Equine Nutrition Flashcards
Describe the function of each part of the gastrointestinal tract
mouth - chewing
esophagus - transport
stomach - enzymatic breakdown
small intestine - digestion
cecum - what ever was not digested in SI (cellulose)
colon - fecal ball creation and water reabsorption
descending colon - fecal ball formation
where does fermentation in the horse occur?
hindgut fermentation
cecum and colon
what does fermentation in the hindgut produce?
CO2, methane, and VFA
what are the VFAs produced in hindgut fermentation?
propionate - used for glucose production
acetate - converted to acetly CoA and used for immediate energy
Butyrate - also converted to acetyl CoA
what are the necessary nutrients for horses?
water
forage
how much water should a horse drink a day?
5% BW
1000lb horse, 50lbs water, 7 gallons daily
how much forage should a horse receive daily?
1.5-3% BW
1000lbs horse - 15-30lbs
what are the components of forage? what is each purpose?
carbohydrates - primary source of energy
protein
fat - VFAs provide 30% energy requirements
how much of the forage diet in a horse should be protein?
12%
What is the ratio of calcium to phosphorus that horses should receive?
2:1
what is the ratio of phosphorus to calcium that horses should receive?
1:2
what are the necessary vitamins horses should receive?
vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin
what are the necessary macrominerals horses should receive?
calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, and sulfur
what are the necessary microminerals horses should recieve?
selenium, zinc, copper, iodine, cobalt, iron, manganese
what is the significance of the following macrominerals -calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, and sulfur
calcium - critical in every pathway
phosphorous - ADP/ATP production
magnesium - enzymes, muscle contraction
potassium - cellular regulation/AP
sodium - cellular regulation/AP
chlorine - acid-base and osmotic regulation
sulfur - formation of AA
what is the significance of the following microminerals - selenium, zinc, copper, iodine, cobalt, iron, manganese
selenium - thyroid metabolism
zinc - enzyme comp
copper - enzymes, CT, and mobilization of iron stores
iodine - synthesis of thyroid hormones
cobalt - needed to synthesize vitamin B12
iron - myoglobin, hemoglobin, cytochromes
manganese - carbohydrate and lipid metabolism
How much should the dry matter be?
90-93%
what should the neutral detergent fiber be?
less than 65%
what should acid detergent fiber be?
25-30%
what are concentrates?
designed for horses that do jobs and need extra calories
Do complete pelleted diets need additional forage needed?
no
what are the grains?
corn, oats, barley
what is the maintenance requirement for horses caloric intake?
30-35 kcal/kg
what is the maintenance requirement for performance horses - light, moderate, heavy, and very heavy?
light - 40 kcal DE/kg
moderate - 46 kcal DE/kg
heavy - 53 kcal DE/kg
very heavy - 63 kcal DE/kg
what is the maintenance requirement for brooding mares caloric intake? (less than 5 months gestation and greater than 5 months gestation)
less than 5 months - 30-35 kcal/kg
greater than 5 months - 66kcal/kg
what is the maintenance requirement for a lactating mare caloric intake?
51 kcal/kg - depends on milk production
does a foal need to receive more or less than a 2 year old?
significantly more
what are the common diseases caused by inappropriate nutrition?
vitamin E deficiency
selenium deficiency
nutritional hyperparathyroidism
what are the common diseases treated with nutrition?
insulin dysregulation
HYPP
PSSM
what are diseases caused by vitamin E deficiency?
equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM)/ neurooaxonal dystrophy (NAD)
Equine lower motor neuron disease (EMND)
what causes white muscle disease?
selenium deficiency
what is the diet that an insulin dysregulation/equine metabolic syndrome should receive?
WSC + starch = non-structural carbohydrates less than 10%
how do horses get nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism?
fed diets low in calcium and high in phosphorous
need to have Ca:PO4 ratio of 2:1
what is the pathogenesis of grain overload?
ingestion of large amount of carbohydrates overwhelms the small intestine and enters the cecum/colon > rapid fermentation decreases cecal pH > gram negative bacteria die releasing endotoxins
how do you treat horses with OCD?
complete diet low in carbohydrates
remove the chip
how do you feed a horse with HYPP?
dietary intake of potassium <1% total diet
hay can have 3% potassium - grass has less than alfalfa
feed grains - <0.5% potassium, grain intake releases insulin helps uptake potassium
how do you feed a horse with polysaccharide storage myopathy?
keto diet - low carbs, high fat, daily exercise
