Controls of feeding in horses.
Abstract: Members of the genus Equus are large, nonruminant herbivores. These animals utilize the products of both enzymatic digestion in the small intestine and bacterial fermentation (volatile fatty acids) in the cecum and large colon as sources of metabolizable energy. Equine animals rely primarily upon oropharyngeal and external stimuli to control the size and duration of an isolated meal. Meal frequency, however, is regulated by stimuli generated by the presence and (or) absorption of nutrients (sugars, fatty acids, protein) in both the large and small intestine plus metabolic cues reflecting body energy stores. The control of feeding in this species reflects its evolutionary development in an environment which selected for consumption of small, frequent meals of a variety of forages.
Publication Date: 1984-11-01 PubMed ID: 6392275DOI: 10.2527/jas1984.5951354xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
- Review
Summary
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This research focuses on the feeding behaviors and evolutionary development of horses. The study finds that horses primarily rely on oral cues and external influences to control the size and duration of a meal, while the frequency of meals is regulated by nutrients present in their intestines and their body energy levels.
Understanding Horse Feeding Controls
- This research sought to uncover the mechanisms that regulate feeding in horses, members of the genus Equus. Horses are nonruminant herbivores, which means they do not chew cud as part of their digestion process like cows or goats.
- These animals obtain their metabolizable (usable for energy) nutrients through two main processes: enzymatic digestion in the small intestine, and bacterial fermentation in the cecum and large colon, the latter of which produces volatile fatty acids.
Role of Oropharyngeal and External Stimuli
- The research found that horses primarily rely on oropharyngeal (related to the mouth and pharynx) and external stimuli to control the size and duration of a single meal.
- The paper does not specify what the “external stimuli” are. Nevertheless, these stimuli could be anything in the horse’s external environment that affects their feeding behavior like presence of other animals, temperature or the time of day among other factors.
Nutrient-Based Meal Frequency Control
- Interestingly, the frequency of meals that a horse consumes is regulated by internal stimuli, more specifically, the presence or absorption of nutrients in both the large and small intestine.
- Sugars, fatty acids, and proteins, along with metabolic cues reflecting the body’s energy stores, were found to influence the meal frequency for horses.
Adaptations from Evolutionary Development
- Lastly, the researchers connect the horse’s feeding controls to evolutionary development of the species, stating that these control mechanisms likely reflect an environment that selected for consumption of small, frequent meals and a variety of forages.
- This suggests that the feeding habits of horses have been shaped over time to optimize nutrient absorption and energy utilization.
Cite This Article
APA
Ralston SL.
(1984).
Controls of feeding in horses.
J Anim Sci, 59(5), 1354-1361.
https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1984.5951354x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed
- Animals
- Digestive System Physiological Phenomena
- Energy Metabolism
- Feeding Behavior / physiology
- Food Preferences
- Horses / physiology
- Oropharynx / physiology
- Satiation / physiology
- Smell
- Taste
Grant Funding
- GM-02051-10 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Baumgartner M, Boisson T, Erhard MH, Zeitler-Feicht MH. Common Feeding Practices Pose A Risk to the Welfare of Horses When Kept on Non-Edible Bedding. Animals (Basel) 2020 Mar 2;10(3).
- Fowler AL, Pyles MB, Hayes SH, Crum AD, Lawrence LM. A comparison of fecal output determined by total fecal collection or titanium dioxide in horses. J Anim Sci 2025 Jan 4;103.
- Roig-Pons M, Bachmann I, Freymond SB. Impact of feeding strategies on the welfare and behaviour of horses in groups: An experimental study. PLoS One 2025;20(6):e0325928.
- Liang X, Guo X, Yue Y, Hui F, Tong M, Guo Y, Zheng Y, Shi B, Yan S. The Effect of Increasing the Proportion of Dietary Roughage Based on the Partial Replacement of Low-Quality Roughage with Alfalfa Hay on the Fatty Acid Profile of Donkey Milk. Animals (Basel) 2025 Feb 3;15(3).
- Köninger M, von Velsen-Zerweck A, Eiberger C, Löffler C, Töpper A, Visscher C, Reckels B, Vervuert I. Nutrient Composition and Feed Hygiene of Alfalfa, Comparison of Feed Intake and Selected Metabolic Parameters in Horses Fed Alfalfa Haylage, Alfalfa Hay or Meadow Hay. Animals (Basel) 2024 Mar 13;14(6).
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