The effect of dietary carbohydrate composition on apparent total tract digestibility, feed mean retention time, nitrogen and water balance in horses.
Abstract: A total of four diets with different carbohydrate composition were investigated in a 4×4 Latin square design experiment with four Norwegian Coldblooded trotter horses. The objective of the present study was to increase the fermentable fibre content and reduce the starch intake of the total ration obtained by partly substituting mature hay and barley with sugar beet pulp (SBP), a soluble fibre source. The diets investigated were hay only (HAY), hay (85% of dry matter intake (DMI)) and molassed SBP (15% of DMI) (SBP), hay (68% of DMI) and barley (32% of DMI) (BAR), and hay (68% of DMI), barley (26% of DMI) and SBP (6% of DMI) (BAR+SBP). The feeding level was 18.5, 17.3, 15.7 and 15.7 g DM/kg BW per day for the HAY, SBP, BAR and BAR+SBP diets, respectively. Each diet was fed for 18 days followed by 10 days of data collection, where apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), total mean retention time (TMRT) of ytterbium-labelled hay, water balance, digestible energy (DE) intake and nitrogen balance were measured. An enzymatic chemical dietary fibre (DF) method was used to get detailed information on the composition and ATTD of the fibre fraction. Inclusion of SBP in the diet increased the ATTD of the constituent sugars galactose and arabinose (P<0.01). Feeding the HAY and SBP diets resulted in a lower TMRT owing to a higher DF intake than the BAR and BAR+SBP diets (P<0.01). There was no difference in water intake between HAY and SBP, but faecal dry matter was lower for HAY than the other diets (P=0.017), indicating that water was more tightly bound to fibre in the HAY diet. The diets were iso-energetic and provided enough DE and protein for light to moderate exercise for a 550 kg horse. In conclusion, this study showed that the DF intake had a larger effect on TMRT than partly substituting hay or barley with SBP, and that highly fermentable pectin-rich soluble DF from SBP maintains high nutrient utilization in horses.
Publication Date: 2014-07-14 PubMed ID: 25018093DOI: 10.1017/S175173111400175XGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
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 the effects of different carbohydrate compositions in the diet of horses, specifically examining the inclusion of sugar beet pulp (SBP). The results suggest that increasing the fermentable fibre content and reducing starch in horse feed—a task achieved by replacing some hay and barley with SBP—leads to higher nutrient utilization in horses.
Research Methodology
- The study was conducted using a 4×4 Latin square design experiment, which involved four Norwegian Coldblooded trotter horses and four different diets.
- The diets were created with various proportions of hay, barley, and SBP and had different dry matter intake (DMI) percentages.
- Each diet was fed to the horses for 18 days, followed by a 10-day data collection period.
Measurements Taken
- The researchers measured apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), total mean retention time (TMRT) of ytterbium-labelled hay, water balance, digestible energy (DE) intake, and nitrogen balance for each diet.
- A specific method, the enzymatic chemical dietary fibre (DF) method, was used to get detailed information on the fibre’s composition and ATTD.
Findings of the Study
- The inclusion of SBP in the diet increased the ATTD of constituent sugars galactose and arabinose.
- The feeding of the HAY and SBP diets resulted in a lower TMRT because of higher DF intake than the BAR and BAR+SBP diets.
- There was no difference in water intake between HAY and SBP, but the faecal dry matter for the HAY diet was lower than other diets, suggesting that water was more tightly bound to fibre in the HAY diet.
- The diets were iso-energetic and provided enough DE and protein for light to moderate exercise for a 550 kg horse.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that DF intake had a larger effect on TMRT than the partial substitution of hay or barley with SBP.
- The research also showcased that ermentable pectin-rich soluble dietary fibre from SBP maintains high nutrient utilization in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Jensen RB, Austbø D, Bach Knudsen KE, Tauson AH.
(2014).
The effect of dietary carbohydrate composition on apparent total tract digestibility, feed mean retention time, nitrogen and water balance in horses.
Animal, 8(11), 1788-1796.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173111400175X Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- 1Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,DK-1870 Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
- 2Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences,Norwegian University of Life Sciences,NO-1430 Ås,Norway.
- 3Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Science and Technology,University of Aarhus,DK-8830 Tjele,Denmark.
- 1Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen,DK-1870 Frederiksberg C,Denmark.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
- Animals
- Beta vulgaris / chemistry
- Diet / veterinary
- Dietary Carbohydrates / administration & dosage
- Dietary Carbohydrates / metabolism
- Dietary Fiber / administration & dosage
- Dietary Fiber / metabolism
- Digestion
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Energy Intake
- Horses / physiology
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
