The influence of supplemental feed on growth and bone development of nursing foals.

The research evaluates the impact of supplemental feeding on the growth and bone development of nursing foals. The study concluded that regulated additional feeding resulted in noticeable growth enhancements without compromising the quality of the bone.

Research Context and Methodology

• A total of 30 foals of mixed breeding, from two consecutive years, were observed in two experiments spanning 120 days. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of supplementary creep feed on the growth of nursing foals.
• When the foals were 10 days old, they were randomly assigned to either a creep-fed group (CF), receiving supplementary feed, or an unsupplemented group (NCF).
• Initial measurements such as body weight (BW), height at the withers (WH), third metatarsal length (MtIII), and third metacarpal length (McIII) were taken when the foals were 10 days old. These measurements were repeated at 30-day intervals.
• To determine bone quality, the research team examined several factors including the medial and lateral cortical peak values for radiographic bone density, cortical width, and cortical area at the midpoint of the third metacarpal.
• The supplemental feed, or creep feed, comprised nutrients at the recommended levels suggested by the National Research Council (NRC). The creep feed was given at a rate of 1.5% of the foal’s BW per day.

Findings

• Results indicated that foals receiving supplemental feed had greater gains in terms of body weight, height at the withers, and third metatarsal length compared to those that did not receive supplemental feed.
• Averaged over the duration of the experiment, the measurements for the CF group were: BW – 133.3 kg, WH – 22.8 cm, MtIII – 2.1 cm, McIII – 1.9 cm. These values surpassed those of the NCF group: BW – 117.6 kg, WH – 21.2 cm, MtIII – 1.5 cm, McIII – 1.9 cm.
• In terms of bone quality, the only significant difference was a slightly lower lateral cortical peak value in the CF group, implying a minor decrease in bone quality. Other factors assessing bone quality – medial cortical peak, cortical width, and cortical area of the third metacarpal – did not show any significant differences between the two groups.

Research Conclusion

• Overall, the study concluded that a creep feeding program providing NRC-recommended nutrient levels can enhance the skeletal growth rate in nursing foals, with only a minor decrease in the quality of bones.