Equine Vocabulary: Nutrition Flashcards
[definition]
Ad libitum
Offering a horse as much feed as they want to eat.
What is Alfalfa?
A flowering perennial plant that returns every year. When the plant is harvested and dried, it’s often made into hay.
[definition]
Amino Acids
Known as building blocks, they form chains to make up proteins. They can be split into essential and non-essential amino acids.
Essential amino acids cannot be produced by the horse and must be provided by the diet An example is lysine.
[definition]
As-Fed / As-Sampled
They are results describing the sample in its natural state, or in the form you would feed it. This means the sample contains moisture.
On the other hand, samples on a dry matter basis have been analyzed after having moisture removed.
[definition]
Balancer
Concentrate feed providing vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
They help to ensure that the horse has a balanced diet. They are often low in calories and energy.
What is important to know about Barley when it comes to horse nutrition?
Barley is about 11—13% protein and should be fed in a rolled or crushed form. It is relatively low in fiber and can cause digestive upsets if not mixed with sufficient roughage.
What is Beet pulp, and how is it included in horse nutrition?
- Betabel
- Beet pulp is a byproduct from the processing of sugar beet which is used as fiber (hay substitute) for horses. It is supplied either as dried flakes or as compressed pellets. Beet pulp is low in sugar and other non-structural carbohydrates, but high in energy and fiber. Beet pulp has a relatively low protein content and good palatability.
What is Calcium essential for?
What does it act as an aid for?
Calcium is an essential mineral for bone and teeth formation.
It acts as an aid for muscle contraction, cell membrane function, enzyme regulation and blood clotting.
[definition]
Cellulose
The main structure of the plant cell wall.
Cellulose are not digested by mammalian enzymes in the small intestine, but are fermented by hind-gut microflora (bacteria).
[definition]
Complete Feed
A feed designed to supply all the nutrients in the diet, including vitamins, minerals and adequate fiber levels to help maintain digestive health.
[definition]
Concentrate
A feed used with another to improve the nutritive balance of the total and intended to be further diluted and mixed to produce a supplement or complete feed.
What is a Creep?
An enclosure or feed used for supplemental feeding of nursing young that excludes their dams
[definition]
Crimping
Grains are steamed and sent through a mechanical roller.
What does the term “cool-season grass” refer to?
Grass types that thrive in areas with cold winters and hot summers.
(Examples include Kentucky bluegrass, Orchardgrass, Rye grass, Smooth brome grass, Timothy, Meadow Fescue and Tall fescue)
[definition]
Crude Fiber
Crude fiber is part of the labeling requirements for many horse feeds. It is a reasonable estimate of fiber in grains and hay.
Typically, when you look at the tag from a basic equine ration, the higher the crude fiber level listed, the lower the energy content of the feed.
[definition]
Crude Protein
An indirect or ‘crude’ estimation of that feed’s protein content.
Proteins are organic compounds composed of amino acids. They are a major component of vital organs, tissue, muscle, hair, skin, milk and enzymes.
[definition]
Digestible Energy (DE)
The estimated energy content of the feed.
It is measured in Mcal and provides a useful measure of the energy that the animal may be able to use from the feed.
What does the term “diet” refer to?
Feed ingredients or mixture of ingredients including water, which is consumed by horses.
[definition]
Easy keeper
An animal that grows or fattens rapidly on a limited amount of feed.
[definition]
Electrolyte
Minerals that help maintain water balance and metabolism within the body.
They are lost through sweat and urine, along with water. Sodium chloride (salt) is the most common; others include magnesium, potassium and calcium.
[definition]
Energy Feeds
Feeds that are high in energy and low in fiber (less than 18%) and that generally contain less than 20% protein.
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Essential Nutrients
Those nutrients that cannot be made in the body from other substances or that cannot be made in sufficient quantity to supply the animal’s needs.
Hence they must be supplied in the ration.
What is the process that the term “extruded” describes?
A process by which feed has been pressed, pushed, or protruded through orifices under pressure.
The feed is subjected to increased pressure, friction, and attrition as it passes through a die opening. As the feed is released, it expands as steam is released because of the sudden drop in pressure.
