Evaluation of methodological aspects of digestibility measurements in ponies fed different grass hays1

Schaafstra, F.J.W.C.; Doorn, D.A. van; Schonewille, J.T.; Wartena, F.C.; Zoon, Mieke; Blok, M.C.; Hendriks, W.H.

doi:10.2527/jas.2015-9240

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 21 publications

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“…Organic matter digestibility ( OMD ) was lower (41.1%, 55.0%, 48.8%, 48.5%) for all hays than what has been previously reported in similar studies ( LaCasha et al, 1999 ; Schaafstra et al, 2015 ). In contrast, the 55% OMD for the 10% CP hay in the present study is similar (53%) to that which was observed by Eckert et al (2010) when horses were fed a similar 10% CP Coastal bermudagrass hay.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 54%

Effects of crude protein content on intake and digestion of coastal bermudagrass hay by horses

Spurgin

Coverdale

Leatherwood

et al. 2021

Translational Animal Science

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This study was conducted to determine the effects of forage CP level on intake and digestion of Coastal bermudagrass hay by horses. Four cecally fistulated geldings were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with four treatments and four periods. Horses were fed one of four Coastal bermudagrass hays consisting of 7, 10, 13, or 16% CP during each of the four 15-d periods. Intake and apparent digestibility were determined for each horse at the end of each period by total fecal collection. In addition, cecal fluid and blood samples were collected on the last day of each period for determination of cecal ammonia, cecal pH, plasma urea nitrogen, and plasma glucose concentrations. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS. Crude protein concentration of Coastal bermudagrass hay influenced equine intake and digestion. Increasing CP concentration linearly increased digestible OM intake (DOMI) from 3.79 to 5.98 kg/d for 7 and 16% CP hay, respectively (P = 0.04). Furthermore, as forage CP level increased, CP intake increased linearly (P < 0.01). Forage CP level had no effect on forage DM intake. Quadratic effects (P ≤ 0.05) were observed for forage OM, NDF, ADF, and digestible energy. Overall digestibility was lowest for the 7% CP hay and highest for the 10% CP hay. Cecal pH remained above 6.62 irrespective of treatment and time, indicating that cecal pH was suitable for microbial growth. As forage CP level increased, cecal ammonia concentration increased linearly from 0.03 mM for the 7% to 1.74 mM for the 16% CP hay (P < 0.01). Concentration of plasma glucose also linearly increased (P = 0.04) from 68.77 to 73.68 mg/dL as CP concentration increased from 7% to 16% CP. Plasma urea nitrogen exhibited a quadratic effect as concentration increased (P < 0.01) from 4.34 to 5.61 mM for the 7 and 16% CP hays, respectively. Overall, the 10% CP hay had the highest digestibility due to its higher OM digestion. As forage OMI increased, digestible OM increased until physiological capacity for digestion is exceeded. At that point, digestion will decline with the decrease in OMI, explaining the lower digestion for other forages fed.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 54%

Effects of crude protein content on intake and digestion of coastal bermudagrass hay by horses

Spurgin

Coverdale

Leatherwood

et al. 2021

Translational Animal Science

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Evaluation of methodological aspects of digestibility measurements in ponies fed different haylage to concentrate ratios

Schaafstra

Doorn

Schonewille

et al. 2017

Animal

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Methodological aspects of digestibility measurements were studied in four Welsh pony geldings consuming haylage-based diets with increasing proportions of a pelleted concentrate according to a 4×4 Latin square design experiment. Ponies were fed four experimental, iso-energetic (net energy (NE) basis) diets (i.e. 22 MJ NE/day) with increasing proportions of a pelleted concentrate (C) in relation to haylage (H). The absolute amounts of diet dry matter fed per day were 4.48 kg of H (100H), 3.36 and 0.73 kg of H and C (75H25C), 2.24 and 1.45 kg of H and C (50H50C) and 1.12 and 2.17 kg of H and C (25H75C). Diets were supplemented with minerals, vitamins and TiO2 (3.7 g Ti/day). Voluntary voided faeces were quantitatively collected daily during 10 consecutive days and analysed for moisture, ash, ADL, acid-insoluble ash (AIA) and Ti. A minimum faeces collection period of 6 consecutive days, along with a 14-day period to adapt the animals to the diets and become accustomed to the collection procedure, is recommended to obtain accurate estimations on dry matter digestibility and organic matter digestibility (OMD) in equids fed haylage-based diets supplemented with concentrate. In addition, the recovery of AIA, ADL and Ti was determined and evaluated. Mean faecal recovery over 10 consecutive days across diets for AIA, ADL and Ti was 124.9% (SEM 2.9), 108.7% (SEM 2.0) and 97.5% (SEM 0.9), respectively. Cumulative faecal recovery of AIA significantly differed between treatments, indicating that AIA is inadequate to estimate the OMD in equines. In addition, evaluation of the CV of mean cumulative faecal recoveries obtained by AIA, ADL and Ti showed greater variations in faecal excretion of AIA (9.1) and ADL (7.4) than Ti (3.7). The accuracy of prediction of OMD was higher with the use of Ti than ADL. The use of Ti is preferred as a marker in digestibility trials in equines fed haylage-based diets supplemented with increasing amounts of pelleted concentrate.

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Effect of exercise on apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients and faecal recovery of ADL and TiO2 in ponies

Schaafstra

Doorn

Schonewille

et al. 2018

Animal

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Exercise and physical training are known to affect gastrointestinal function and digestibility in horses and can lead to inaccurate estimates of nutrient and energy digestibility when markers are used. The effect of exercise on apparent nutrient digestibility and faecal recoveries of ADL and TiO2 was studied in six Welsh pony geldings subjected to either a low- (LI) or high-intensity (HI) exercise regime according to a cross-over design. Ponies performing LI exercise were walked once per day for 45 min in a horse walker (5 km/h) for 47 consecutive days. Ponies submitted to HI exercise were gradually trained for the same 47 days according a standardized protocol. Throughout the experiment, the ponies received a fixed level of feed and the daily rations consisted of 4.7 kg DM of grass hay and 0.95 kg DM of concentrate. The diet was supplemented with minerals, vitamins and TiO2 (3.0 g Ti/day). Total tract digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM), CP, crude fat, NDF, ADF, starch, sugar and energy was determined with the total faeces collection (TFC) method. In addition, DM and OM digestibility was estimated using internal ADL and the externally supplemented Ti as markers. Urine was collected on the final 2 days of each experimental period. Exercise did not affect apparent digestibility of CP, crude fat, starch and sugar. Digestibility of DM (DMD), OM (OMD), ADF and NDF tended to be lower and DE was decreased when ponies received the HI exercise regime. For all treatments combined, mean faecal recoveries of ADL and Ti were 87.8±1.7% and 99.3±1.7%, respectively. Ti was not detected in the urine, indicating that intestinal integrity was maintained with exercise. Dry matter digestibility estimated with the TFC, ADL and Ti for ponies subjected to LI exercise were 66.3%, 60.3% and 64.8%, respectively, while DMD for HI ponies were 64.2%, 60.3% and 65.2%, respectively. In conclusion, physical exercise has an influence on the GE digestibility of the feed in ponies provided with equivalent levels of feed intake. In addition, the two markers used for estimating apparent DMD and OMD indicate that externally supplemented Ti is a suitable marker to determine digestibility of nutrients in horses performing exercise unlike dietary ADL.

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Evaluation of methodological aspects of digestibility measurements in ponies fed different grass hays1

Cited by 6 publications

References 21 publications

Effects of crude protein content on intake and digestion of coastal bermudagrass hay by horses

Effects of crude protein content on intake and digestion of coastal bermudagrass hay by horses

Evaluation of methodological aspects of digestibility measurements in ponies fed different haylage to concentrate ratios

Effect of exercise on apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients and faecal recovery of ADL and TiO2 in ponies

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