history of equine private practice in South Africa. Horse breeding in South Africa started in 1652, shortly after the 1st European settlement in the Cape. African horsesickness posed a serious problem and after a devastating outbreak of the disease in 1719, horses were largely replaced by oxen for agricultural and transport purposes but remained important from a sporting and military point of view. Examples of the latter are the export of horses for military use to India in the mid-19th century and for use in the Crimean War in 1854, reaching a zenith in the Anglo-Boer war in which an estimated 450 000 horses succumbed. Research and disease con...
Nutritional, lifestyle, and weight control practices of professional jockeys. In this study, we describe diet and lifestyle practices of professional jockeys. Participants completed a 59-item nutrition, lifestyle, and health questionnaire (n = 21) and a 7-day estimated food diary (n = 18). Acute weight loss strategies included the use of saunas (86%), exercising to induce sweating (81%), and restricted energy intake (71%). Of the smokers (38%), 56% used smoking to control weight. Most (86%) jockeys reported attaining a 2-kg weight loss for racing (if required) 24-48 h before or on the designated race-day. Mean daily energy intake (1803 ± 564 kcal) was low and appeared ...
Changes in faecal bacteria and metabolic parameters in foals during the first six weeks of life. Many foals develop diarrhoea within the first two weeks of life which has been suggested to coincide with postpartum oestrus in their dams. To analyse the pathogenesis of this diarrhoea we have determined faecal bacteria in foals and their dams (n=30 each), and serum IGF-1 and γ-globulins for 6 weeks after birth. In addition, effects of β-carotene supplementation to mares (group 1: 1000 mg/day, n=15, group 2: control, n=15) on diarrhoea in foals were studied. Diarrhoea occurred in 92 and 79% of foals in groups 1 and 2, respectively, but was not correlated with oestrus in mares. Beta-carotene...
Nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabonomic study of early time point laminitis in an oligofructose-overload model. NMR-metabonomics is an unbiased evaluation method, which allows to comprehensively study changes of the equine metabolic profile in early time point laminitis. This might give insight into the early stages of disease development. Objective: To detect hitherto unknown changes in blood metabolites during the development of oligofructose-induced laminitis by comparing pre- and post induction blood samples. Methods: Prior to laminitis induction blood was sampled to establish control values. Post oligofructose administration (POA) blood was collected every 3 h for 24 h. One-dimensional (1) H-NMR sp...
Magnesium disorders in horses. Magnesium (Mg) is an essential macroelement that is required for cellular energy-dependent reactions involving adenosine triphosphate and for the regulation of calcium channel function. Subclinical hypomagnesemia is common in critically ill humans and animals and increases the severity of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome; worsens the systemic response to endotoxins; and can lead to ileus, cardiac arrhythmias, refractory hypokalemia, and hypocalcemia. This article discusses the clinical signs, consequences, and treatment of hypomagnesemia in horses and describes the association of Mg...
Disorders of calcium and phosphate metabolism in horses. Calcium and phosphate have structural and nonstructural functions, and their concentrations in the extracellular compartment are affected by the physiologic status of the animal as well as diseases. Important progress in understanding calcium and phosphorus metabolism in healthy and diseased horses and foals has been made in recent years. For example, several studies have confirmed that hypocalcemia is frequent in horses with gastrointestinal disease and that calcium endocrine dysregulation is associated with survival in foals. One critical point in the homeostasis of these minerals is their i...
The endocrine disruptive effects of ergopeptine alkaloids on pregnant mares. During equine gestation, ergopeptine alkaloid exposure is not uncommon, and pregnant mares are particularly sensitive to the endocrine disruptive effects of these compounds on lactogenesis and steroidogenesis. Agalactia, prolonged gestation, abortion, dystocia, and placental and fetal abnormalities are all clinical manifestations of changes in the endocrine milieu induced by the ingestion of ergopeptine alkaloid-contaminated feedstuffs by mares during late gestation. An understanding of the endocrine disruptive effects of gestational exposure to ergopeptine alkaloids is necessary for the diagn...
Equine hyperlipidemias. Hyperlipidemia is the presence of elevated lipid concentrations in the blood and is associated with periods of negative energy balance and physiologic stress. In increased concentrations, circulating lipids typically occur in the triglyceride form, which may interfere with numerous normal physiologic functions, particularly by reducing insulin sensitivity. Although the hyperlipidemia risk is greatest in ponies, miniature horses, and donkeys, all equids are at risk if they are in a situation involving negative energy balance. The sedentary lifestyle of many modern horses and the frequent feedin...
Assessment of body fat in the pony: part II. Validation of the deuterium oxide dilution technique for the measurement of body fat. Excessive accumulations or depletions of body fat have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in horses and ponies. An objective, minimally-invasive method to accurately quantify body fat in living animals is required to aid nutritional management and define welfare/performance limits. Objective: To compare deuterium oxide (D(2) O) dilution-derived estimates of total body water (TBW) and body fat with values obtained by 'gold standard' proximate analysis and cadaver dissection. Objective: D(2) O dilution offers a valid method for the determination of TBW and body fat in equids....
Assessment of body fat in the pony: part I. Relationships between the anatomical distribution of adipose tissue, body composition and body condition. Evaluation of equine body fat content is important for nutritional and clinical purposes. However, our understanding of total body fat and its regional distribution in the body is sparse. Currently, body fat evaluation relies on the subjective assessment of body condition score (BCS), which has never been validated against 'gold standard' chemical analysis or dissection measurements in ponies. Objective: To define the relationships between subjective (BCS), objective (morphometric) indices of body fat and 'gold standard' measurements of actual body composition. Objective: BCS and morphometry o...
Influence of dietary methionine concentration on growth and nitrogen balance in weanling Quarter Horses. Twenty-four Quarter Horse weanlings (120 ± 10 d) were blocked by age into 4 groups (n=6) for a 56-d trial to evaluate the influence of dietary Met concentration on growth and N balance. Weanling horses were housed by block and individually fed concentrates twice daily at 1.75% BW (as-fed basis). Weanling horses were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 concentrate treatments: basal (0.20 Met), basal + 0.03% Met (0.23 Met), basal + 0.07% Met (0.27 Met), and basal + 0.11% Met (0.31 Met). Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric and contained equal amounts of Lys and Thr. Coastal bermuda...
Effects of racing on equine fertility. Racing and fertility are connected with each other in many ways. Stress and increased body temperature induced by racing may have negative effects on fertility, but on the other hand, high quality nutrition and management of racing horses may have positive effects. Fertility may also be genetically associated with racing performance. The analysed data consisted of Finnish mating records of Standardbreds (n=33,679) and Finnhorses (n=32,731), from 1991 to 2005, and the harness racing records of both mares and stallions. Fertility was measured by foaling outcome, and racing performance was measur...
