Impacts of nutritional technology on feeds offered to horses: A review of effects of processing on voluntary intake, digesta characteristics and feed utilisation

Australian Alpaca Demographics and Management: A National Survey

The Australian alpaca industry has continued to grow since the introduction of alpacas in the 1980s. Little is known about the geographical distribution of alpacas or on-farm management practices. This study aimed to address this and identify key producer knowledge through an online survey. The survey consisted of 25 questions grouped into 3 areas: demographics, farm production and alpaca nutrition. The highest concentration of alpaca producers was along the east coast of Australia, primarily in high-rainfall zones, which could be attributed to more consistent year-round pasture availability and market access opportunities. The Huacaya breed accounted for 93% of the animal numbers reported in this survey. Respondents identified 12 key pasture species being grazed, with Kikuyu being the most common, followed by Subterranean Clover and Phalaris, likely due to the majority of respondents being located in suitable high-rainfall environments. Pasture species were not identified by 25% of respondents. There are no registered anthelmintics or vaccinations for alpacas, resulting in a variation in dosage rates and administration frequency, raising concerns for effective disease and parasite management. This survey has identified key knowledge gaps in alpaca management practices in Australia that will be further investigated to provide industry recommendations to improve alpaca production.

The Microbiological Quality of Concentrates for Horses-A Retrospective Study on Influencing Factors and Associations with Clinical Symptoms Reported by Owners or Referring Vets

Evidence has already been provided that feed-borne mold spores and endotoxins can trigger chronic, non-infectious respiratory disease if inhaled. Furthermore, deficiencies in feed microbiology are suspected to trigger gastrointestinal and liver disorders in horses, but the connection needs further clarification. Most of the previous studies regarding horse feed hygiene focused on forage, whereas research regarding hygienic quality of concentrates is scarce. In the present study, results of reports on hygienic quality of compound feed and cereals for horses were evaluated secondarily. Results included sensory findings, and counts of aerobic bacteria, molds and yeasts determined by cultivation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contents. It was found that microbial counts of compound feed exceeded VDLUFA orientation values significantly more frequently than cereals (38.4 vs. 22.6%). However, average counts of bacteria, molds and yeasts were higher in cereals than in compound feeds (p < 0.0001, respectively). Mold counts in grains were significantly higher if dry matter contents were below 86% (p = 0.0201). No relation could be established between the anamnestically reported gastrointestinal disorders or elevated liver enzyme activities and microbiological deviations. Mold counts of concentrates which were suspected to cause coughing in horses were significantly higher than mold counts of control samples (3.29 vs. 2.40 log10 cfu g−1, p = 0.0313). These results indicate that hygienic status of concentrates is relevant for horse health in the respiratory tract.

Energy sources in diets for lambs in confinement

ContextThe use of alternative sources in ruminant feeding features advantages such as diminished dependence on traditional cereals that can be used for human consumption or monogastric animals.AimsThis study was conducted to examine nutrient intake, apparent digestibility, mean growth rate, nitrogen balance, and microbial protein synthesis in lambs fed diets containing different energy sources in the concentrate.MethodsThe experiment involved five uncastrated Santa Inês lambs, with an initial BW of 22.85±1.0kg, which were allocated individual metabolic cages and randomly assigned to one of the following five experimental treatments: maize (MA), wheat bran (WB), sorghum (SO), mesquite pod meal (MP) and peach palm meal (PP) in a 5×5 Latin square design, with five replicates each. Diets were isoenergetic with a roughage:concentrate ratio of 60:40.Key resultsThe energy sources in the concentrate influenced (P&lt;0.0001) the intakes of DM and nutritional components. The apparent digestibility coefficients of the ether extract and NDFap were significantly (P&lt;0.05) different between WB and the other diets. The different energy sources in the concentrate (MA, WB, SO and MP) increased (P&lt;0.0001) the mean growth rate of the lambs. The diet containing PP as an energy source provided a smaller (P=0.0002) N intake than that from any other diet, and the PP diet resulted in a negative N balance (P=0.0200). Lambs fed with diets containing MP (80.38g day−1) as an energy source showed a larger (P=0.0007) microbial protein synthesis than did those fed with PP (24.47g day−1).ConclusionsWheat bran, sorghum, and mesquite pod meal can completely replace maize for lambs fed diets based on 270gkg−1 of maize.ImplicationsA variety of unusual feed ingredients facilitates the raising of lambs in various regions, with ingredients being local and of the lowest cost, promoting benefits to sheep producers.

Fecal Microbiome Responses to Sudden Diet Change in Mangalarga Marchador horses

Sudden changes in horses' diet have been previously associated with gastrointestinal disease. This study evaluated the effects of a sudden change of diet composed exclusively of Coastcross hay (CHD) to a complete extruded diet (CED) on the fecal microbiome of horses. A completely randomized design with repeated measurements was used. The study started with eight adult horses randomly split into group A, fed with CHD, and group B, fed with CED. After 34 days of diet adaptation, the diets were abruptly changed between the groups. Fecal samples were collected at 0, 24, and 96 hours after the diet change, and the pH and microbiome analyses of the feces were subsequently evaluated. Changing from CHD to CED reduced the alpha diversity 24 hours after the alteration, with a decrease in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and an increase of Bacteroidetes. Fecal pH decreased and the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia increased 96 hours after changing the diets. The community structure was also different after 96 hours of diet change. In contrast, 24 hours after changing from CED to CHD reduced fecal pH and abundance of Synergistetes. After 96 hours, there was an increase in the alpha diversity, and the abundance of the phylum Lentisphaerae. Group B showed no changes in the community structure when its diet was changed. Concluding, diet composition influenced the response of the equine fecal microbiome to sudden dietary changes.

High-starch diets alter equine faecal microbiota and increase behavioural reactivity

Gut microbiota have been associated with health, disease and behaviour in several species and are an important link in gut-brain axis communication. Diet plays a key role in affecting the composition of gut microbiota. In horses, high-starch diets alter the hindgut microbiota. High-starch diets are also associated with increased behavioural reactivity in horses. These changes in microbiota and behaviour may be associated. This study compares the faecal microbiota and behaviour of 10 naïve ponies. A cross-over design was used with experimental groups fed high-starch (HS) or high-fibre (HF) diets. Results showed that ponies were more reactive and less settled when being fed the HS diet compared to the HF diet. Irrespective of diet, the bacterial profile was dominated by two main phyla, Firmicutes, closely followed by Bacteroidetes. However, at lower taxonomic levels multivariate analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data showed diet affected faecal microbial community structure. The abundance of 85 OTUs differed significantly related to diet. Correlative relationships exist between dietary induced alterations to faecal microbiota and behaviour. Results demonstrate a clear link between diet, faecal microbial community composition and behaviour. Dietary induced alterations to gut microbiota play a role in affecting the behaviour of the host.

Factors Affecting the Rate and Measurement of Feed Intake for a Cereal-Based Meal in Horses

The rapid intake of high-cereal, low-roughage meals may cause gastrointestinal and behavioral disorders. We investigated some of the factors that can affect the rate of intake (ROI) in four separate studies. Study 1 investigated the effect of chaff length and addition rate on the ROI of oats. The ROI decreased as more chaff was added to the diet, attaining significance (P < .05, n = 6) at levels above 15% addition and reaching a plateau at ∼50%. This was independent of stalk length (1.4 cm vs. 4.1 cm). Study 2 showed that meal size (varying from 0.5 to 4 g/kg BW) did not affect the ROI for a cereal-based meal, nor was ROI altered by the addition of 10% molasses (n = 6). Study 3 demonstrated that ROI changed markedly over the course of a meal, commencing at an average rate of 74 g/minute for the first 5 minutes and decreasing to 15.8 g/minute after 30 minutes (n = 6). Study 4 examined the effects of breed, BW, exercise, and gender in 71 horses. In Clydesdales, BW affected ROI (P < .05), and Clydesdales had a faster ROI than Thoroughbreds of similar BW (81.8 ± 6.8 vs. 66.0 ± 3.35 g/minute; P < .05). Exercise level, age, and gender did not impact ROI significantly. The results highlight the effectiveness of feeding chaff to slow ROI and demonstrate the need for a standardized protocol if ROI is to be compared between different studies.

Feeding behavior of goat kids fed diets containing peach palm meal

The aim in this study was to evaluate the feeding behavior of goat kids fed diets containing peach palm meal replacing corn (0, 10, 40, 60, and 85 % on a dry matter basis). Thirty crossbred Boer kids, with 90 days old and initial body weight of 16.7 ± 3.5 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with six replicates. Diets were daily supplied ad libitum to allow 10-20 % leftovers. Three collections were performed every 28 days. Diets were isoenergetics and isonitrogenous, composed of corn, soybean meal, peach palm meal, mineral supplement and Tifton 85 hay, with roughage: concentrate ratio of 30:70. There was a linear reduction in the intakes of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) with a respective decrease of 35.7 % and 58.8 % comparing the diet with 85 % replacement and the control diet. The rumination and chewing times increased in diets with peach palm meal. The feeding and rumination rates decreased with reducing intakes of DM and NDF. The peach palm meal affects the feeding behavior and decreases the feed intake in response to palatability, fat and fiber composition, and it is recommended until 10 % replacing corn.

Impaired instrumental choice in crib-biting horses (Equus caballus)

Horses displaying an oral stereotypy were tested on an instrumental choice paradigm to examine differences in learning from non-stereotypic counterparts. Stereotypic horses are known to have dysfunction of the dorsomedial striatum, and lesion studies have shown that this region may mediate response-outcome learning. The paradigm was specifically applied in order to examine learning that requires maintenance of response-outcome judgements. The non-stereotypic horses learned, over three sessions, to choose a more immediate reinforcer, whereas the stereotypic horses failed to do so. This suggests an initial behavioural correlate for dorsomedial striatum dysregulation in the stereotypy phenotype.