Equine Nutrition Flashcards
Clinical signs of Ionophore Toxicity
Cardiotoxic - trembling, sweating, cardiac arrhythmias, death
Clinical signs of colic
Looking at flank, pawing, rolling
Growing horse dry matter intake
3.5%
Ca:P ratio in alfalfa
3: 1 to 6:1 (average)
12: 1 (high)
Special nutrient requirements of endurance horses
High fiber to hold water and decrease water loss
Avoid large grain meal 1-4 hours before
Muscles that are cut to manage cribbing
“Strap” Muscles
Sternothyroideus
Sternohyoideus
Omohyoideus
Sternomandibularis
Treatment of esophageal obstruction
Sedation
Naso-gastric tube +/- lavage
+/- treatment for aspiration
Nutritional requirement categories for horses
Maintenance
Growth
Gestation
Lactation
Work
Geriatric
Clinical signs of Canthatidin Toxicosis
Colic
Anorexia
Depression
GIT erosions
Frequent urination
Colitis
Special nutrient requirements for horses on weight restriction
Feed 70-75% requirements
Include exercise
_______________________
Be careful with breeds at risk for hyperlipemia
Forage should be provided how often to horses throughout the day?
Ad Libitum to avoid lowering stomach pH
Refeeding Syndrome
Occurs in starved horses
Heart, respiratory or renal failure
Precipitous phosphate, MG and K drop associated wtih insulin spikes
Equine nutritional needs depends on what factors
Horse Specific Factors
Dietary Factors
Feeding Management
Horses consume water in what kind of pattern
Circadian Pattern
Clinical signs of Moldy Corn Poisoning
Rapid progression - incoordination, depression, blindness, sweating, head pressing, seizures, coma, death
Absorption of proteins occurs in the _________ of the horse.
Stomach
Digestion of proteins occurs in the _________ of the horse.
Stomach
Breakdown and absorption of non-structural carbohydrates occurs in the __________ of the horse.
Small intestine
What months of lactation are important to consider in the horse?
First three months
__________________________
First month is the highest requirement
Considerations to avoid competition in horse feeding management
Feed in compatible groups
Spread out when group feeding
Trauma associated with competition
Esophageal Obstruction
Treatment of EGUS
Treat active ulcers with omeprazole, H2 blockers and carafate
Cause an increased risk of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrom -EGUS- in horses
Illness
Strenuous exercise
Feeding managment - increaded feeding of VFA, intermittent feed deprivation
Fescue Toxicosis is due to
contamination with endophyte that causes ergot alkaloids
Treatment of Equine Metabolic Syndrome
Low glycemic index diet
Exercise
Ievothroxine Sodium
Starch digestion ideally occurs ___________ in the horse
Pre-cecally
Canthatidin Toxicosis of horses is caused by
Ingestion of blister beetles found in alfalfa
Pathogenesis of fescue toxicosis
Causes dopaminerginic inhibition of prolactin from action potential → decreased prolactin and progesterone
Clinical Signs of EGUS
Colic, poor appetite, altered behavior, exercise intolerance, weight loss, poor condition
Treatment of colic
NSAIDs
Rectal examination
NG intubation
What is the advantage to horses biting?
Creates small pieces
Horse peak lactation dry matter intake
3 %
Two types of digestion that occur within the horse GI
Enzymatic Digestion (Small Intestine)
Microbial Digestion (Large Intestine)
Hydrolyzable carbohydrates are digested in the ____________ of horses
Small intestine
Treatment of developmental orthopedic disease
Reduce energy intake
Supplement micronutrients
Fat supplements used in horse diets
Vegetable oil
Rice bran, soy or corn oil
3 types of dental problems of equines that may affect feed intake
Enamel points
Molar hooks
Ulcerations
Special nutrient requirements for geriatric horse
BCS 4-6
High quality feed
1-2 cups fat
Lower digestible fiber
Considerations when using hay as a main feed for horses:
Minimum 1% of body weight
Good quality
Supplement with grain or fat
Locomotor vices that are not associated to feed management
Weaving
Stall walking
Headshaking
Horse Maintenance =
M = 1.4 + 0.03 x BW(kg)
Sugars that are not digested in the horse’s small intestine reach the large intestine to produce ___________
VFA
Fat supplementation in horses is preferred when
Requirements can not be met totally with forage intake alone
Pathogenesis of grain induced laminitis
Rapid fermentation in large intestine increases endotoxins → Increased lactate → decreased pH → increased mucosal absorption → destruction of basement membrane, digital ischemia, leukocyte infiltration → laminitis
Vices associated with feed management
Cribbing
Wind sucking
Wood chewing
T/F: Highly processed grains have the highest digestibility in the small intestine
True
Clinical signs of fescue toxicosis
Prolonged gestation
Premature separation of the placenta
Dystocia
Retained placenta
Agalactia
Nursing/Weaning horse dry matter intake
2%
Prevention of fescue toxicosis
Move late gestation mares off pasture
Cut grass
Domperidone
Fungus free fescue
Re seed
Management of esophageal obstruction
Repeat offenders
Slow down eating
Separate the bully
Soak feed
Rapidly fermentable carbohydrates and slowly fermentable carbohydrates undergo microbial digestion in the _____________ of the horse
Large Intestine
Clinical signs of equine dental problems
Weight loss, dropping feed, difficulty eating, quidding
Treatment of Ionophore Toxicity
Supportive
Lavage GI (oil/charcoal)
Number one cause of death of equines
Colic
Daily Need (horse) =
Maintenance + Physiologic State
What is the relationship between the number of chews a horse does and the risk of gastric ulcers?
Decreased chews → decreased saliva → decreased buffering → increased risk of gastric ulcers
Energy from fat is ______% utilizable
90%
Moldy Corn Poisoning - Leukoencephalomalacia - Blind Staggers - Mycotoxic Equine Encephalomalacia
Mycotoxin found in corn causes liquefacation of cerebral white matter
Feeds that are used in the geriatric horse, starved horse and high performance horse?
Beet Pulp - high energy, low glycemic index
Oil
What percent of fat can be added to the diet of a horse?
10%
Acid Gut Syndrome in horses
Caused by increased concentrations of acid in the large intestine causing altered flora and mucosal damage
Special requirements for the orphaned foal
Nurse mare
Bucket feeding
10% body weight for first few days building upt to 25% by 10 days age
Feed every 1-2 hours first week
4th week feed four times daily
Creep feed at 2 weeks
Wean at 8-12 weeks
Fiber fermentation and energy production occurs in the ________ of the horse
Large Intestine
Quidding
Long strains of grass that are not chewed - volume not digested, lose efficiency
Examples of horse specific factors that effect nutritional needs
Age, Breed, Body Weight and Condition, Physiological State
It is important to evaluate horse diet to determine:
Animal Requirement
Feed Intake
Nutrition Content of Common forages and grains
Feed management issues seen commonly in horse practice
Competition
Vices
Dental Problems
Equine Metabolic Syndrome
Seen in rapidly growing large breed horses
“Pushing” the feed to susceptible animals
Angular limb deformities
Developmental Orthopedic Disease - DOD
Glycemic Index
Propensity to raise insulin index
What is a typical horse usually fed?
Fresh water
Salt block
Good quality grass/pasture
What are some problems associated with feeding horses a high concentrate fat diet?
Diarrhea
Large intestinal torsion, impaction, colic
Increased starch in hindgut
Decreased pH
Decreased microbial number and activity
Why can alfalfa cause a problem in foals?
Increased calcium may interfere with other electrolyte absorption
Increased phosphorus may promote osteochondrosis
What makes a good quality hay?
Not many stems
Leafiness
Green
Smells good
Free from mold or dust
No foreign material
Adults < 15 years
Obese with fat deposits
“Easy Keepers” with little feed
Intermittent laminitis
Metabolic dysregulation
High carb diets
Equine Metabolic Syndrome
Treatment of grain induced laminitis
NSAIDs
Sole support
DMSO
Vasodilators
Surgery
Diet - reduce carbs
Wood Chewing
Just chewing
No air sucking
Destructive
Splinters/ Foreign body
Management of dental care in horses by way of what process
Floating
Dry Matter Intake (Horse) =
DMI = (BW + Daily Need) x (DMI %/ 100)
What months of gestation are important to consider in the horse?
Last 3 months
______________
Greatest fetus growth occurs then
Treatment of Canthatidin Toxicosis
Supportive care - fluids and NSAIDS
Horses should spend how many hours a day grazing?
12-18 hours
Adult horses with a dry diet should consume how much water per day
5L / 100kg BW / Day
Complete Feeds
Hay and grain component together in pellet can be fed wet as mush
_____________________
Important component to geriatric horse nutrition
Rapid fermentation of highly digestible carbohydrates in the hind gut causes gas distention and what “disease”
Colic
Metabolic dysregulations associated with Equine Metabolic Syndrome
Persistant hyperinsulinemia
Insulin resistance
Clinical signs of Esphageal Obstruction - “Choke”
Acute onset - dysphagia, watery feed tinged nasal discharge, gagging, repeated attempts to swallow, stretching the neck, anxious
Mangement of cribbing
Cribbing collar
Cribbing mask
Hog rings
Clinical signs of Acid Gut Syndrome in horses
Colic, distention, diarrhea, shock, laminitis
Condition commonly confused with cribbing, 74% of which become cribbers
Wind Sucking
Vices are typically associated with
Boredom
Low roughage diet
Prolonged exposure
Learned behaviors
Special nutrient requirements for Racing Horses
Slow training 2 days before to allow energy storage
Small grain meal within 5 hours of race
Less fiber near race tim - holds water
Considerations when using pasture as main feed for horses:
Grass + Legume Pasture
Vegetative state of growth
No more than 8-10 inches
Red Clover effects on horses
Clover infected with mold has mycotoxin Slaframine which causes excessive salivation
Horse maintenance dry matter intake
1.5 - 2%
Concers associated with cribbing
Poor performance
Weight loss
Incisor wear
Flatulent colic
Epiplotic foramen entrapment
Destruction of property
Annoying to owner
Special nutrient requirements for starved horses
Low carb feeding
Low volume alfalfa hay
Start with few meals then move to more frequent
Free choice hay by 10 days or 2 weeks
