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Nutrient Utilization by Limit- and Ad Libitum-Fed Growing Horses¹

University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 0W0

Abstract

Eighteen Quarter Horse and Paint weanling colts were assigned to two treatments, either limit or ad libitum feeding. Nutrient digestibilities of diets were evaluated between 6 and 12 mo, 12 and 18 mo and 18 and 24 mo of age. From 6 to 12 mo, energy digestibility (64 to 68%) was unaffected by feed intake level. Ad libitum-fed horses had energy digestibilities 9 to 10% greater (P < .05) than limit-fed horses between 12 and 24 mo of age, but adjustment for DM intake removed these differences. Limit-fed, mature ponies used dietary energy similarly to growing horses from 6 to 18 mo of age, but they used digested dietary energy more efficiently (P < .05) than young horses at 24 mo of age. Ad libitum-fed horses digested more (P < .05) dietary protein than limit-fed horses between 12 and 24 mo of age, but adjustment for DM intake removed these differences. True digestibilities of dietary Ca were estimated at 71 to 42% among periods, whereas true digestibilities of dietary P ranged from 52 to 6%. Sufficient P was absorbed by all horses between 6 and 18 of age, but by 24 mo of age horses were in negative P balance despite an apparently adequate P intake. Using regression analyses, daily endogenous fecal Ca and P were predicted to be 36 and 18 mg/kg body weight, respectively.

¹ This study was supported by the Max Bell Foundation, The Alberta Agriculture Farming for the Future program and the Western College of Vet. Med. Equine Health Res. Fund. The authors would like to acknowledge the technical assistance of J. Howe, S. Capp, D. Bell, M. Nihei, J. Millar and C. Mase

² Dept. of Herd Med. and Theriogenol.

³ Dept. of Anim. Poult. Sci.

⁴ Dept. of Vet. Anat.

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