The nutrient requirements of horses: historical perspectives.
Abstract: The National Research Council (NRC) published the Recommended Nutrient Allowances for Horses in 1949. The subsequent publication was renamed the Nutrient Requirements of Horses and the 6th revised edition was published in 2007. The document has increased in size and scope from the initial publication in 1949 that contained 29 pages to the most recent version with 341 pages. Several formats for expressing requirements (dietary concentrations or daily amounts) have been utilized. In addition, a variety of methods have been employed to determine the nutrient requirements of horses since 1949. Many of the requirement estimates are based on research studies with the target class of horse. However, some estimates have been derived from practical experience or extrapolated from other species and there is ample opportunity for future research related to many nutrients. Equine nutritionists may also explore additional methods to express the recommended daily nutrient intakes of horses.
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.
Publication Date: 2022-02-02 PubMed ID: 35261969PubMed Central: PMC8895981DOI: 10.1093/tas/txac021Google 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
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 discusses the evolution of understanding about the nutritional needs of horses from 1949 to 2007, specifically looking at National Research Council publications on this topic. The paper covers changes in methods, as well as the increase in size and scope of the research, highlighting the potential for future studies.
Evolution of Nutrient Requirements Documentation
- The article mentions how the National Research Council (NRC) first published the “Recommended Nutrient Allowances for Horses” back in 1949, marking the first formal presentation of these allowances.
- Subsequently, the document was renamed to the “Nutrient Requirements of Horses” and has been revised six times, the latest revision occurring in 2007.
- The size and comprehensiveness of the document has greatly expanded since its first publication. The initial 1949 version had a length of just 29 pages, while the recent one boasts of an extensive 341 pages.
Formats and Methods for Expressing Requirements
- Throughout the years, several formats have been used for expressing the nutrient requirements of horses, generally involving dietary concentrations or daily amounts.
- Similarly, the methods employed to determine these nutrient requirements have also varied in the years since 1949.
Establishing Nutrient Requirement Estimates
- Many of the estimates for nutrient requirements are founded on research studies conducted on the target class of horses, providing a scientific basis to the presented values.
- However, note is made that some estimates are instead derived from practical experience, or have been extrapolated from nutrient requirements of other species which might not be as accurate.
Possibilities for Future Research
- The article emphasizes that there’s a significant potential for further research related to many nutrients, likely resulting in updated estimates and recommendations.
- Equine nutritionists are encouraged to explore additional methods of expressing the recommended daily nutrient intakes of horses, potentially improving comprehensiveness and understanding.
Cite This Article
APA
Lawrence L.
(2022).
The nutrient requirements of horses: historical perspectives.
Transl Anim Sci, 6(1), txac021.
https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txac021 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA.
References
This article includes 14 references
- Institute of Medicine. The development of DRIs 1994-2004: Lessons learned and new challenges. Workshop summary.. Natl. Acad. Press 2008, Washington DC.
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D.. Natl. Acad. Press 2011, Washington DC.
- nNASEM. About us. Study Process.. 2021.
- NRC. Recommended dietary allowances.. Natl. Acad. Sci. 1941, Washington DC.
- NRC. The recommended nutrient allowances for swine.. Natl. Acad. Sci. 1944, Washington DC.
- NRC. The recommended nutrient allowances for horses.. Natl. Acad. Sci. 1949, Washington DC.
- NRC. The nutrient requirements of horses.. Natl. Acad. Sci. 1961, Washington DC.
- NRC. The nutrient requirements of horses. 2nd rev. ed.. Natl. Acad. Sci. 1966, Washington DC.
- NRC. The nutrient requirements of horses. 3rd rev. ed.. Natl. Acad. Sci. 1973, Washington DC.
- NRC. The nutrient requirements of horses. 4th rev. ed.. Natl. Acad. Press 1978, Washington DC.
- NRC. The nutrient requirements of horses. 5th rev. ed.. Natl. Acad. Press 1989, Washington DC.
- NRC. The first 70 years.. Natl. Acad. Press 1998, Washington DC.
- NRC. The nutrient requirements of horses. 6th rev. ed.. Natl. Acad. Press 2007, Washington DC.
- NRC. The nutrient requirements of swine. 10th rev. ed.. Natl. Acad. Press 2012, Washington DC.
Citations
This article has been cited 0 times.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
