Equine Nutrition I

Question 1

Horse populations started to decline after what year?

Answer 1

1920s

Question 2

equine demographics in the US - most horses are used for?

Answer 2

pleasure

Question 3

average human age in a horse
-many more geriatric horses due to ?

Answer 3

24.5 years
feeding better and medicine advancements

Question 4

who is the #1 person owners asking for nutritional advice ?

Answer 4

veterinarians

Question 5

what do most owners feed their horses?

Answer 5

commercial feeds in grain form or pellet and supplement due to marketing

Question 6

equine are what type of feeders?

Answer 6

non ruminant herbivores

Question 7

equine are naturally meant to eat ?

Answer 7

grass for 14-18 hours/day!!

Question 8

horses chew food how many times?
-important to chew food into big or small pieces to do what?

Answer 8

once
chew food into small pieces to maximize digestion

Question 9

what are the 3 phases of the chewing action?

Answer 9

opening, closing, power stroke (circular motion)

Question 10

lateral excursion is what direction
rostro-caudal movement is for what?

Answer 10

oval side to side direction
to increase amount chewed

Question 11

saliva contains what and what does it do?

Answer 11

contains bicarbonate which buffers and protects amino acids

Question 12

difference in male and female teeth

Answer 12

males have canines, females dont

Question 13

GIT: esophagus
-can they vomit?
-risk of ?

Answer 13

-cant vomit!!!
-1 way street
-risk of obstruction “choke”

Question 14

equine should be eating how many meals and how often?

Answer 14

small, frequent meals because they are grazers

Question 15

stomach: enzymes for digestion (2)
optimal pH

Answer 15

pepsin for protein digestion
hydrochloric acid - breaks down solid particles and decreases bacT fermentation
2.6-5.4 –> not as acidic in the dog! - if gets more acidic = risk of gastric ulcer

Question 16

Small intestine: function

Answer 16

protein digestion!
-absorbed as AA
-high quality protein = more digested pre cecal

Question 17

if start to to ferment in SI = good or bad?

Answer 17

BAD –> COLIC = abdominal pain no matter the cause

Question 18

small intestines - what gets digested and absorbed?
what fat soluble vitamins?
impt point of small intestines?
importance of adding oils?

Answer 18

some carbs and absorption
A D E and K
impt is for enzymatic digestion
add oils = increase time in SI –> slows down transit time to get more nutrients digested because increase absorption – Use in high performing horses and skinny horses to add calories

Question 19

cecum importance

Answer 19

hind gut fermenters - microbial digestion!!! and breaks down feed not digested in the SI

Question 20

large colon
-how many L can it hold?
-function (2)
-if microbiome is altered –> what happens

Answer 20

can hold ~85 L of water
primary site of water absorption and microbial digestion!!!
colic!!! if ABX administered

Question 21

small colon
-function

Answer 21

reclaim excess moisture
fecal balls formation
expelled to anus

Question 22

ideal food they should be eating?

Answer 22

should be eating high quality pasture or hay

Question 23

how to create equine feeding program?

Answer 23

based on body condition score NOT body weight

Question 24

how much of their BW do horses eat/day?

Answer 24

2-2.5% of their BW

Question 25

Henneke body condition scoring system

Answer 25

1-9
1: emaciated
9: obese – worry about laminitis
IDEAL: 5

Question 26

areas to measure fat (6)

Answer 26

along the neck, along the withers, crease down back, tail head, ribs, behind shoulder