Equine 1 - Aimee Flashcards
What is the primary function of the mouth in digestion?
Mastication/chewing, reduce feed particle size, mix feed with saliva, starch digestion.
How much saliva is secreted per day?
Approx 40L/day, only secreted while eating.
List the relative sizes of the stomach, small intestine, cecum, and large intestine in horses from largest to smallest.
From biggest to smallest:
* Large intestine
* Small intestine
* Cecum
* Stomach
The stomach is relatively small compared to body size.
Where do microbial and enzymatic digestion occur in the GIT?
Enzymatic:
* Stomach
* Small intestine
Microbial
* Cecum
* Large colon
* Small colon
What enzyme is involved in starch digestion in the mouth?
Amylase
What are the main functions of the stomach in horses?
- Storage and physical mixing
- Initial chemical digestion
- Propel food to small intestines
- Protein digestion.
Protein digestion occurs here with the aid of HCl and pepsin.
What enzymes are involved in protein digestion in the small intestine?
- Trypsin
- Chymotrypsin
- Carboxypeptidase
What is the rate of passage in the small intestine?
Fast rate of passage
Where are the majority of carbohydrates digested and absorbed?
Small intestine
How much of the small intestine can be removed during anastomosis and resection?
Up to 75%
What nutrient types are digested in the small intestine?
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Fat
Main site of carbohydrate digestion.
What is the main function of the large intestine in equine nutrition?
- Fermentation vat
- Microbial breakdown of cellulose
- Water and salt absorption
- Reservoir for water and electrolytes
What is absorbed in the large intestine?
- Water
- Salt (Sodium Chloride)
The large intestine also serves as a reservoir for water and electrolytes.
What is the rate of passage in the large intestine?
Slow rate of passage
How much ingesta can the large intestine contain?
75-90kg
Important when treating colics because it is a misconception that if horses pass manure, they are not in colic. This is wrong! They can have up to 5 days of manure in the LI and can still pass it if obstruction is before LI.
What is the primary function of the small colon?
Water absorption and fecal ball formation
What are the main factors that determine feed requirements for horses?
- Forage requirements
- Energy requirements
- Protein requirements
- Nutrient composition of feed
How many hours a day should horses ideally be eating?
15 hours a day
This is crucial for meeting their nutrient requirements.
True or False: Most of a horse’s nutrient requirements can be met with forage alone.
True, if it is a good quality forage.
How much pasture is required to graze one horse during the summer?
3-5 acres of good pasture
Adequate grazing land supports the horse’s dietary needs.
What is the average daily dry matter intake (DMI) for adult horses?
1.5% - 3.0% of body weight (2% avg) but depends on body condition!
For a 500 kg horse, this translates to about 10 kg dry weight of feed.
What is the minimum maintenance energy requirement for horses in kcal/kg body weight?
30.3 kcal/kg BW
This is the baseline energy needed for maintenance.
What is the average maintenance energy requirement for horses in kcal/kg body weight?
33.3 kcal/kg BW
What is the elevated maintenance energy requirement for horses in kcal/kg body weight?
36.3 kcal/kg BW
This may be necessary for horses with higher activity levels.
What is the daily energy maintenance requirement (DEM) for a 500 kg horse?
16.7 Mcal/day
This accounts for maintenance without production factors - mainly metabolism.
What factors are included in the maintenance energy requirement?
- Basal Metabolism
- Basic Activity
- Temperature Regulation
- Maintenance of weight
How much weight change is required to increase/decrease body condition by one score?
25 kg of weight
This change should occur gradually over 60-180 days.
How many Mcal above maintenance is required to increase body condition by 1 kg?
20 Mcal
TOTAL! Not per day lol
If a 500 kg horse is at a current BCS of 4 and desired BCS of 5, how much weight change is needed? How much additional energy is required for this change?
25 kg gain to change from a 4 to 5 BCS.
20Mcal x 25kg = 500Mcal of additional feed required TOTAL.
What is the basal daily energy maintenance (DEm) for a horse?
17 Mcal/Day
What happens if energy needs are not met in an animal?
The animal will burn protein for energy instead
Important to meet energy requirements before supplementing protein!
Is there any benefit to supplementing protein if energy requirements are not met?
No
Supplementing protein without meeting energy needs is ineffective.
What is the average digestible protein requirement for a 500kg horse?
500 g digestible protein, 10% protein in feed.
What percentage of protein is typically found in horse feed?
10% protein in feed
What is the maximum percentage of fat allowed in a horse’s total diet?
Max ~20% in total diet
How much fat can a 500kg horse typically handle?
500 ml of fat (just over 2 cups)
This is an efficient source of digestible energy.
How much energy does half a cup of fat provide?
1 MCal