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.
Clayton HM, Duncan JL, Dargie JD.The mechanisms involved in the pathophysiological disturbances associated with the presence of mature Parascaris equorum in the small intestine were investigated with radioisotopic techniques. The results suggested that, compared with worm-free controls, infected foals had a reduction in gut motility, an increase in the body solids ratio, a lowering of the body pool of albumin and a decreased ability to incorporate dietary methionine into plasma protein.
Gronwall R, Engelking LR, Noonan N.Biliary excretion of bilirubin, including the conjugate composition, was studied during feeding and during a 2.5-day fast of three pony mares with chronic external biliary (T-tube) fistulas. Fasting bilirubin excretion (1.96 +/- 0.74 microgram/min/kg of body weight), after establishing a new steady state, was not different from excretion during feeding (1.99 +/- 0.45 microgram/min/kg). Hyperbilirubinemia of fasting resulted from a reduced removal of plasma bilirubin rather than from an increased input of bilirubin into the plasma. Relative plasma excretion of the individual conjugate fractions...
Doreau M, Dussap G.Female milk production was related to offspring water turnover, estimated by a tracer method (fig. 1). After deuterium oxide was injected into the blood of the offspring, we measured the decrease of its concentration in time. Milk intake was calculated by equations taking into account the weight gain of the offspring. The reliability of this method was checked in 28 bottle-fed lambs with known milk intake; the correlation between the actual intakes and our estimates was 0.98 with an error means of 5.6 p. 100. The error on the mean of 28 lambs was 0.5 p. 100 (table 1). The milk production of 6 ...
Tisserand JL, Boulard F, Deponge P.We studied a caecum-cannulated pony fed hay libitum in order to determine the mineral elements likely to cause deficiencies which decrease microbial activity in the caecum. During four successive 1-month periods, we observed the effects of adding 50 mg of iron, 1 mg of cobalt, 40 mg of copper and 200 mg of zinc, respectively. Except for the introduction of zinc, which greatly diminishes cellulolytic activity measured with the nylon bag technique, there was no significant modification in that activity as shown by pH, NH3-nitrogen, total nitrogen and volatile fatty acid production (table 1). It ...
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.
Stromberg B.There appears to be an increasing incidence of osteochondrosis in young fast-growing horses in Europe and the USA. The disease is thought to be congenital in type and affects endochondral ossification in growing bones. It can be localised to one joint or may be a generalised condition. The clinical manifestations of the disease lead to a secondary chronic degenerative joint disease in adult animals. There is a genetic predisposition to the condition which is associated with rapid growth and excessive high energy feeding. The careful genetic selection of bloodstock and restricted intake in earl...
Ralston SL, Van den Broek G, Baile CA.The feeding patterns of five pony geldings fed pelleted diets ad libitum were quantified for five 24-hr periods. Eighty percent of a given pony's total daily intake (6.3 ± .81 kg or 2.9 ± .41% BW) was eaten in 10 ± .9 separate meals. Each meal averaged .49 ±.13 kg of pellets and lasted 44 ± 10 minutes. The mean intermeal interval was 84 ± 10 min, with a maximum of 3 hour. The animals spent 38 ± 7.2% of a 24-hr period engaged in eating activities, 84 ± 3.7% of which was devoted to meals, the other 16% spent in nibbling activities. Forty-nine percent of the total daily intake was consume...
van Niekerk HP, Couvaras S.The possibility of including sodium hydroxide-treated lucerne hay as a constituent in rations for horses was investigated by measuring its effect on the performance and certain bloodcomponents of growing foals. As no adverse effects were found it is concluded that further investigation is necessary to see whether the inclusion of low grade-treated roughages in the ration of horses would be of economic significance.
Blackmore DJ, Willett K, Agness D.Selenium and gamma-glutamyl transferase activity has been measured in the serum of clinically health thoroughbreds. The thoroughbreds, whose performance was reported to be unsatisfactory, had consistently low concentrations of selenium and high activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase in the serum when compared with those whose performance was as expected. Vitamin E levels in the serum showed no such difference. The only other biochemical and haematological abnormality was lower serum phosphate concentrations in the unsatisfactory group. These results suggest that low concentrations of selenium ...
Peaker M, Rossdale PD, Forsyth IA, Falk M.Small samples of mammary secretion were taken for analysis from Thoroughbred mares during the last 3 weeks of pregnancy up to the time of foaling. The concentrations of sodium and chloride decreased while those of lactose, potassium, citrate, phosphate, calcium, magnesium and protein increased. The time-course of these changes showed marked variation between animals. The concentration of whey proteins began to increase about 10 days before parturition. The appearance of the secretion and the size of the mammary glands increased in the last few days of pregnancy. It is suggested that the concen...
O'Sullivan BM.The clinical signs and pathology of 6 field cases of a respiratory disease of horses which occurs in the coastal hinterland of south-eastern Queensland are described. The condition has occurred for many years and has been thought to have been associated with ingestion of Crofton weed (Eupatorium adenophorum). Coughing, rapid heaving respiration, decreased exercise tolerance and loss of condition were seen in affected horses. In longstanding cases fibrosis, alveolar lining cell proliferation, oedema, neutrophil infiltration and abscessation were seen. In some cases vascular thrombosis and infar...
Irwin DH, Howell DW."Cube colic" is described and vain attempts to cause the problem on an experimental basis are recorded. It is concluded that not all horses are susceptible to cube colic and if colic occurs in horses being fed on cubes, it is not necessarily due to feeding of cubes. Nomenclature of bowel disorders is considered.
Emmerich IU.In 2011, three newly developed active pharmaceutical ingredients for horses and food producing animals were released on the German market for veterinary drug products. Two of these new products represent different drug classes of antibiotics, the polypeptide antibiotic Bacitracin (Bacivet™) and the macrolide antibiotic Clorsulon (Levatum®). The third product represents an anticestodal antiparasitic (Tildipirosin, Zuprevo®). Furthermore, three established veterinary active pharmaceutical ingredients were modified to allow their application for additional species. Thus the nonsteroidal anti-...
Gronwall R, Engelking LR, Noonan N.Biliary excretion of bilirubin, including the conjugate composition, was studied during feeding and during a 2.5-day fast of three pony mares with chronic external biliary (T-tube) fistulas. Fasting bilirubin excretion (1.96 +/- 0.74 microgram/min/kg of body weight), after establishing a new steady state, was not different from excretion during feeding (1.99 +/- 0.45 microgram/min/kg). Hyperbilirubinemia of fasting resulted from a reduced removal of plasma bilirubin rather than from an increased input of bilirubin into the plasma. Relative plasma excretion of the individual conjugate fractions...
Holbrook TC, Gilliam LL, Stein FP, Morgan SE, Avery AL, Confer AW, Panciera RJ.Caley Pea (Lathyrus hirsutus) is potentially toxic to horses, but large case series are not reported. Objective: To describe the clinical signs of horses intoxicated with Lathyrus hirsutus and speculate on the neuroanatomical lesion localization and pathogenesis based upon the observed clinical signs. Methods: Twenty-two of 25 horses ranging in age from 6 to 34 months were affected. Five affected horses were presented to the OSUCHVS for evaluation and treatment after having been attended at the ranch by a local veterinarian (ALA). An additional horse that had been euthanized was also presented...
Rupić V, Bacar-Huskić L, Lojkić M, Habe F, Ergotić N.Research was carried out into the effect that different quantities and compositions of concentrated portions of meal had on certain haematological properties and on the immune response of mares in the course of hyper-immune antitetanus sera production. The experiment involved 24 Nonius and Lipizzaner cross-bred mares divided into two groups of 12 animals each, a control group and a trial group. The experiment lasted 12 months, with haematological and immunological tests being carried out every 30 days. During the course of the experiment each mare was subjected to 11 immunisation cycles, and i...
van Proosdij R, Mulder C, Reijm M, Bontkes H, von Blomberg M, van der Kolk H.It has been suggested that gluten may play a role in equine inflammatory small bowel disease (ISBD). Previous work showed an association between equine gluten-sensitive enteropathy and IgA antibodies to tissue transglutaminase (TGA) in serum. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of IgA antibodies to TGA in a group of healthy non-gluten-free sport ponies and to present a case of tentative gluten-sensitive enteropathy and dermatitis in a horse. Blood samples were obtained from 40 healthy jumping ponies. The ponies comprised 12 mares, 8 stallions, and 20 geldings with an ave...
Suagee-Bedore JK, Hebrock S, Sundin O, Lengi AJ, Corl BA, Worth M.LinPro™ (LP) is a commercial dietary supplement marketed to increase hoof growth and quality. Ten mature (5-15 years) non-pregnant Quarter Horse mares without existing hoof quality issues were used to test the hypothesis that 32 weeks of daily supplementation with 113 g of LP would increase hoof growth rates as compared to non-supplemented controls. Hooves were trimmed at the start of the study and every 8 weeks thereafter. A mark was applied on the hoof wall surface at 2.5 cm below the junction of the hoof wall and coronary band. At each trimming, the distance between the mark and coronary ...
Lü Y, Wang H, Yang J.A direct high-performance gel permeation chromatographic (HPGPC) method for the determination of immunoglobulin G in mare colostrum was established. HPGPC separation was performed on a TOSOH TSK-G4000PW(XL) column (300 mm x 7.8 mm, 5 microm) with 0.05 mol/L phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.9) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min, and the column temperature was maintained at 25 degrees C. The injection volume was 20 microL. At the detection wavelength of 280 nm, the linear range was from 0.2 to 3.0 g/L (r2 = 0.999 5) with a detection limit of 0.08 mg/L (S/N = 10). The recovery was 97...
Picetti TS, Soveral LF, Miotto R, Erpen LMS, Kreutz Y, Guizzo JA, Frandoloso R, Kreutz LC.Immune-modulating molecules mainly act on innate immune cells, which are central to early defense against invading pathogens and contribute to developing adaptive immunity. Yeast-extracted β-glucan, a model immune-modulating molecule, is widely used in several animal species; however, its effect on horse immune parameters has not been thoroughly investigated yet. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of orally administered β-glucan on selected innate immune parameters in horses. Methods: Eighteen thoroughbred horses were assigned equally into three groups as follows: One control group (no...
Doreau M, Martin-Rosset W.Uraemia variations in the heavy breed mare were studied in different situations. A study with 35 mares during an entire grazing season was conducted. The mean uraemia varied between 48.5 and 67.5 mg/100 ml plasma, with season and type of grass. The highest values were found with first-cycle pasture grass. Uraemia was lower with winter diets: 28.6 to 36.0 mg/100 ml. A study using 15 mares fed isonitrogenous diets based on hay or straw, and concentrates offered two different levels, between two months before and 8 days after foaling, showed that the physiological stage had a very moderate effect...
Lambert MS, Ozbay G, Richards GP.We evaluated the quality of seawater and ribbed mussels (Gukensia demissa) at six sites along the West Coast of Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS), a barrier island popular with tourists and fishermen. Parameters evaluated were summertime temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus, total ammonia nitrogen, and nitrite levels for seawater and total heterotrophic plate counts and total Vibrionaceae levels for the ribbed mussels. Approximately 150 feral horses (Equus caballus) are located on ASIS and, combined with agricultural runoff from animals and croplands, local wi...
Herholz C, Zink N, Laska H, Gumpendobler M, Trolliet C, Probst S.Horse feed material of Swiss and foreign production available on the Swiss market was tested with regard to possible contamination with 7 different alkaloids, atropine and colchicine. Twenty-eight feed samples as well as 2 poppy seed samples were analyzed. Out of 28 feed samples 18 were positive for prohibited substances in Equestrian sports. The concentration of prohibited substances was in none of the samples high enough to cause an effect on the body of the horse. The poppy seed sample, which was obtained by conventional harvesting and cleaning methods, contained a very high Morphine concen...
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...
Rivera-Velez A, Huber L, Sinha S, Cohen ND.Rhodococcus equi is a common cause of severe pneumonia in foals. Emergence of macrolide-resistant R. equi isolated from foals and their environment has been reported in the United States. A novel erm(51) gene was recently identified in R. equi in soil from horse farms in Kentucky. Our objective was to determine the effect of the erm(51) gene and associated rpoB mutation on the fitness of multidrug resistant-R. equi (MDR-R. equi) under different nutrient conditions. Bacterial growth curves were generated for 3 MDR-R. equi isolates and 3 wild-type (WTN) R. equi isolates recovered from environmen...
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...
Klein HJ, Schulze E, Deegen E, Giese W.In 5 horses, 13CO2/12CO2 ratios in expired air were determined using isotope mass spectroscopy to investigate metabolism of naturally occurring [13C]glucose. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed using maize or beet glucose. Maize has a higher 13C concentration than that of most plants. The 13CO2/12CO2 ratios after OGTT was performed using maize glucose were compared with 13CO2/12CO2 ratios in expired air after OGTT was performed using beet glucose. The ratio also was determined during the period horses were not fed. Using OGTT, all horses were glucose tolerant. The OGTT performed...
Rückert C, Emmerich I, Hertzsch R, Vervuert I.Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are secondary plant metabolites with hepatotoxic effect in humans and several animal species. In recent studies, foods such as herbal teas and honey have been found to be contaminated with pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify and assess pyrrolizidine alkaloids in compound feeds manufactured for horses and containing either alfalfa or a blend of herbs. Methods: Forty-eight feed products for horses were included in the study. The feedstuffs were analysed for 28 selected pyrrolizidine alkaloids by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry...
Hallebeek JM, van Doorn DA, Beynen AC.In horses that exercise intensively (for example, event horses in training) the intake and energy requirements were compared on the basis of a diet record and estimates of energy required for exercise. Daily net energy intake over a 7 days period was on average 30% (n = 15) higher than the net energy requirement. Since the horses had a constant body weight, and thus were in energy balance, the energy intake was overestimated and/or the energy requirement was underestimated. The intake of digestible protein was 92% higher than the protein requirement. This study illustrates the problems concern...
Onishi JC, Park JW, Prado J, Eades SC, Mirza MH, Fugaro MN, Häggblom MM, Reinemeyer CR.Carbohydrate overload models of equine acute laminitis are used to study the development of lameness. It is hypothesized that a diet-induced shift in cecal bacterial communities contributes to the development of the pro-inflammatory state that progresses to laminar failure. It is proposed that vasoactive amines, protease activators and endotoxin, all bacterial derived bioactive metabolites, play a role in disease development. Questions regarding the oral bioavailability of many of the bacterial derived bioactive metabolites remain. This study evaluates the possibility that a carbohydrate-induc...
Bull K, Davies G, Jenkins TP, Peachey L.Horses can suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) disease in domestic environments, often precipitated by human-led changes in management. Understanding the consequences of these changes on equine gut microbiota is key to the prevention of such disease episodes. Objective: Profile the faecal microbiota of adult female Exmoor ponies under three management conditions, representing increasing levels of management by humans, encompassing different diets; whilst controlling for age, breed and sex. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from three populations of Exmo...
Carlos-Pinedo S, Wang Z.Long-term sustainable biogas production requires different raw material alternatives, especially when reducing the most desirable organic substrate, food waste, which has been set as a goal in the 2030 Agenda. In Sweden, horse manure (HM) is generated in large quantities, and due to its physical and chemical characteristics, it has the potential to be used as a raw material to produce biogas through anaerobic digestion (AD). In order to investigate the challenges that HM digestion can impose in terms of methane yield and/or digestate quality, the modified ORganic WAste REsearch (ORWARE) AD mod...
Crowell CN, Fenton JM, Perry EB.Gustatory and olfactory changes have been reported during gestation in multiple species. However, few data are available regarding feeding preferences in gestating mares. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of oil-based palatants on feeding behavior in late term gestating mares. Late-term gestating mares (n = 5) and reproductively sound, open mares (n = 4) were evaluated via paired preference testing during the final 120 days of gestation. Oil-based flavors (corn oil, anise, and apple) were topically applied to a basal pelleted diet (0.375 ml/0.23 kg). Diets were offe...
Kamphues J, Meyer H, Liebler EM, Johannsen A.Anamnesis and clinical signs of horses form five different stables after ingestion of ionophores are reported and techniques of feed examination are described. Within a few hours or days after feeding of new types or batches of concentrates horses fell ill. They showed colic-like symptoms with intense sweating and ataxia. Most of the sick animals died within a short time span. Samples of the concentrates were analysed and different types and amounts of ionophores were detected. In four cases contamination by monensin in concentrations of less than 5 mg to 679 mg/kg feed were found. One feed sa...
Nyquist NF, Burri L, Jensen RB.Supplementation with marine-derived n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) is linked to beneficial health effects in both humans and horses. Krill oil (KO), which is extracted from the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), is well documented as a safe and biologically available dietary supplement in humans and several animal species, but there is a lack of documentation regarding its effect as a dietary ingredient for horses. The objective of this study was to test whether KO as a dietary supplement h...
Dusek J, Skalický J.Changes have been observed in nine foals, six months of age, after weaning for the time of three days, namely in the intake of drinking water, hematocrit, sedimentation of erythrocytes and three minerals Na+, K+ and Cl-. Foals respond to weaning immediately, lowering significantly their consumption of drinking water and increasing high significance of Na+ and Cl-. Changes of level K+, hematocrit and sedimentation don't show any significant variations. The results reached are to be considered as an introductory information for further inquiry on the more extensive methodical basis.
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...
Clark JK, Shanks BC, Jogan KS, Philipp D, Coffey KP, Jack NE, Caldwell JD, Rhein RT.Bermudagrass ( L.) is a familiar forage in the equine industry and teff () is gaining popularity as well. However, it is unclear if the application of poultry litter as a fertilizer affects palatability of these forages in horses. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if forage species and timing of litter application as a fertilizer has an effect on preference by horses. Hay treatments were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial treatment arrangement consisting of teff and bermudagrass harvested after no poultry litter application (NL), poultry litter applied to stubble immediately ...
Harrington DD.1. The effects of feeding with a purified magnesium-deficient diet (--Mg, 7-8 mg Mg/kg) on horse foal blood serum and tissue concentrations of Mg, calcium and phosphorus were studied, and the results compared with histopathological findings. 2. Serum concentrations of Ca and P were unaffected by feeding with the --Mg diet, whereas serum Mg concentrations decreased from a mean initial (day o) concentration of 0.78 mmol/l to 0.53 mmol/l 7 d after foals were placed on the -Mg diet, and then continued to decrease at a slower rate. 3. Aorta concentrations of Ca and P, but not Mg, were positively co...
Stachurska A, Wałkuska G, Chałabis-Mazurek A, Jaworski Z, Cebera M.The objective of the study was to determine if there were differences in Cr, Mn, Cu, Cd, Pb and Ni levels in coat hair and hoof horn between Polish Konik horses maintained in stabled and reserve systems in Roztocze National Park in Poland. Summer and winter feeding seasons (seasons of the year in case of hooves) and age of horses were taken into account. 107 samples of hair and hooves, as well as all kinds of feed and sources of water available for the horses were examined. The results of the study indicate that the concentration of the elements in the coat hair, hoof horn, feeds and water is ...
Peltier MM, Peltier MR, Sharp DC, Ott EA.The objective of this study was to determine whether supplemental beta-carotene would influence reproductive function in mares maintained on spring and summer pastures and to characterize plasma carotene concentrations during the estrous cycle. Carotene concentrations in plasma did not vary with day of estrous cycle (P = 0.7455). Mares receiving every other day injections of beta-carotene (400 mg; n = 4) or saline (10 ml; n = 4) during proestrus/estrus did not differ in plasma estradiol (E(2)) concentrations (P = 0.6313), follicle development (P = 0.8068), or plasma progesterone (P(4)) concent...
Spier SJ, Meagher DM.Rational perioperative management improves the success rate of abdominal surgery. Important aspects of management are discussed, including principles of fluid therapy, nutrition, intravenous catheterization, antimicrobial prophylaxis, and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Current advances in the area of immunotherapy are mentioned.
