Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
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.
Effects of age, sex, and post mortem interval on intestinal lengths of horses during development. Lengths of small intestine, caecum, ascending colon and descending colon were measured in intestinal tracts from 103 foetuses, foals and adult horses. Intestinal tracts from 21 of the horses were measured at varying intervals after death. Total intestinal length increased markedly from mid-gestation to one year of age, then showed little increment up to 35 years. Small intestinal length increased most rapidly in the first month of life. Caecal length increased most rapidly from one to six months and length of ascending colon increased most rapidly between one week and one year. Descending colo...
[Sublimation-dried mare’s milk and the possibility of its use in creating infant and dietary food products]. The main biological parameters were studied in sublimated mare's milk: protein fraction composition, amino-acid spectrum, fatty-acid composition of lipids and the content of vitamins and mineral substances. A high biological value of the sublimated mare's milk has been proved, as well as significant proximity of its composition to human milk. Preliminary data have evidenced expediency of mare's milk use for the development of adapted milk mixtures for baby foods. However, the fatty component of the mixtures needs certain correction by addition of vegetable oil. The sublimated mare's milk can b...
Effect of feeding on renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system of the horse. The effect of feeding frequency and associated meal size on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in seven horses was examined. A daily maintenance ration of hay-grain pellets was provided either as a multiple feeding regimen (MF), in which the ration was divided into six equal portions fed at 4-h intervals, or as a single large feeding (SF) given from 9 A.M. until 11 A.M. Plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone (PAC), cortisol (PCC), protein concentration (TP), packed cell volume (PCV), and serum sodium and potassium were measured serially. To prevent significant RAAS stimulation d...
Nitrogen metabolism in mature horses at varying levels of work. Nitrogen metabolism was measured in five mature geldings performing varying levels of work that simulated race training. Following an initial maintenance period without forced exercise, workload was increased in succeeding 18-d periods by doubling the distance the horses were galloped in each period from period 2 through 4. A 4-d N balance experiment was conducted at the end of each 18-d period. The maximum distance galloped daily, which was in period 4, was repeated in period 5. Then, workloads were decreased through period 7. Nitrogen balance was determined in two additional periods, 8 and 9...
Small colon intussusception in a broodmare. A 9-year-old pregnant Standardbred broodmare was evaluated for signs of mild abdominal pain, failure to defecate, and mild abdominal distention. Rectal examination revealed the leading edge of a small colon intussusception, and peritoneal fluid analysis indicated suppurative peritonitis. Surgical management, including reduction of the intussusception and small colon resection with end-to-end anastomosis, resulted in successful outcome (1-year follow-up evaluation). Postoperative complications including dehiscence of the ventral midline surgical incision and simple obstruction at the anastomosi...
Interspecies variation in milk composition among horses, zebras and asses (Perissodactyla: Equidae). 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...
Digestion of hay protein in different segments of the equine digestive tract. Mature ponies fitted with permanent ileal cannulas were used in a 3 X 3 Latin square experiment to quantify prececal, postileal and total tract digestion of hay protein. Coastal Bermuda grass (CB), containing 11.7% crude protein, and two qualities of alfalfa, containing 15.0% (low-protein alfalfa; LA) and 18.1% (high-protein alfalfa; HA) crude protein, were fed in coarsely chopped form at 2% of body weight daily. Total tract apparent digestibility of the N in HA (73.8%) was higher than that in CB (57.0%; P less than .05) and was slightly higher than that in LA (66.1%; P less than .10). Nitroge...
Responses of blood glucose, insulin and cortisol concentrations to common equine diets. Two experiments were conducted to determine the response of blood glucose, insulin and cortisol levels to four common equine diets. Experiment 1 was designed to determine the diurnal variation of glucose and two glucoregulatory hormones, insulin and cortisol, in four fasting geldings. No diurnal variation was observed in either glucose or insulin levels during the 24-h sampling period. However, cortisol levels did exhibit a circadian rhythm, with elevated values observed in the morning and low values in the evening. Experiment 2 investigated the response of glucose, insulin, cortisol and selec...
Total parenteral nutrition in four healthy adult horses. Total parenteral nutrition was accomplished in 4 healthy adult horses. During the 10-day study, the horses were not permitted to ingest food or water. Body weight was maintained at 94% of initial values without clinical evidence of dehydration. Serum urea nitrogen and triacylglycerol concentrations decreased during the study, without other significant hematologic or biochemical changes. Horses adapted without problems to the routine of IV feeding and confinement. All horses were healthy at the conclusion of the study. It was concluded that intravenous feeding with a lipid-glucose-amino acid-el...
The effect of oral L-carnitine supplementation on the muscle and plasma concentrations in the Thoroughbred horse. 1. L-carnitine was administered orally to thoroughbred horses for 58 days. 2. Acceptability and effects on plasma, muscle and urine concentration were studied. 3. Ten-60 g/day (as 2-3 doses) was acceptable with no deleterious effects. 4. One x 10 g L-carnitine significantly raised the plasma-free carnitine concentration (7 hr post) from 21.2 to 31.8 mumol/l; 2 x 30 g increased the mean to 36.5 mumol/l. 5. Plasma acetylcarnitine increased from approximately 1 to 5.5 mumol/l (7 hr post) on 2 x 30 g/day. 6. Muscle total carnitine was unchanged over 58 days. 7. Urinary output accounted for 3.5-7.5...
Nutritional management of horses competing in 160 km races. A survey was taken of dietary management and training schedules of 54 horses competing in two 160 km endurance races. A total of 52 owners, representing 54 horses, responded to a questionnaire distributed prior to the races. Diet and training schedules were compared between horses that successfully completed the races and those that were eliminated for metabolic reasons. Horses that completed the races were 11.5 +/- 4 years old, weighed 429 +/- 4.5 kg and were ridden 61 +/- 32 km a week when training. Feed intake was reported as "free choice hay or pasture" by 34 of the respondents. Dry matter...
[Iron and iron-binding capacity in the serum of clinically healthy horses]. Serum iron concentration and iron-binding capacity were determined in 34 respectively 35 clinically healthy horses of different sex, with the age of 3 to 21 years. In the Warm blooded horse, the Half bred, the Haflinger horse, the Heavy horse and the Arabian Haflinger the mean serum iron concentration amounted to 253 +/- 66 micrograms/dl, 202 +/- 87 micrograms/dl, 166 +/- 67 micrograms/dl, 183 micrograms/dl and 366 micrograms/dl, while the iron-binding capacity in the Warm blooded horse, the Half bred, the Haflinger horse, the Thoroughbred, the Heavy horse and the Arabian Haflinger ran up to 4...
Effect of meal frequency on fluid balance and behavior of ponies. Twelve ponies were fed their total daily ration either as one large meal or divided into six small meals. Pre- and post-feeding behavior was recorded six times a day. Blood samples were taken for 30 min before and two hr after the meal. Plasma protein increased from 7.0 to a peak of 7.3 g/dl with small meals and from 7.3 to 8.1 g/dl with large meals, and returned to pre-feeding levels by 90 min post-feeding. Hematocrit rose from 33.3 to 34.1% with small meals and from 33.0 to 36.0% with large meals. These rapid and short-lived increases indicate a decrease in plasma volume. Plasma osmolality r...
Laboratory evaluation of malassimilation in horses. Malassimilation should be suspected in horses with weight loss in spite of a good appetite. Malassimilation is usually confirmed with oral glucose or D-xylose absorption tests, whereas the oral lactose tolerance test can be used to evaluate lactase deficiency in foals. Once malassimilation is confirmed, other diagnostic tests such as abdominocentesis, rectal mucosal biopsy, or exploratory laparotomy with intestinal biopsies may determine the etiology of malassimilation.
Oral administration of ascorbic acid to horses. The effects of oral administration of high doses of ascorbic acid on plasma concentrations were investigated in both experimental Thoroughbred horses and those within racing stables. A single oral dose (20 g) did not result in any increase in plasma concentrations. However, daily administration of either 4.5 g or 20 g doses resulted in significant increases in plasma concentrations. Monthly variations in plasma ascorbate concentrations were found in both supplemented (20 g daily) and unsupplemented stables. It is concluded that oral supplementation with ascorbic acid is a satisfactory route to...
Relationship of cheek tooth abrasion to fluoride-induced permanent incisor lesions in livestock. Teeth from cattle, sheep, and horses that ingested various fluoride intakes and teeth from field studies of these species plus deer, elk, and bison were examined for abnormalities. Approximately 99,000 animals in 322 herds were examined for fluorosis. From field studies, 988 cattle of various ages and with different degrees of dental fluorosis were slaughtered and necropsied. The severity of fluoride-induced mottling, hypoplasia, and abnormal abrasion of paired permanent incisor teeth was correlated with abrasion of premolar and molar (cheek) teeth that form and mineralize at approximately the...
Energy utilization and blood traits of ponies fed fat-supplemented diets. 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...
Serum ferritin, serum iron, and erythrocyte values in foals. Twenty-one healthy Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals were studied from birth until 1 year of age. Foals had access to an iron-supplemented creep feed before weaning and were fed an iron-supplemented concentrate as part of their diet after weaning at 4 months of age. Initial blood samples were taken before foals were allowed to nurse. Serum iron concentration, total iron-binding capacity, and PCV decreased during the foal's first 24 hours of life. Serum iron concentration decreased rapidly from 446 +/- 16 micrograms/dl (mean +/- SE) at birth to 105 +/- 11 micrograms/dl at 3 days of age. Seru...
[Evaluation of the effects of lipids isolated from sublimated mare’s milk on the indicators of lipid metabolism and fatty acid composition of blood plasma, erythrocyte stroma and liver tissue in rats]. During six weeks rats were given a ration containing, as the only source of fat, lipids of sublimated mare's milk that had been stored with or without antioxidants (quercitrol, bisalcophen) during 3 months. The influence of specific quality of the ration fat on lipids and fatty acid composition of lipids in blood plasma, erythrocytic stroma and liver tissue, as well as on lipid peroxidation in the tissues was studied in the test animals. No changes induced by the lipids from sublimated mare's milk were detected in the parameters studied.
Equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy. This article discusses the history and signalment, clinical signs, differential diagnosis, pathology, etiology and pathogenesis, and treatment and prevention of equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy.
Growth and calcium metabolism in horses fed varying levels of protein. The effect of level of protein intake on growth and calcium metabolism was studied in 24 foals. Starting at four months old, the foals were fed one of three diets containing all nutrients, with the exception of protein, at levels recommended by the United States National Research Council Subcommittee on Horse Nutrition for a 12 month period. The protein levels in the three diets were 9 per cent (low protein) 14 per cent (NRC recommended level) and 20 per cent (high protein). The foals fed the low protein diet were changed to the high protein diet after 140 days when they were nine months old. ...
Scanning electron microscope observations of hoof horn from horses with brittle feet. Two types of defect were observed when hoof clippings from horses with brittle feet were viewed in the scanning electron microscope. The first defect showed a loss of structure and horn in the stratum externum. This defect was remedied after biotin treatment. The second defect showed poor attachment of the horn squames and failed to respond to biotin treatment alone. An improvement in this case was achieved by the addition of powdered limestone to the diet.
Thoroughbred blood serum inorganic phosphate concentrations in relation to feeding regime and racing performance. Horses receiving a pelleted or cubed dietary supplementation with roughage, have serum inorganic phosphate (SIP) concentrations consistently below an accepted mean of 1,032 mmol l-1 or 3, 1 mg dl-1. Further, it has been reported that the best eight, two-year-old Irish Thoroughbred track performers of 51 horses tested over a 10 month period, had significantly lower SIP concentrations than the worst eight track performers. In an endeavour to assess any nutritive effect on SIP concentrations and also to assess any effect of SIP concentrations on track performance, metabolic blood profiles from 30...
Synthesis and absorption of cysteine from the hindgut of the horse. The extent to which cysteine synthesised by microbes within the hindgut of the horse is incorporated into plasma cysteine was estimated by an isotopic technique in two horses fed four different diets. The results showed that between 1 per cent and 6 per cent of the plasma cysteine was of microbial origin. It is argued that the maximum contribution of microbial cysteine, and presumably other amino acids of microbial origin, to the plasma pool is 12 per cent of the net supply. These data support the hypothesis that microbial amino acid synthesis within the hindgut of the horse does not significa...
Serum retinol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D and alpha-tocopherol of racing trotters in Finland. Serum levels of retinol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and alpha-tocopherol were determined by high performance liquid chromatography from 142 Standardbred and Finnish Coldblooded Trotters aged three to 15 years. Blood samples were collected during January and July. Serum levels of retinol and alpha-tocopherol were about a third of those in man, with summer values indicating an increase in most horses. The relatively low serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and alpha-tocopherol suggest that during the winter season a deficiency of these vitamins may occur in horses in north...
