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The Influence of Supplemental Feed on Growth and Bone Development of Nursing Foals^1,2,

University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546-0099

Abstract

Thirty foals of mixed breeding, from two consecutive years, were used in two 120-d experiments to evaluate the effects of supplemental feeding (creep feed) on growth in nursing foals. At 10 d postpartum, foals were randomly assigned either to a creep-fed group (CF) or an unsupplemented group (NCF). Initial measurements of body weight (BW), height at the withers (WH), third metatarsal length (MtIII) and third metacarpal length (McIII) were made at 10 d of age and at 30-d intervals thereafter. Medial and lateral cortical peak values for radiographic bone density, cortical width and cortical area at the midpoint of the third metacarpal were used to assess bone quality. Creep feed containing National Research Council (NRC, 1978) recommended levels for all nutrients was offered at 1.5% of BW per day. When compared with unsupplemented foals, supplemented foals had greater gains in BW (P < .05), in WH (P < .10) and in MtIII (P < .05). Mean gains during the trial in BW, WH, MtIII and McIII for the CF foals were 133.3 kg, 22.8 cm, 2.1 cm and 1.9 cm and for the NCF foals were 117.6 kg, 21.2 cm, 1.5 cm and 1.9 cm, respectively. The mean value for the lateral cortical peak was slightly lower (P < .10) for the CF foals. No differences (P > .10) were observed for the medial cortical peak, cortical width or cortical area of the third metacarpal. The results of this study indicate that a creep feeding program that supplies NRC-recommended nutrient levels can increase the rate of skeletal growth with little decrease in quality of bone.

¹ Journal Paper 86-5-272 of the Univ. of Kentucky Agric. Exp. Sta.

² The authors acknowledge the Hagyard-Davidson-McGee Vet. Clinic, Lexington, for their assistance and for use of the Kodak automatic processor.

³ Dept. of Vet. Sci., Gluck Equine Research Center.

⁴ Dept. of Anim. Sci.