Straight from the horse’s mouth: The effect of different feedstuffs on oral pH in horses and ponies.
Abstract: Feedstuffs, especially ensiled forage, may be detrimental to equid oral health by exposing the oral cavity to low pH. This study aimed to identify if salivary pH was altered by 1) a range of different feedstuffs and (2) specifically by feeding haylages with differing nutrient profiles. Two studies were conducted. The first measured oral pH following five feedstuffs, (hay, haylage, unmolassed sugarbeet pulp, unmolassed alfalfa chaff and rolled oats), tested individually over five days. Saliva (≥1 ml) was collected in triplicate, prior to feeding, directly after ingesting 500 g of each feedstuff, then 15 min and 30 min post-prandially. Oral pH was determined (pH meter) within 10 min of collection. In study two, eight ponies, were fed as their total diet, four different haylages over four 15-day periods. Saliva was collected, prior to feeding and immediately after ingesting 500 g of forage on day 1, day 6, and day 12 of each period. Samples were collected and analysed as per study one. All data were analysed by repeated measures ANOVA, and in study two linear regression was used to attempt to predict nutrients that influenced oral pH. All statistics were conducted in Genstat 20 th Ed. Only feeding unmolassed sugarbeet caused a reduction (p<0.001) in oral pH. There were differences in oral pH depending on the type of haylage fed in study two but at all times oral pH post-feeding was the same or greater than basal pH. These studies suggest any feed associated modulation of oral pH in horses may only be short-lived and quickly buffered by saliva. However, these studies only reflect oral pH within the oral cavity around the feeding occasion and may not reflect gingival pH or the effects of different feeds over longer time periods.
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2024-09-04 PubMed ID: 39241897DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105181Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article focuses on investigating how various feeds impact the oral pH levels in horses and ponies specifically looking at the effects of certain feedstuffs and haylages with varying nutrient profiles.
Overview of Study
- The study was divided into two parts. The first part analyzed how five different feedstuffs affect oral pH levels. Hay, haylage, unmolassed sugarbeet pulp, unmolassed alfalfa chaff, and rolled oats were tested individually for over five days.
- In the second part of the study, four different haylages were fed to eight ponies over four 15-day periods. The effects of these feeds on salivary pH were measured.
- Saliva samples were collected before feeding, immediately after consumption of 500 grams of each feedstuff and also 15 minutes and 30 minutes after feeding.
- The pH levels were determined within 10 minutes of each saliva collection using a pH meter.
- The data from both studies were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA, and linear regression was applied in the second study to predict which nutrients influenced oral pH.
Research Findings
- The results showed that only unmolassed sugarbeet pulp resulted in a reduction in oral pH levels.
- Different types of haylage resulted in variations in oral pH.
- However, the study found that all oral pH levels after feeding were either the same or higher than the baseline pH.
Conclusion and Implications
- The research suggested that any changes in oral pH linked to feed intake in horses may only be temporary and quickly balanced by saliva.
- The study also stressed that its findings only reflect the oral pH within the mouth around feeding time and may not show gum pH or the effects of different feeds over extended periods.
- This research provides new insight into the impact of feed on oral pH and thus potential oral health of equids, which could be crucial in developing more vet-friendly feeds or designing improved feeding schedules for these animals.
Cite This Article
APA
Daniels SP, Whiteside EJ, Martin S, Moore-Colyer MJS, Harris P.
(2024).
Straight from the horse’s mouth: The effect of different feedstuffs on oral pH in horses and ponies.
J Equine Vet Sci, 142, 105181.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105181 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Equine Management and Science, Royal Agricultural University, Stroud Road, Cirencester, UK. Electronic address: simon.daniels@rau.ac.uk.
- School of Equine Management and Science, Royal Agricultural University, Stroud Road, Cirencester, UK.
- School of Equine Management and Science, Royal Agricultural University, Stroud Road, Cirencester, UK.
- School of Equine Management and Science, Royal Agricultural University, Stroud Road, Cirencester, UK; Hartpury University, Hartpury, Gloucester, UK.
- Equine Studies Group, Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Leicestershire, UK.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest to declare.
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