The British journal of nutrition2002; 88(6); 729-740; doi: 10.1079/BJN2002734

The mobile bag technique as a method for determining the degradation of four botanically diverse fibrous feedstuffs in the small intestine and total digestive tract of ponies.

Abstract: An in sacco mobile bag technique was used to determine the rate and extent of disappearance of unmolassed sugar-beet pulp, soyabean hulls, hay cubes and an oat hull-naked oats mixture (67:33, w/w) in the foregut and total digestive tract of ponies. Ponies were administered naso-gastrically polyester mesh bags containing 350 mg feed, in a Latin square design. Bags were collected at the ileo-caecal junction (small intestine bag, SIB) and in the faeces (faecal bag, FB) and their residues analysed for proximate constituents and NSP composition and content. DM disappearances from individual bags were fitted to degradation profiles (Ørskov & McDonald, 1979) and effective degradability values determined. Significant differences (P sugar-beet pulp and soyabean hulls. Acid-detergent fibre, neutral-detergent fibre and NSP disappearances were small and varied little between feeds. In contrast, FB losses showed significant (P soyabean hulls > hay cubes > oat hulls-naked oats. Crude protein losses from sugar-beet pulp and soyabean hulls in FB were significantly higher (P soyabean hulls and the effective degradability showed that significantly more (P<0.05) sugar-beet pulp was lost at 40.0 and 60.0 h than for the other three feeds. These results show that sugar-beet pulp and soyabean hulls are rapidly degraded by ponies and could be used as alternatives to hay in equid rations. However, the foregut availability of crude protein from sugar-beet pulp is poor, so a readily digestible source of crude protein should be offered to animals with high protein demands when diets are based on sugar-beet pulp.
Publication Date: 2002-12-21 PubMed ID: 12493095DOI: 10.1079/BJN2002734Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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This research paper investigates the breakdown rate and levels of four diverse fibrous feeds in ponies’ digestive tracts, using a mobile bag technique. The study found that sugar-beet pulp and soyabean hulls are rapidly broken down by ponies, making them possible alternatives to hay. However, sugar-beet pulp has a poor availability of crude protein.

Objective of the Research

  • The research aims to determine the degradation rate and extent of four different types of fibrous feedstuffs (unmolassed sugar-beet pulp, soyabean hulls, hay cubes, and an oat hull-naked oats mixture) in the foregut (beginning of the digestive tract) and the entire digestive tract of ponies.

Study Approach

  • An in sacco mobile bag technique was utilized in the study. Polyester mesh bags, each holding 350mg feed, were administered naso-gastrically (through the nose and the throat) to ponies.
  • The test was conducted following a Latin square design (a statistical design for experiments) and the bags were collected at the small intestine and the faeces to analyze their residue.

Findings

  • The study found significant differences in the losses of dry matter (DM), organic matter, and crude protein from the Small intestine bags (SIB) among the different feeds, with hay cubes and oat hulls-naked oats mixture experiencing more losses than sugar-beet pulp and soyabean hulls.
  • On the contrary, there were significant differences in losses from Faecal bags (FB) for all the constituents examined. Sugar-beet pulp showed the highest losses, followed by soyabean hulls, hay cubes, and oat hull-naked oats respectively.
  • Acid-detergent fibre, neutral-detergent fibre, and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) disappearances were small and showed little variation between feeds.
  • Crude protein losses from sugar-beet pulp and soyabean hulls in FB were significantly higher than those from SIB. Bag residence time affected FB degradation, with sugar-beet pulp showing the highest degradation followed by soyabean hulls.
  • The effective degradability showed that significantly more sugar-beet pulp was lost at 40.0 and 60.0 hours than the other three feeds.

Relevance of the Findings

  • These outcomes suggest that sugar-beet pulp and soyabean hulls get degraded quickly by ponies and could serve as alternatives to hay in horse diets. However, the availability of crude protein from sugar-beet pulp is poor, hence, diets based on sugar-beet pulp should be supplemented with a readily digestible source of crude protein for animals with high protein demands.

Cite This Article

APA
Moore-Colyer MJ, Hyslop JJ, Longland AC, Cuddeford D. (2002). The mobile bag technique as a method for determining the degradation of four botanically diverse fibrous feedstuffs in the small intestine and total digestive tract of ponies. Br J Nutr, 88(6), 729-740. https://doi.org/10.1079/BJN2002734

Publication

ISSN: 0007-1145
NlmUniqueID: 0372547
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 88
Issue: 6
Pages: 729-740

Researcher Affiliations

Moore-Colyer, M J S
  • Institute of Rural Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth SY23 3AL, Ceredigion, Wales, UK. mem@aber.ac.uk
Hyslop, J J
    Longland, A C
      Cuddeford, D

        MeSH Terms

        • Animal Feed
        • Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
        • Animals
        • Avena
        • Digestion
        • Equipment Design / veterinary
        • Horses / metabolism
        • Intestine, Small / metabolism
        • Male
        • Poaceae
        • Soybeans
        • Vegetables

        Citations

        This article has been cited 5 times.
        1. Stang FL, Bjerregaard R, Mu00fcller CE, Ergon u00c5, Halling M, Thorringer NW, Kidane A, Jensen RB. The effect of harvest time of forage on carbohydrate digestion in horses quantified by in vitro and mobile bag techniques.. J Anim Sci 2023 Jan 3;101.
          doi: 10.1093/jas/skac422pubmed: 36576899google scholar: lookup
        2. Potter SJ, Bamford NJ, Baskerville CL, Harris PA, Bailey SR. Comparison of Feed Digestibility between Ponies, Standardbreds and Andalusian Horses Fed Three Different Diets.. Vet Sci 2021 Dec 31;9(1).
          doi: 10.3390/vetsci9010015pubmed: 35051099google scholar: lookup
        3. Ma Y, Khan MZ, Liu Y, Xiao J, Chen X, Ji S, Cao Z, Li S. Analysis of Nutrient Composition, Rumen Degradation Characteristics, and Feeding Value of Chinese Rye Grass, Barley Grass, and Naked Oat Straw.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Aug 24;11(9).
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        4. Gandarillas M, Keim JP, Gapp EM. Associative Effects between Forages and Concentrates on In Vitro Fermentation of Working Equine Diets.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 26;11(8).
          doi: 10.3390/ani11082212pubmed: 34438671google scholar: lookup
        5. Liu LL, Zhou XL, Yang HJ. Effect of Dietary Forage: Concentrate Ratio on Pre-Caecal and Total Digestive Tract Digestibility of Diverse Feedstuffs in Donkeys as Measured by the Mobile Nylon Bag Technique.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jun 20;10(6).
          doi: 10.3390/ani10061070pubmed: 32575777google scholar: lookup