Nutrition - Monogastric (Equine) Flashcards by Charlie Beck

What type of stomach do horses have?

Simple stomach

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are horses (in terms of their digestion)?

Hind gut fermenters

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What type of feeders are horses?

Trickle feeders - food takes roughly 3 days to travel through the GI tract

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What two components should constitute the majority of the equine diet?

Roughage and forage

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Complete the sentence:
Horses produce very little ..(1).. and their stomachs should be ..(2).. at all times.

(1) Salivary amylase
(2) Half full

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the capacity of an equine stomach?

8-15 litres

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the pH of the equine stomach?

pH of 3.0

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is produced in the cardiac region?

Mucous and bicarbonate

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What 4 substances are secreted in the fundic region?

1) HCl (parietal cells)
2) Pepsinogen (chief cells)
3) Gastric lipase
4) Histamine and serotonin (ECL cells)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What 4 things happen in the pyloric region?

Further HCl secretion
G cells produce gastrin
D cells secrete somatostatin
ECL cells secrete serotonin

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What happens in the small intestine of a horse?

Carbohydrate, fat and amino acid digestion
Starch absorbed as glucose
Proteins broken down with proteases
Fats broken down with lipases

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What happens as you move into the hindgut of a horse?

Switches from enzymatic digestion to microbial hind gut fermentation

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What type of environment is maintained within the caecum?

Anaerobic environment

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the capacity of the equine caecum?

25-35 litres

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the pH of the caecum?

pH = 6.5

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Through which structures does digesta enter and leave the caecum?

Digesta enters through the ileocecal valve and leaves through the cecocolic valve.

What happens in the caecum?

Fermentation of structural carbohydrate to VFA
Protein degradation to ammonia
Synthesis of B vitamins

The large colon of a horse is folded into 4 sections with 3 sharp bends (susceptible to blockages) - what are the bends called?

Sternal flexure
Pelvic flexure
Diaphragmatic flexure

What happens in the small colon of a horse?

Absorption of water, minerals and electrolytes

What is the function of the rectum?

Faecal storage before voidance

What is produced from starch after microbial fermentation?

Propionate

What is produced from cellulose and hemicellulose after microbial fermentation?

Acetate and butyrate

What are the 4 types of microorganisms involved in microbial fermentation?
What type of relationship do these have with the hindgut?

Bacteria
Anaerobic fungi
Protozoa
Archae

Symbiotic or commensal relationship

What are the 4 end products of microbial fermentation?

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs)
Acetic acid
Butyric acid
Propanoic acid

Propionate is a glucogenic precursor and acetate and butyrate are lipogenic precursors - what does this mean?

- Propionate can be used to make glucose - Acetate and butyrate can be used to make lipids.

What are the 6 key areas to assess when doing a BCS on a horse?

Neck, withers, behind the shoulder, ribs, top line, tail head.

What are the 2 possible methods to determine the weight of a horse?

- Use a weigh tape - Use a weigh bridge

What is the advantage and disadvantage of soaking hay?

Advantage = reduces dust Disadvantage = can dissolve some of the nutrients.

What is the maximum daily dry matter intake of a horse?

2.5-3% of their body weight per day

Why would a horse need to increase in weight?

- If it has a high intensity work load - If it is pregnant or in lactation - If the horse is growing - For veteran/ elderly horses - During cold winters

How is the diet changed for hard working horses?

- They have an energy increment 15-20% greater than maintenance - Must replace high loss of electrolytes - Must replace vitamin E and antioxidants

How is the diet changed for a pregnant mare?

- Increased nutritional requirements in the last 90 days of pregnancy - Need more proteins, vitamins and minerals.

How do you feed a horse in early lactation?

- Give good quality pasture and forage - Compound feed up to 35% of daily intake - Avoid giving alfalfa (does not give a good nutrient content in the milk)

What is different about the digestion in a foal?

Digestion predominantly in the foregut

What two substances are essential when feeding a growing horse?

Lysine and threonine

Why is copper needed in the diet of a growing horse?

For cartilage growth

What are 6 possible consequences of poor feed management?

- Colic - Gastric ulcers - Stable vices - Behavioural issues due to pain/ boredom - Laminitis - Hyperlipidaemia

What is a limiting amino acid for horses?

Lysine

What can be added if a feed ration does not meet all nutrient requirements?

Add a balancer OR Add supplements