Effect of protein source in liquid formula diets on food intake, physiologic values, and growth of equine neonates.
Abstract: The effects of 2 liquid formula diets differing in protein source were evaluated in orphan foals. The response of 7 foals fed a diet containing casein as the protein source, and 6 foals fed a diet containing a combination of whey and casein, was compared with the response in a reference group of 8 mare-raised foals. Orphaned foals were fed 150 kcal/kg of body weight/d, divided into 6 equal feedings of 25 kcal/kg. Formula intake was comparable among the experimental groups, and foals fed the liquid formula diet grew as well as mare-raised foals. There was no difference among groups in mean daily body weight gain, wither height, heart girth, body temperature, pulse, respiration rate, capillary refill time, or skin tenting. Insulin and blood glucose concentrations increased in both groups of foals fed formula diets, returning to prefeeding values within 4 hours. Differences among groups were found for serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, cholesterol, creatinine, and glucose values; all other serum chemical values were comparable among groups. Plasma amino acid determinations revealed that arginine and ornithine were significantly lower in foals in both experimental groups than in reference foals, suggesting that arginine may have been the limiting amino acid in these diets. Diarrhea developed in foals in all treatment groups, but in most cases was self-limiting. These results suggest that the protein source of liquid formula diets may be less important in foals than in infants.
Publication Date: 1992-10-01 PubMed ID: 1456545
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research studied the effects of two liquid formula diets with different protein sources on orphan foals, comparing their results with mare-raised foals. The findings suggest that the protein source in the formula diets had limited impact on growth and physiological values of the foals.
Research Methodology
- Thirteen orphan foals were chosen, seven of them were fed a diet containing casein as the protein source, and six were fed a diet containing a combination of whey and casein.
- The response was compared to a reference group of eight foals fed by their mothers (mare-raised foals).
- Orphaned foals were fed 150 kilocalories per kilogram of body weight per day, and this was divided into six equal feedings.
Findings
- Intake of formula was found to be comparable among groups.
- Foals fed on the liquid formula diets showed growth comparable to mare-raised foals.
- No significant differences were observed among the groups in terms of weight gain, height, heart girth, body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, skin tenting, or capillary refill time.
- Insulin and blood glucose levels increased in both groups of foals fed formula diets but returned to prefeeding levels within four hours.
- Certain dissimilarities among groups were observed in serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, cholesterol, creatinine, and glucose values; however, all other serum chemical values were similar among the groups.
- Plasma amino acid measurements showed that levels of arginine and ornithine were significantly lower among the formula-fed foals, indicating that arginine could have been the amino acid in short supply in the diets.
- Diarrhea occurred in foals from all the groups but in most cases, it was self-limiting.
Conclusion
- The protein source in liquid formula diets appeared to be of lesser importance in foals compared to infants, as it had a limited effect on their growth and physiological values.
Cite This Article
APA
Buffington CA, Knight DA, Kohn CW, Madigan JE, Scaman PA.
(1992).
Effect of protein source in liquid formula diets on food intake, physiologic values, and growth of equine neonates.
Am J Vet Res, 53(10), 1941-1946.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
MeSH Terms
- Analysis of Variance
- Animal Feed
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn / blood
- Animals, Newborn / growth & development
- Animals, Newborn / physiology
- Body Weight
- Dietary Proteins
- Eating
- Horses / blood
- Horses / growth & development
- Horses / physiology
- Lactose
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