Source: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA submitted to
INFLUENCE OF NUTRITION AND MANAGEMENT ON SKELETAL DEVELOPMENT OF GROWING HORSES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0195969
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jun 1, 2003
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2007
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Project Director
Ott, E. A.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
G022 MCCARTY HALL
GAINESVILLE,FL 32611
Performing Department
ANIMAL SCIENCES
Non Technical Summary
The longevity and soundness of the equine athletic is dependent upon the soundness of the skeletal system. Problems with skeletal development are documented to occur early in life (3 mo.) and may progress or regress. Nutrition of the mare and the suckling foal are therefore critical to the process and form the foundation for future development of the animal. More information is needed on the key nutrient needs of the developing horse. This project assesses the nutrient requirements of the mare and growing foal for optimal skeletal development of the young horse.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3023810101075%
3073810101025%
Knowledge Area
302 - Nutrient Utilization in Animals; 307 - Animal Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
3810 - Horses, ponies, and mules;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;
Goals / Objectives
1. to determine the influence of nutrient intake of the mare during late gestation and lactation on the growth and development of the suckling foal. 2. to determine the nutrient interrelationships critical for optimal development of the growing horse. 3. to determine the influence of exercise on skeletal development of the growing horse.
Project Methods
Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse mares will be fed diets with varying nutrient concentrations to determine whether diet will influence milk composition and the development of the foal. Weight gains, body measurements and bone mineral deposition will be used to assess the response. Weanling foals will be fed various nutrient concentrations to assess the response to nutrient density and relationships. For example we may hold energy intake constant and vary amino acids or minerals. In subsequent studies we may vary energy and hold other nutrients constant. In yearling horses we will evaluate the effects of forced exercise on nutrient needs and growth responses.

Progress 06/01/03 to 09/30/07

Outputs
Faculty member retired from University

Impacts
Indicates fat sources that can be utilized in diets of young horses.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
Twenty-four Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse weanlings were used in a feeding trial to evaluate the effect of fatty acids on growth and skeletal development. All of the weanlings were fed a concentrate to appetite plus 1.0% BW of C. bermudagrass hay. Half of the weanlings received corn oil at a rate of 5% of their concentrate while the other half received the same amount of a mixture of corn oil and linseed oil. The mixture had a n-6:n-3 ratio of about 2 while the control diet provided a ratio of about 50. Weanlings were housed in dry lot paddocks. Half of each diet group were exercised on a free walker four days per week. There was no difference between the corn oil and the mixed oil diets for feed intake, weight gain, body measurement gains or bone mineral deposition (P> 0.10). Exercise also did not influence these measurements (P> 0.10). Exercise did cause an increase in medial cortical bone deposition (P=0.10). No other differences were detected. A second experiment using 32 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse weanlings was conducted to determine the effect of management system, nutrient intake and exercise on growth and skeletal development. The management systems tested were pasture vs dry lot vs dry lot plus forced exercise. Each of the above groups were then assigned to a low (control) or high nutrient intake diet. The control group received a concentrate designed to provide NRC (1989) levels of nutrients when fed with 1% BW of C. bermudagrass hay. The high nutrient intake diet provided a concentrate with 20% more nutrients than the control. This experiment is not complete at this time.

Impacts
These experiments will provide information on the influence of fatty acids on bone development in growing horses and could influence which fat sources are to be recommended to maximize bone growth. The work may also provide information on exercise effects on skeletal development.

Publications

  • E. A. Ott and J. Kivipelto. 2002. Growth and development of yearling horses fed either alfalfa or Coastal bermudagrass hay and a concentrate formulated for bermudagrass. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 22:311-319.
  • E. A. Ott, M. P. Brown, G. D. Roberts and J. Kivipelto. 2005. Influence of starch intake on growth and skeletal development of weanling horses. J. Animal Sci. (submitted)


Progress 06/01/03 to 10/01/03

Outputs
Twenty -four weanlings were used in a feeding trial to evaluate the effect of fatty acids on growth and skeletal development. All of the weanlings were fed a concentrate to appetite plus 1.0% BW of C. bermudagrass hay. Half of the weanlings received corn oil at a rate of 5% of their concentrate while the other half received a mixture of corn oil and linseed oil. The mixture will have a n-6:n-3 ratio of about 2 while the other diet provided a ratio of about 50. The weanlings were housed in drylot paddocks. Half of each diet group will be exercised on a free walker four days per week. this experiment is still under way.

Impacts
This experiment will provide information on the influence of fatty acids on bone development in growing horses and could influence which fat sources are to be recommended to maximize bone growth.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period