RESUMEN

The aims of this study were to monitor electromyographic (EMG) activity of masseter muscle in healthy horses fed (i) different types of roughage and (ii) maize after different hay allocations. Four horses were offered the following three diets ad libitum: hay, haylage or straw/alfalfa chaff (SAC). In a second trial, four horses were fed cracked maize (CM) and hay in three different orders: (i) CM after a 12-h overnight fast; (ii) CM immediately after restricted hay intake (0.6 kg hay/100 kg BW); or 3) CM after hay intake ad libitum. The activity of the masseter muscle was determined by EMG (IED(®) ), and the following were measured: amplitude (muscle action potential = MAP, maximum voltage) and duration of MAP (s). The intake of hay or haylage was associated with intense masseter muscle activity (MAP: hay, 10 ± 1.7 V; haylage, 11 ± 3.3 V; and duration of MAP: hay, 0.31 ± 0.04 s; haylage, 0.30 ± 0.04 s). Similar intense chewing was measured for SAC (MAP 13 ± 3.8 V), although duration of the chewing cycle was relatively short (0.22 ± 0.03 s, diet p < 0.05), which is possibly related to the shorter fibre length. CM was consumed rapidly, with less intense masseter muscle activity (MAP 6.0 ± 1.5 V). Hay intake before CM did not affect chewing force of CM, but duration of chewing cycle was significantly prolonged by feeding hay ad libitum before CM was fed. The consumption of hay, haylage or SAC was associated with intensive masseter muscle activity that was likely to stimulate salivary flow rate. In contrast to roughage, concentrates like CM are consumed rapidly with less intensive masseter muscle activity. This situation is associated with a low salivary flow that may have an adverse effect on gastric function.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of feeding oats alone before or after feeding chopped alfalfa or, in admixture with the alfalfa on the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses of horses as well as post-prandial breath hydrogen and methane excretion. Horses were fed in a randomized order, chopped alfalfa as a source of dietary fibre and unprocessed oats as a source of starch. Chopped alfalfa intake was adjusted to a crude fibre intake of 0.5 g/kg bodyweight (BW) per meal and the oats intake was adjusted to a starch intake of 2 g/kg BW per meal. The feeds were offered in three different ways: (i) alfalfa followed by oats (A/O), (ii) oats followed by alfalfa (O/A) or (iii) a mixture of alfalfa and oats (A + O). Oats alone were used as a control. Blood and breath were collected after the test meal was fed at the end of a 11.5-h overnight fast following a 10-day acclimatization period. The highest glycaemic and insulinaemic responses were measured when the A/O and O/A diets orders were fed, whereas most hydrogen was produced after feeding oats alone. It was concluded that adding alfalfa chaff to a meal of oats prolonged the pre-caecal digestion of starch, but there was no evidence for any effect on pre-caecal starch digestibility.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Four horses were randomly fed a diet containing rolled, micronised or extruded barley; the barley intake was adjusted to supply 2 g starch/kg bodyweight per day. During a 10-day acclimatisation period the horses were also fed 1 kg grass hay/100 kg bodyweight per day. Samples of blood and breath were collected at the end of each period after the test meal of barley had been fed after a 12-hour overnight fast. The glycaemic and insulinaemic responses of the horses were measured as an indication of the pre-caecal digestibility of starch, and postprandial breath hydrogen and methane were measured to detect microbial fermentation of starch. The highest peak serum glucose and serum insulin concentrations were observed after feeding the extruded barley, lower concentrations were observed after feeding the micronised barley and the lowest concentrations were observed after feeding the rolled barley. Breath hydrogen increased within four hours of feeding all the barley diets, and the mean (sd) peak hydrogen concentrations were 98.3 (55.2) ppm for rolled barley, 59.3 (31.5) ppm for micronised barley and 96.1 (51.9) ppm for extruded barley. There were wide variations within individual horses but these concentrations were not significantly different. Breath methane concentrations were very variable and, although there were no significant differences, there was a trend for higher methane concentrations after the feeding of rolled barley.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

An experiment was carried out at Alemaya University in Ethiopia to investigate the effect of night kraaling on the dry matter intake (DMI), live weight gain (LWG) and foraging behaviour of Ogaden cattle. Three groups of four animals were given either 7 h access to pasture per day, simulating traditional grazing (TG) practice; extended grazing (EG) access for 11 h per day; or traditional grazing access plus a nocturnal forage supplement (TF). Live weight gain, DMI and foraging behaviour were measured during the late dry season (EP1) and the wet season (EP2). None of the treatments had any significant effect on either DMI or LWG during EP1 or EP2. Extending pasture access time from 7 h to 11 h did not significantly increase the amount time spent grazing, but grazing intensity was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced during the non-common grazing hours. Step rate was significantly lower (p < 0.01) during EP2 than during EP1 and bites per step were significantly higher (p < 0.001) during EP2 than EP1, indicating that animals had to travel a shorter distance before selecting material to eat during the wet season (EP2). Providing supplementary forage (TF) had no significant effect on any measured parameter. In this study neither of the two low-cost methods (EG and TF) of improving access to forage had any beneficial effect on cattle productivity. It is concluded that, under the prevailing conditions, the traditional grazing practices of this part of Ethiopia do provide sufficient pasture access time to achieve daily voluntary food intake.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

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<0.05) in DM, organic matter and crude protein losses from SIB were noted between feeds with hay cubes and oat hulls-naked oats > 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<0.05) differences for all constituents measured with sugar-beet pulp > soyabean hulls > hay cubes > oat hulls-naked oats. Crude protein losses from sugar-beet pulp and soyabean hulls in FB were significantly higher (P<0.05) than from SIB. FB degradation curves showed degradation to be affected by bag residence time with sugar-beet pulp > 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.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The effect of dietary biotin supplementation, at a dose rate of 0.12 mg/kg bwt, on growth and growth rate of the hooves of 8 match-paired poines was investigated in a controlled feeding trial. Treatment animals had a mean hoof growth at the midline dead centre of the hoof capsule of 35.34 mm after 5 months of biotin supplementation compared to control animals 30.69 mm (P < 0.05). Comparison of regression analysis also showed that biotin supplementation produced a significantly higher (P < 0.02) growth rate of hoof horn in this trial. Treatment animals had a 15% higher growth rate of hoof horn and 15% more hoof growth at the midline dead centre, after 5 months of biotin supplementation compared to control ponies. No differences were found between feet for growth of horn, but the older animals in the trial had significantly lower hoof growth (P < 0.05) than the remaining poines.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The energy expenditure and heart rate of five Shetland ponies were measured during transport and compared with the values recorded while they were at rest and walking. Secondary aims of the study were to investigate whether there was any correlation between heart rate and energy expenditure and whether different orientations affected the values to different degrees. The measurements were recorded at one-minute intervals while the ponies were at rest, walking and being transported in four different orientations, on journeys lasting 30 minutes. There were significant increases (P < 0.001) in both heart rate and energy expenditure during transport which were similar to those associated with walking, and there was a strong correlation between the two measurements. There was no conclusive evidence that orientation affected the measurements, but it appeared that rear facing transport might have had the least effect.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

A clinical trial was carried out to determine the effect of cisapride on rate of passage of digesta and clinical parameters in horses with chronic grass sickness. Sixteen horses were given intramuscular cisapride (0.1 mg kg-1 three times daily) (group I), and 15 received oral cisapride (0.8 mg kg-1 three times daily) (group O). A liquid-phase marker (cobalt-EDTA) and a solid-phase marker (polystyrene pellets) were given by stomach tube at the beginning of each of three consecutive 7 day periods, i.e., before, during and after cisapride therapy. Seven horses in each group completed the rate of passage trial; the remainder provided clinical data only. The rate of passage was found to be significantly faster after cisapride therapy than before. Comparison with data from 20 normal animals showed a trend towards normal rates of passage after therapy. In cases that died during the trial, the caecum and large colon were the main sites of pellet retention. Dry matter intake was significantly higher after therapy than before in group O and dry matter output was higher after treatment than before in both groups. Gut auscultation score increased in both groups in the periods during and after cisapride administration but heart rate was unaffected. Diarrhoea and colic occurred in each group but its occurrence was not associated with cisapride therapy. The results suggest that by increasing gut motility, cisapride is of benefit in the management of selected cases of chronic grass sickness.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The effects of transporting horses facing either forwards or backwards were compared by transporting six thoroughbred horses in pairs in a lorry on one journey facing in the direction of travel, and on another journey facing away from the direction of travel, over a standard one-hour route. Heart rate monitors were used to record their heart rate before, during and after the journey and the horses' behaviour was recorded by scan sampling each horse every other minute. The average heart rate was significantly lower (P < 0.05) when the horses were transported facing backwards, and they also tended to rest on their rumps more (P = 0.059). In the forward-facing position, the horses moved more frequently (P < 0.05) and tended to hold their necks in a higher than normal position and to vocalise more frequently (P = 0.059). During loading the average peak heart rate was 38 bpm lower (P < 0.05) when the horses were backed into the horse box for rear-facing transport than when they were loaded facing forwards. However, there was no difference between transport facing forwards or backwards in terms of the peak unloading heart rate, or the average heart rate during loading or unloading. The horses seemed to find being transported less physically stressful when they were facing backwards than when they were facing forwards.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Artificially dehydrated lucerne produced in the United Kingdom has been shown to be a better source of nutrients for horses than grass hay. Horses eat more lucerne when it is pelleted, and the processing has little effect on its nutritive value. Lucerne does not appear to contain any antinutritional factors of significance to horses. Lucerne contains readily available calcium and protein and can thus be used as a cereal-balancer or to upgrade poor quality roughages. Because lucerne is a good source of digestible nutrients it has therapeutic applications, including the correction of electrolyte imbalances and hoof horn problems, and it can be used for intragastric nutrition and for feeding old horses.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The characteristics of the cyclicity of 12 maiden thoroughbred mares kept in two groups were studied over a total of 58 cycles. On average, oestrus lasted 5.3 days and in 60 per cent of the cycles ovulation occurred in the last two days of oestrus. Oestrus and ovulation tended to be synchronised in each group of mares. The mean diameter of single-ovulating preovulatory follicles on the day before ovulation was 41.5 mm and during the seven days before ovulation they grew 2.5 mm/day. More than one follicle ovulated in 19 (33 per cent) of the cycles (seven double ovulations and 12 dioestrous ovulations). All the oestrous mares and 25 per cent of the mares with dioestrous ovulations had uterine oedema on the day before ovulation.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The objective was to evaluate the nutritive value of short-cutting cycle, high temperature-dried (SCCHTD) alfalfa compared to timothy hay. This was achieved by carrying out 4 x 4 Latin Square digestibility trial using 4 Thoroughbred (one three-quarter Thoroughbred) horses (mean liveweight, 531 kg). The four dietary treatments were 0AA (timothy hay only), 33AA (0.33 alfalfa: 0.67 timothy hay), 67AA (0.67 alfalfa: 0.33 timothy hay) and 100AA (alfalfa only). Digestibility data were obtained by using acid-insoluble ash to estimate apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients. Rate of passage of the feedstuff was determined using chromium-mordanted hay. Plasma triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations were estimated. The digestibilities of organic matter (0.63), energy (0.57) and crude protein (0.74) of the alfalfa were significantly (P less than 0.001) higher than those for the hay (0.45, 0.43 and 0.36 respectively). The fibre components of alfalfa and hay were digested to the same extent but the ether extract of alfalfa was less well digested. Alfalfa saponins had no consistently significant effects on plasma cholesterol and triglyceride values but may contribute to the negative digestibility of alfalfa ether extract. We conclude that SCCHTD alfalfa is of much higher nutritive value than timothy hay when fed to Thoroughbred horses.

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The potential of short-cutting cycle, high temperature-dried alfalfa as a source of calcium for horses was determined by means of a 4 x 4 Latin square digestibility trial using four thoroughbred horses (mean liveweight 531 kg). The four dietary treatments were timothy hay alone, 33 per cent alfalfa and 67 per cent timothy hay, 67 per cent alfalfa and 33 per cent timothy hay, and alfalfa alone. Significantly more calcium and magnesium were absorbed from the alfalfa than from the hay. Phosphorus absorption appeared to be unaffected by treatment. Alfalfa calcium was more available than timothy hay calcium (apparent absorption coefficients of 0.78 and 0.15, respectively) and there was less variation between individual horses in their ability to absorb calcium from alfalfa. Horses fed alfalfa had significantly higher creatinine clearance ratios for calcium (P less than 0.01) and magnesium (P less than 0.001) than horses fed hay, but the creatinine clearance ratio for phosphorus was lower in horses fed hay alone.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The apparent digestibility of a molassed, chaffed grass hay/straw mixture was determined using four mature horses (mean weight 606 kg). Animals were stalled individually and kept on rubber mats. A preliminary feeding period of 18 days was followed by a 10 day collection period. Chromium-mordanted hay was given before the first feed at 08.00 h and subsequent meals were at 12.00, 16.00 and 20.00 h. On Days 3 and 10 of the collection, all faeces were sampled over a 24 h period. In addition, throughout the 10 day collection, faecal material was sampled at 10.00 and 16.00 h. The mean (+/- se) chromium recovery was 96.5 per cent +/- 0.76 and the hay/straw mixture contained 7 MJDE/kg dry matter and 15.1 g DCP/kg dry matter. There was no significant difference between the methods used to estimate apparent digestibility although chromium measurements consistently underestimated whilst acid-insoluble ash consistently overestimated digestibility values. There was a large variation in faecal chromium concentration for each horse over a 24 h period compared to acid-insoluble ash concentrations and, consequently, indirect estimates of apparent digestibility of nutrients in the equine are prone to large errors if chromium is used as a marker. If total faecal collection is impractical, acid-insoluble ash is the preferred indirect marker for the estimation of apparent digestibility coefficients for nutrients in horses.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

High dietary levels of magnesium (greater than 2 g/kg drymatter [DM]) have been implicated as the main causal factor of urinary calculi in concentrate-fed lambs. Experiments were performed to try to reproduce this effect of high magnesium (from added calcined magnesite) on the incidence of urolithiasis in lambs. In the first, store lambs were given diets containing magnesium in the following concentrations: A,2.9; B,8.6 g/km DM. Twenty-four blackface lambs were each allocated to A and B and the control group of 160 lambs was fed a combined dried grass/sugar beet pulp pellet and hay ad libitum (diet C). The animals were housed and fed ad libitum until they were killed at an average liveweight of 35 kg. No animals showed clinical signs of urolithiasis and post mortem only a trace of calculous material was recovered from one lamb fed diet A. In the second experiment housed Suffolk and Suffolk cross lambs were fed a starter beginning at three to four weeks old and changed to a finisher at a liveweight of 23 kg. The feeds were either high magnesium starter (5.7) and finisher (6.0) or low magnesium starter (2.3) and finisher (2.8 g/kg DM). Twenty-two single lambs and 32 twins were assigned to both high and low magnesium diets. Lambs fed additional magnesium drank more water/kg DM intake and one of the single lambs showed clinical signs of urolithiasis and was killed. No others showed clinical signs and from the 62 killed there was no post mortem recovery of calculous material.

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)