Estimation of dietary threonine requirement using plasma amino acid concentrations in mature thoroughbreds.

The research study was carried out to determine the dietary threonine requirement for mature thoroughbred horses using the levels of this amino acid in their plasma.

Summary of the Experiment

• The experiment was performed with the aim of determining the necessary dietary threonine (Thr) levels needed for mature thoroughbreds. Threonine is an important essential amino acid that has to be provided in the diet since the horses cannot produce it naturally.
• The experiment was conducted on four adult thoroughbred horses and structured according to a 4×4 Latin square design. This design is a popular method in animal nutrition studies as it allows the researchers to control two variables at the same time.

Key Findings

• The researchers discovered that the concentration of plasma threonine was constant until it reached 0.41%, beyond which it rapidly increased in correlation with the increase in dietary threonine levels. This suggests that a certain level of dietary threonine is needed to maintain stable plasma concentrations in these horses.
• By comparing plasma threonine concentrations across four different dietary threonine levels, the study was able to estimate the threonine requirement. The researchers concluded that the threonine requirement for mature thoroughbreds is around 67% of lysine, another essential amino acid. This value indicates the proportion of dietary threonine needed compared to lysine to maintain adequate plasma levels.

Impact of the Research

• The dietary threonine requirement detailed by this study can serve as a guideline for feeding practices in mature thoroughbreds to help maintain health and performance.
• The established proportional relationship between required dietary threonine and lysine levels could potentially be applied to balance the diets of other equine breeds.
• This research has contributed to the understanding of horse’s nutritional requirements and can inform further studies on equine nutrition.