Forage-only diets to athletic horses - effects of crude protein intake and fasting

Concentrate diets are related to health problems in athletic horses and high-energy forage diets could be an alternative. Forage feeding may alter substrate and hindgut fluid availability which could be beneficial during feed deprivation and dehydration. However, it may also increase bodyweight (BW) and crude protein (CP) intake which may reduce performance.

The objective of this thesis was to study trained Standardbred horses on a high oats diet (OD) and a high energy forage-only diet (FD) before and during 12 hour feed deprivation (Study I), and on two CP intakes during exercise and rest (Study II).

In conclusion, feeding horses diet FD resulted in a small increase in BW that diminished after feed deprivation. The plasma volume was larger and maintained longer on diet FD compared to diet OD which suggests that the horses were more resistant to dehydration. The effect of the altered metabolic response during feed deprivation to exercise remains to be investigated but a high CP intake did not adversely affect the response to exercise.

Project manager:

Anna Jansson, Ph D student: Malin Connysson (Wången)

Project group:

Jan Erik Lindberg, Birgitta Essén-Gustavsson

Here you can read the complete thesis (pdf)

Publications:

Connysson M, Muhonen S, Lindberg J E, Essén-Gustavsson B, Nyman G, Nostell K and Jansson A. 2006. Effects on exercise response, fluid and acid-base balance of protein intake from forage-only diets in Standardbred horses. Equine vet. J. Suppl. 36, 648 - 653.

Connysson M., Muhonen S., Lindberg J.E., Essen-Gustavsson B., Nyman G., Nostell K., Jansson A. 2006. Effects of crude protein intake from forage-only diets on exercise response and acid-base balance in Standardbred trotters 207. 7th International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology, Fontainebleau, Frankrike, 26-31 augusti 2006.