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Serum urea level of weanling foals increased slightly with age, but the level of serum protein remained rather constant. The increment of serum urea values with age was largest jn foals fed the poorest protein quality-Correspondingly, serum protein concentrations were higher in foals fed diets not optimized for the amino acid intake, compared to the average protein serum leveLs. There was a negative regression between average daily gain (ADG) and serum urea concentration, .e. serum urea increased when ADG decreased. ADG between 10 to'12 months was 157o slower on aveEoe than between 7 to 10 months.

Use of oats treated with propionic acid in horse feeding was investigated in a 48-day feeding trial. Twenty horses were divided into a control and an experimental group. Horses in the control and experimental groups were fed with hay and dry or propionic acid treated oats, respectively, according to their energy requirements. The influence of the diet on health, faecal microflora, haemoglobin and haematocrit values, blood serum glucose concentrations, and weight change was investigated. The state of the health of all the horses was good throughout the trial. The functioning of the digestive tract of the horses was normal, since no symptoms of a declined health status of the digestive tract or harmfull effects on microflora due to propionic acid treated oats were observed. Also the haematology of the horses was unaffected by the diet. These data indicated that propionic acid treated grain can succesfully be included in rations for horses.

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