Chewing analysis of horses consuming bermudagrass hay in different styles of slow feeders as compared to loose hay.
Abstract: Mastication is the initial phase of digestion and is crucial to equine health due to its role in saliva production and food particle reduction. Hay nets have been promoted to slow the rate of hay consumption, with many styles of slow feeders available. Limited research has shown that nets may slow consumption, but no research has examined their effect on the horse's chewing frequency and patterns. The objective of this study was to compare chew frequency (CF, total number of chews/kg consumed) and chew duration (CD, total minutes chewed/kg consumed), as well as distribution of chews over a feeding period, of horses eating bermudagrass hay in three styles of hay nets [large mesh (LM), small mesh (SM), bottom hole (BH)] as compared to a control of loose hay (CTL). Treatments were assigned in a replicated Latin square 4 × 4 using eight horses. Horses were given a 24-hr acclimation period prior to recording their chewing patterns over a 24-hr period using an automated halter fit with a pressure-sensor noseband. Results indicate that CF was not influenced by treatment. However, SM resulted in longer CD as compared to CTL (P = 0.007). Additionally, BH resulted in a higher percentage of chews completed in the first 240 min compared to SM (P = 0.039), indicating more rapid consumption. Results of this study indicate hay nets may not influence the number of chews a horse performs while masticating hay, but small mesh feeders may increase the CD and reduce early consumption rate.
Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2024-06-20 PubMed ID: 38908808DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105133Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article examines the impact of different styles of slow feeders on horses’ chewing frequency and patterns when consuming bermudagrass hay. The research found that while the total number of chews did not change, small mesh feeders increased the total time the horses spent chewing and reduced their early consumption rate.
Research Objectives
- The main goal of the study was to determine how three different types of hay nets, used as slow-feeders, influenced the chewing patterns of horses eating bermudagrass hay. The nets evaluated were large mesh (LM), small mesh (SM), and bottom hole (BH), with a control group of horses eating loose hay (CTL).
Research Planning and Methodology
- The study used a replicated Latin square 4 × 4 design and involved eight horses. The researchers first gave the horses a 24-hour acclimation period to become accustomed to the different types of slow feeder nets or loose hay.
- After this acclimation period, the scientists observed the horses’ chewing patterns over a 24-hour period. They used an automated halter fitted with a pressure-sensor noseband to record the data. Two primary variables were monitored: the chew frequency (CF, the total number of chews per kilogram of hay consumed) and the chew duration (CD, the total time spent chewing per kilogram of hay consumed).
Research Findings
- The research found no significant difference in chew frequency across all four hay-delivery methods. This suggests that the type of slow feeder used does not affect the total number of chews a horse performs while eating hay.
- However, the use of a small mesh (SM) feeder resulted in a longer chew duration compared to the control group that ate loose hay. This implies that SM feeders can slow down eating time and prolong the overall period of mastication.
- Furthermore, the bottom hole (BH) feeders resulted in a greater proportion of chews being completed in the first 240 minutes compared to the SM feeders, indicating that hay from BH feeders gets consumed faster.
Research Implications
- The outcomes of this study underscore that while hay nets might not influence the number of chews, they can affect the duration of chewing and the rate of early consumption. Specifically, small mesh feeders may lengthen the chewing time and reduce the speed of early eating.
Cite This Article
APA
Hart R, Bailey A, Farmer J, Duberstein K.
(2024).
Chewing analysis of horses consuming bermudagrass hay in different styles of slow feeders as compared to loose hay.
J Equine Vet Sci, 140, 105133.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105133 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, 425 River Road, Athens, Georgia, USA, 30602. Electronic address: reh23310@uga.edu.
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, 425 River Road, Athens, Georgia, USA, 30602.
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, 425 River Road, Athens, Georgia, USA, 30602.
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, 425 River Road, Athens, Georgia, USA, 30602.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses / physiology
- Mastication / physiology
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Cynodon
- Male
- Female
- Animal Husbandry / methods
- Diet / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest The authors declare there is no conflict of interests.
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