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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(9); 2729; doi: 10.3390/ani11092729

Feed Intake Parameters of Horses Fed Soaked or Steamed Hay and Hygienic Quality of Hay Stored following Treatment.

Abstract: Horses suffering from equine asthma must consume low-dust forage, with soaking and steaming being suitable methods of hay treatment. The impacts of this treated hay's subsequent storage and effects on the horses' chewing activity are largely unknown. Meadow hay was soaked (10-15 °C, 15 min) or steamed (100 °C, 60 min). Microbial counts (colony forming units (CFU)) were determined by culture before and after soaking or steaming, and subsequent storage at 10 and 25 °C for 6, 12 and 24 h (three replicates each). Six horses were fed native, soaked and steamed hay, according to a cross-over design, and chewing parameters were measured. Steaming reduced ( < 0.05) typical mold vs. soaking (0 vs. 50 CFU/g) and yeasts vs. native and steamed hay (0 vs. 102 and 90 CFU/g). Storing soaked hay elevated bacteria, mold, and yeasts ( < 0.05). Within the first 60 min of hay intake, the steamed hay and soaked hay were eaten slower (19.5 and 21.5 g dry matter/min, respectively; < 0.05) and the steamed hay was chewed more intensely (steamed hay: 3537; native: 2622; and soaked: 2521 chewing cycles/kg dry matter, < 0.05). Steaming particularly improves the hygienic quality of hay. Soaked hay is not stable when stored and is less accepted by horses.
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Publication Date: 2021-09-18 PubMed ID: 34573695PubMed Central: PMC8471832DOI: 10.3390/ani11092729Google 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 research article investigates how soaking and steaming hay affects the quality of the hay and the feeding behavior of horses. Particularly, the study concerns horses suffering from equine asthma and the need for low-dust forage.

Research Methodology

In this research, Meadow hay was treated under two conditions:

  • Soaked at a temperature of 10-15°C for 15 minutes
  • Steamed at a temperature of 100°C for 60 minutes

The microbial counts were measured before and after these treatments and during the subsequent storage at temperatures of 10 and 25 °C for periods of 6, 12 and 24 hours.

In a cross-over design experiment, six horses were fed three types of hay: native (untreated), soaked, and steamed. The key metric taken into consideration included the horses’ chewing parameters.

Key Findings

The results showed a significant reduction in mold and yeasts in the steamed hay compared to both the native and soaked hay. Specifically:

  • The steamed hay showed no mold formation, while the soaked hay exhibited 50 colony forming units (CFU) per gram.
  • Yeast formation was also lower in the steamed hay, compared to the native and soaked hay, with figures at 0, 102, and 90 CFU/g respectively.

Storing the soaked hay resulted in an increase in bacteria, mold, and yeast.

Additionally, the study assessed the horses’ feeding behavior. Initially, the horses ate the steamed and soaked hay slower and chewed the steamed hay more intensely than the untreated hay.

Conclusion

The study concluded that steaming significantly improves the hygienic quality of the hay, making it an ideal option for horses, particularly those suffering from equine asthma. On the other hand, soaked hay was found to be less stable when stored and less accepted by the horses.
This research contributes to knowledge on ideal forage preparations for horses, particularly those in need of low-dust feed.

Cite This Article

APA
Glatter M, Bochnia M, Wensch-Dorendorf M, Greef JM, Zeyner A. (2021). Feed Intake Parameters of Horses Fed Soaked or Steamed Hay and Hygienic Quality of Hay Stored following Treatment. Animals (Basel), 11(9), 2729. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092729

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 9
PII: 2729

Researcher Affiliations

Glatter, Maren
  • Group Animal Nutrition, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Bochnia, Mandy
  • Group Animal Nutrition, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Wensch-Dorendorf, Monika
  • Biometrics and Informatics in Agriculture Group, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
Greef, Jörg Michael
  • Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants, Crop and Soil Science, Julius Kuehn Institute, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany.
Zeyner, Annette
  • Group Animal Nutrition, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
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