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Equine Nutrition Randy C. Webb Virginia Tech 2007 Horse Digestive Tract Review Protein, Carbohydrates, fat, minerals and vitamins are all digested in the small intestine Cecum is a section of the colon where digestive bacteria break down roughage Water is absorbed in the large intestine Definitions – – – – – Ration – Feed allowed for a given animal during a day of 24 hours, whether it be fed at one time for in portions at different times Balanced ration – Feed that furnishes the necessary nutrients in such proportion and amount as will properly nourish a given animal for a 24-hour period Nutrient – Applies to any food constituent or group of food constituents of the same general chemical composition that aid in the support of life Feedstuffs – Nutrients which are taken into the digestive system Mastication – Chewing Definitions Chyme – Semi fluid mass of partly digested food expelled from the stomach into the small intestines Carbohydrates – Sugars and starches in feeds used for energy Fats – Similar to carbohydrates, but contain higher percentage of chemical compounds, thus yielding 2.25 times more energy than carbohydrates Protein – Any group of complex compounds which contain nitrogen and are composed of amino acids Vitamin – Essential organic nutrient which is required in only small amounts Definitions – Minerals – Inorganic matter which aids in skeletal growth and chemical reactions – Epiphysis's – Inflammation of growth plates at ends of long bones; occurs mostly in knees one and two year olds – Rickets – Abnormal bone growth caused by Vitamin D deficiency So is a horse a Non-ruminant or Ruminant ? Digestive systems ... Nonruminants Enzymatic digestion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in foregut Ruminants Fiber digestion in rumen Enzymatic digestion in foregut Minimal fiber digestion Limited fiber in hindgut absorption in hindgut Cow, sheep, deer Man, pigs, dogs So where do horses fit in? Somewhere in between: – High rates of enzymatic digestion in foregut (mouth to small intestine) – High rates of fermentive microbial digestion in hindgut (cecum to rectum) Functions of digestive system include: Prehension of food (grabbing) Mastication (chewing) Digestion Absorption Initial nutrient storage Nutrition What is nutrition? – Nutrition is a science that studies the relationship between diet and health. What is first thing we need to know ? – Body weight and what the horse is used for. Estimate body weight with ... Hearth girth weight tapes or Body weight equation W = Weight HG = Heart Girth BL = Body Length W= HG squared x BL (inches) 330 Why is horse body weight so important? Horses should be fed a percentage of their body weight. – Mature, idle and late gestation mares: 1.5 to 2% of body weight – Mares in early lactation and growing horses: 2 to 3% of body weight – Working horses: 1.5 to 3% of body weight REASONS WHY ANIMALS NEED FEED MAINTENANCE GROWTH REPRODUCTION LACTATION WORKING OTHER PRODUCTS AND USES WAYS ANIMALS USE NUTRIENTS TO MAINTAIN THEMSELVES Used to keep the body warm Replace old cells Run the internal organs and for body movement SIX TYPES OF MATERIALS THAT PROVIDE NUTRIENTS CARBOHYDRATES: Major sources are corn, oats, hay, soybean oil meal and grain sorghum. FATS: Meat scraps, tankage, cottonseed and fish meal are examples. PROTEIN: Tankage, soybean meal, legume hay, blood meal, feather meal, fish meal and skim milk. TYPES OF MATERIALS (CONT.) MINERALS: Eighteen minerals are needed by animals;six are macro minerals. Includes calcium, salt, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and sulfur. VITAMINS: Vitamins A,D, and the B vitamins are most important in animals. WATER: Most important of all nutrients. A market hog is 40% water; newborn calf is 70% water. The Purpose of the Nutrients Carbohydrates – Supplies Energy Proteins – composed of units called amino acids which are used as building blocks to develop body tissue Vitamins – Essential for normal body functions Minerals – Aid in skeletal growth and chemical reactions Water – used for body’s chemical reactions, regulate body heat, lubricant TWO GENERAL CLASSES OF FEEDSTUFFS ROUGHAGES: Feedstuffs that are high in fiber and low in energy. Examples include hay, green pasture grasses and legumes and silage. CONCENTRATES: Feed that are low in fiber and high in energy. Examples are corn, oats, wheat, meat scraps, blood meal, soybean meal and urea. DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENT A digestible nutrient is the part of a feedstuff that can be digested, or broken down. Fiber in roughage is not easily digested. Ruminants and horses are efficient users of roughage. TERMS RATION: The total amount of feed an animal gets in a 24 hour period. BALANCED RATION: A ration that provides all of the nutrients needed by the animal in the right amount and proportion. DIET: Type and amount of feed and water an animal eats. THREE TYPES OF ROUGHAGE FOR ANIMALS PASTURE- Land where grasses and other plants grow for animals to graze. HAY- Made of the leaves and stems of plants that have been cut and dried for feed. SILAGE- Made from cut green plants by chopping them into small pieces and placing the “chop” in a silo. EXAMPLES OF GRAIN CONCENTRATES Grains are high in TDN but do not provide a balanced ration. Examples include corn, oats, wheat and grain sorghum. Corn is the most widely used grain. SOURCES OF PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS Protein supplements are high in TDN and high in protein. Three types: Animal - meat scraps and tankage, blood meal, fish meal, and skim milk. Plant- soybean oil meal, cotton seed meal and various grain by-products. Synthetic- Urea, molasses, rice hulls, and citrus pulp treated with ammonia. FEED ADDITIVES Placed in feed while it is being manufactured to preserve it and enhance growth of the animals. Medications Wormers Marketing enhancement Antioxidants FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN SELECTING FEED FOR ANIMALS NUTRIENT CONTENT PALATABILITY FREE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS VARIETY BULKINESS COST FEED STORAGE THREE FORMS IN WHICH ROUGHAGE IS FED BALES LOOSE CHOP PELLETS AND WAFERS WAYS CONCENTRATES ARE MADE INTO FORMS OF FEED CRACKING AND ROLLING GRINDING EXTRUDING WAYS SUPPLEMENTS ARE PREPARED BLOCKS- Salt or mineral block LIQUIDS- Molasses MIXES- Salt, protein sources and other materials