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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(23); doi: 10.3390/ani12233340

Effects of Differences in Fibre Composition and Maturity of Forage-Based Diets on the Fluid Balance, Water-Holding Capacity and Viscosity in Equine Caecum and Colon Digesta.

Abstract: Horses are herbivores, and their hindgut functions as a fluid reservoir as forage fibre properties have great impact on the water content of digesta and the milieu in the ecosystem. Our objective was to compare the effect of grass fibre maturity and legume forage on the water-holding capacity (WHC) and viscosity of the equine hindgut and the body weight (BW) and fluid balance of horses. Three diets: concentrate and late harvested grass haylage (35:65 energy ratio) (C); early and late harvested grass haylage (80:20) (G); lucerne and late harvested grass haylage (80:20) (L) were fed to six caecum and colon fistulated horses for 28 days in a Latin-square design. Total water intake and BW were higher when the horses were fed Diet L, but the digesta WHC was higher when fed Diet G. Total water excretion (via faeces + urine) and the difference in total water intake-output was higher when fed Diet L. Viscosity, measured on centrifuged digesta fluid, did not differ between diets, but the individual colon data of one horse were higher. In conclusion, early harvested forage might be beneficial for the fluid balance of athletic horses providing a higher WHC of hindgut digesta without increasing BW. The importance of digesta viscosity in relation to equine diets needs further investigations.
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Publication Date: 2022-11-29 PubMed ID: 36496860PubMed Central: PMC9739581DOI: 10.3390/ani12233340Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study explores the impact of differences in fibre composition and maturity of forage-based diets on the fluid balance and water-holding capacity in equine stomach and colon digesta. Findings suggest that early harvested forage might benefit athletic horses’ fluid balance by increasing hindgut digesta’s water-holding capacity without effecting body weight.

Research Objectives and Procedure

  • The research aimed to examine how the properties of forage fibre, particularly differences in fibre composition and maturity, influence the fluid balance, water-holding capacity (WHC) and viscosity in horse’s caecum and colon.
  • Six horses, which had undergone fistula surgery in their caecum and colon, were selected. They were fed three different diets over a period of 28 days in a Latin-square design to control the influence of external factors.
  • The three diets included a mixture of concentrate and late harvested grass haylage (C); a combination of early and late harvested grass haylage (G); and a blend of lucerne and late harvested grass haylage (L).

Results and Findings

  • It was observed that the horses had higher total water intake and body weight when they were fed Diet L. However, the water-holding capacity of digesta was greater when they were given Diet G.
  • Total water excretion, which is the sum of faeces and urine, and the difference between total water intake and output was higher in the horses when they were on Diet L.
  • There were no significant differences in the viscosity of the digesta fluid among the horses on different diets, although individual data from one horse’s colon showed a higher viscosity.

Conclusions and Future Research

  • From this study, the researchers concluded that early harvested forage could be beneficial for the fluid balance in athletic horses by increasing the water-holding capacity of hindgut digesta without significantly affecting body weight.
  • However, the researchers noted that more research is required to further investigate the importance of digesta viscosity in relation to equine diets.

Cite This Article

APA
Muhonen S, Philippeau C, Julliand V. (2022). Effects of Differences in Fibre Composition and Maturity of Forage-Based Diets on the Fluid Balance, Water-Holding Capacity and Viscosity in Equine Caecum and Colon Digesta. Animals (Basel), 12(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233340

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 23

Researcher Affiliations

Muhonen, Sara
  • L'Institut Agro Dijon, Burgundy-Franche-Comté University, PAM UMR A 02.102, 21000 Dijon, France.
Philippeau, Christelle
  • L'Institut Agro Dijon, 26 Boulevard Dr. Petitjean, BP87999, 21079 Dijon, France.
Julliand, Véronique
  • L'Institut Agro Dijon, Burgundy-Franche-Comté University, PAM UMR A 02.102, 21000 Dijon, France.

Grant Funding

  • 2008-742 / Swedish Research Council for Environment Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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