Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-zzh7m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T16:27:20.577Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Apparent digestibility of wheat bran and extruded flax in horses determined from the total collection of feces and acid-insoluble ash as an internal marker

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 August 2011

M. De Marco ,
N. Miraglia ,
P. G. Peiretti  and
D. Bergero
M. De Marco*
Affiliation:
DIPAEE, Torino University, Via L. Da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
N. Miraglia
Affiliation:
Dipartimento SAVA, Molise University, Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
P. G. Peiretti
Affiliation:
National Research Council, Institute of Sciences of Food Production, Via L. Da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
D. Bergero
Affiliation:
DIPAEE, Torino University, Via L. Da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
*
†E-mail: domenico.bergero@unito.it
Get access

Abstract

Several studies have reported data on comparisons between two methods: the total collection of feces and the internal markers method. The aim of this study was to assess the apparent digestibility of two concentrates and to compare the apparent digestion coefficients using the total collection of feces and acid-insoluble ash (AIA) as the internal marker method. In 2009, six adult geldings aged between 3 and 11 years, with an average weight per trial of 543, 540 and 542 kg, respectively, were used to determine the apparent digestibility by means of three in vivo digestibility trials on hay, hay plus wheat bran (60 : 40) and hay plus extruded flax (80 : 20). Feces were collected over a 6-day period with a previous 14-day adaptation period. The three digestibility trials were carried out to determine the digestion coefficients of the three diets and, indirectly, of the two concentrates. The digestion coefficients of the diets were determined for the dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and gross energy, whereas the apparent digestion coefficients of the same parameters were calculated for wheat bran and extruded flax, by calculating the difference from the previous results. The data were analyzed using the Student t-test for paired samples. The digestion coefficients obtained were similar when the total collection of feces and the AIA method were used. Higher data variability, confirmed by a greater standard deviation, was observed using the AIA method to estimate the apparent digestion coefficients. It can be concluded that the use of AIA as an internal marker in digestibility trials on average leads to values similar to those obtained with the total collection of feces and can therefore be considered a less-expensive method to determine apparent digestion coefficients. Nevertheless, the total collection of feces should still be considered the best choice to determine the digestibility of some specific feedstuffs.

Keywords

horseapparent digestibilityacid-insoluble ashtotal feces collectionconcentrates
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , 03 January 2012 , pp. 227 - 231
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Almeida, MI, Lopez Donzeles, J, Leao, MI, Cecon, PR 2001. Internal and external markers to estimate the apparent digestibility of nutrients in horses diets In Proceedings of the 17th Equine Nutrition and Physiology Symposium, Lexington, KY, USA, pp. 477–481. Equine Science Society, Champlain, IL, USA.Google Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) 2004. Official methods of analysis vol. 2, 18th edition. AOAC, Arlington, VA, USA.Google Scholar
Bergero, D, Peiretti, PG 2009. Intake and apparent digestibility of the first cut meadow hay or haylage diets fed to ponies. Proceedings of the 13th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition, Oristano, Italy, p. 139.Google Scholar
Bergero, D, Peiretti, PG, Cola, E 2002. Intake and apparent digestibility of perennial ryegrass haylages fed to ponies either at maintenance or at work. Livestock Production Science 77, 325–329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bergero, D, Miraglia, N, Abba, C, Polidori, M 2004. Apparent digestibility of Mediterranean forages determined by total collection of faeces and acid-insoluble ash as internal marker. Livestock Production Science 85, 235–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bergero, D, Préfontaine, C, Miraglia, N, Peiretti, PG 2009. A comparison between the 2N and 4N HCl acid-insoluble ash methods for digestibility trials in horses. Animal 3, 1728–1732.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corino, C, Miraglia, N , 1996. Determination of the organic matter digestibility and prediction of the U.F.C. value of Mediterranean forages in horses. Proceedings of the 47th EAAP Meeting, Lillehammer, Norway, Horse Commission, Session-H 4: Nutrition, p. 11.Google Scholar
Cuddeford, D, Hughes, D 1990. A comparison between chromium-mordanted hay and acid-insoluble ash to determine apparent digestibility of a chaffed, molassed hay/straw mixture. Equine Veterinary Journal 22, 122–125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hintz, HF, Schryver, HF, Lowe, JE 1971. Comparison of a blend of milk products and linseed meal as protein supplements for young growing horses. Journal of Animal Science 33, 1274–1277.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Martin-Rosset, W, Dulphy, JP 1987. Digestibility interactions between forages and concentrates in horses: Influence of feeding level – comparison with sheep. Livestock Production Science 17, 263–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin-Rosset, W, Andrieu, J, Vermorel, M, Dulphy, JP 1984. Valeur nutritive des aliments pou le cheval. In Le cheval. Reproduction, selection, alimentation, exploitation (ed. R Jarrige and W Martin Rosset), pp. 209–238. Inra, Paris, France.Google Scholar
Martin-Rosset, W, Vermorel, M, Doreau, M, Tisserand, JL, Andrieu, J 1994. The French horse feed evaluation systems and recommended allowances for energy and protein. Livestock Production Science 40, 37–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miraglia, N, Bergero, D, Bassano, B, Tarantola, M, Ladetto, G 1999a. Studies of apparent digestibility in horses and the use of internal markers. Livestock Production Science 60, 21–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miraglia, N, Bergero, D, Polidori, M, Gagliardi, D, Tarantola, M 1999b. Diet digestibility in a horse affected by chronic enteritis. Proceedings of the Conference New findings in equine practices, Campobasso, Italy, pp. 15–19.Google Scholar
Miraglia, N, Bergero, D, Polidori, M, Peiretti, PG, Ladetto, G 2006a. The effect of a new fibre rich concentrate on the digestibility of horse rations. Livestock Science 100, 10–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miraglia, N, Costantini, M, Polidori, M, Bergero, D, Meineri, G, Peiretti, PG 2006b. Apparent digestibility of mixed feed in by-products in horse diets. Ippologia 17, 5–8.Google Scholar
Miraglia, N, Polidori, M, Bergero, D, Meineri, G, Peiretti, PG 2008. Apparent digestibility of a dietetic feed in equine nutrition. Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment 6, 295–298.Google Scholar
Orton, RK, Hume, ID, Leng, RA 1985. Effects of exercise and level of dietary protein on digestive function in horses. Equine Veterinary Journal 17, 386–390.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palmgren Karlsson, C, Lindberg, JE, Rundgren, M 2000. Associative effects on total tract digestibility in horses fed different ratios of grass hay and whole oats. Livestock Production Science 65, 143–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parkins, JJ, Snow, DH, Adams, S 1982. The apparent digestibility of ‘complete diet’ cubes given to thoroughbred horses and use of chromic oxide as intern faecal marker. British Veterinary Journal 138, 350–355.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peiretti, PG, Meineri, G, Miraglia, N, Mucciarelli, M, Bergero, D 2006. Intake and apparent digestibility of hay or hay plus concentrate diets determined in horses by total collection of faeces and n-alkanes as internal markers. Livestock Science 100, 189–194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peiretti, PG, Miraglia, N, Meineri, G, Costantini, M, Bergero, D 2009. Apparent digestibility of crushed and flaked barley in horse diets. Ippologia 20, 17–21.Google Scholar
Reitnour, CM, Salsbury, RL 1972. Digestion and utilization of cecally infused protein by the equine. Journal of Animal Science 35, 1190–1193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smolders, EAA, Steg, A, Hindle, VA 1990. Organic matter digestibility in horses and its prediction. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science 38, 435–447.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tagaki, H, Hashimoto, Y, Yonemochi, C, Asai, Y, Yoshida, T, Ohta, Y, Ishibashi, T, Watanabe, R 2002. Digestibility of nutrients of roughages determined by total feces collection method in thoroughbreds. Journal of Equine Science 13, 23–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Keulen, J, Young, BA 1977. Evaluation of acid-insoluble ash as natural marker in ruminant digestibility studies. Journal of Animal Science 44, 282–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Soest, PJ, Robertson, JB, Lewis, BA 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and non-starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3583–3597.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vermorel, M, Martin-Rosset, W 1997. Concepts, scientific bases, structure and validation of the French horse net energy system (UFC). Livestock Production Science 47, 261–275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vermorel, M, Martin-Rosset, W, Vernet, J 1991. Energy utilization of two diets for maintenance by horses; agreement with the new French net energy system. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 11, 33–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar