Feeding fibre - equine

Question 1

What should make up the majority of a horses diet?

Answer 1

Fibre - for many horses this will be the main source of energy

Question 2

What is fibre?

Answer 2

Carbohydrate, complex vs simple

Question 3

What are complex carbohydrates?

Answer 3

Fibre and plant material AKA Structural CHO and Complex CHO

Question 4

What fibre components are present in plants?

Answer 4

Lignin cellulose
Hemicellulose
Pectin
Lignin
Ligno-cellulose

Question 5

What are examples of short fibre feed?

Answer 5

Copra meal 
Sugar beat
Soybean hulls
Lupin hulls
Oat hulls
Specific high fibre compound feeds

Question 6

Name some sources of long fibre?

Answer 6

Grass
Hay 
Haylage
Straw
Lucerne/alfalfa
Foggage (standing hay)

Question 7

What nutritional components are converted into storage forms of energy?

Answer 7

Glycogen
Glucose
Free fatty acids

Question 8

What nutritional contents are converted into ATP during exercise?

Answer 8

Glycogen
Glucose
Free fatty acids

Question 9

What is ATP?

Answer 9

Adenosine triphosphate

Question 10

How is ATP generated?

Answer 10

From food

Question 11

What are the 3 key energy sources?

Answer 11

1. Fermentable fibre
2. Fats and oils
3. Hydrolysable carbohydrates (starch and sugar)

Question 12

Where is Hydrolysable CHO digested?

Answer 12

IN the foregut

Question 13

What is Hydrolysabek CHO?

Answer 13

Starches and sugars

Question 14

What does Hydrolysable CHO do?

Answer 14

Create decrease in intestinal pH and increase risk of colic

Question 15

What are fermentable CHO?

Answer 15

Sugar beet, alfalfa or soya hulls

Question 16

Where is fermentable CHO digested?

Answer 16

In the hindgut

Question 17

What does fermentable CHO do?

Answer 17

Decrease glycogen usage

Question 18

Where is fat digested?

Answer 18

In the foregut

Question 19

Why are fats good source of energy?

Answer 19

2-3 X the energy concentration of CHO

Creates higher energy feed

Question 20

Where is protein (minimal usage) digested?

Answer 20

Foregut

Question 21

What energy does spring grass provide?

Answer 21

Some simple and some complex carbohydrates

Will supply some anaerobic and some aerobic energy

Question 22

What energy does hay, haylage and other forages provide?

Answer 22

Mainly complex carbohydrates

Will supply mainly aerobic energy

Question 23

What is plant matter?

Answer 23

Forage contains plant material which cannot easily be broken down by enzymes
Fibre = complex carbohydrates
Inside the cell are the starches, sugars, proteins and fats
Starches and sugars = Simple carbohydrates

Question 24

How are carbohydrates identified?

Answer 24

The amount of molecules.
Monosaccharides = one sugar unit
Disaccharides = two sugar units, Tri= three sugar units
Polysaccharides = four or more monosaccharides joined together

Question 25

What are simple sugars?

Answer 25

Single units of sugar that are easy to digest. This makes them rapidly digested, quick sources of energy for the horse. Monosaccharides Disaccharides

Question 26

What is structural polysaccharide?

Answer 26

Helps a plant maintain structure. B-1,4 linkages cannot be broken down by enzymes like starch and sugars Require microbial degradation in the hind gut Produce smaller energy units =VFAa

Question 27

What are the three VFAs?

Answer 27

Proprionic, Acetic, Butyric

Question 28

What is cellulose?

Answer 28

Chain of polymerised glucose molecules held together by B-1,4 linkages, cannot be broken down by enzymatic hydrolysis like starch and sugars . Digested by bacteria in the hindgut depending on lignin quantity

Question 29

What is Hemicellulose?

Answer 29

Short, branched polymer of various sugars, embedded in the cell walls of plants, help absorb and retain water in the hind gut

Question 30

What is pectin?

Answer 30

Pectin binds hemicellulose with cellulose t form a network of cross-linked fibres

Question 31

What is lignin?

Answer 31

Chemically complex, not a carbohydrate but is closely linked to cellulose and hemicellulose in maintaining mechanical structure of plant

Question 32

What does lignin do?

Answer 32

Protects plant from both chemical and biological attack - indigestible. helps maintain structure of plant

Question 33

Can lignin be chemically treated?

Answer 33

Yes. NaOH (sodium hydroxide) or NH3 (anhydrous ammonia) | Break bonds between lignin and carbohydrate e.g. Nutritionally Improved straw (NIS)

Question 34

Where is fibre digested?

Answer 34

Bacterial fermentation occurs in hind gut

Question 35

As the maturity of plant increases what will happen?

Answer 35

Nutrient content, energy content, digestibility and palatability decrease

Question 36

How does the harvest stage impact digestibility?

Answer 36

Early cut - less mature - more digestible | Late cut - more mature - less digestible

Question 37

How is forage digested?

Answer 37

Forage is fermented by the gut microflora of the horse

Question 38

What does microflora consist of?

Answer 38

Bacteria Protozoa Fungi

Question 39

When are Volatile Fatty Acids utilised?

Answer 39

VFAs are utilised during aerobic exercise

Question 40

Which of the 3 VFAs is most available?

Answer 40

Proprionic acid (proprionate)

Question 41

What happens to forage?

Answer 41

It is converted into liver glycogen. Roughage fed horses therefore produce enough glucose to maintain good levels of blood glucose

Question 42

What is long fibre?

Answer 42

Hay, haylage grass. Essential for facilitating adequate chewing and occupying time

Question 43

What is short fibre?

Answer 43

Fermentable fibres in the form of sugar beet pulp and soya hulls containing highly digestible fractions including pectins, arabinans and glectans, readily fermented by gut microflora

Question 44

Whats the benefits of feeding short fibre feeds?

Answer 44

Have higher digestibility than traditional fibre sources. Combined with higher fat content can provide 90% energy provided by a grain ration Higher energy content

Question 45

Why is forage important?

Answer 45

Promotes healthy digestive system Helps maintain a healthy microbial population Fibre passing through the tract can push through any excess gas that may have formed Increases pH of hind gut compared to starch Acts as reservoir for fluid and electrolytes Contains valuable nutrients Promotes healthy mind