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Digestion characteristics of two forms of preserved lucerne forage fed to mature horses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 March 2012

L. A. Waldron ,
D. G. Thomas  and
I. Pryor
L. A. Waldron*
Affiliation:
LWT Animal Nutrition Limited, PO Box 119, Feilding, New Zealand
D. G. Thomas
Affiliation:
Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
I. Pryor
Affiliation:
Fiber Fresh Feeds Ltd, State Highway 5, Reporoa, New Zealand
*
*Corresponding author:lucy@animalnutrition.co.nz
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Summary

A trial was conducted, using 12 mature thoroughbred horses as a cross-over design, to compare the water and energy intake and the digestibility of dry lucerne chaff (LC) against a controlled fermented lucerne (CFL) product (HNF Fiber®; Fiber Fresh Feeds Ltd, Reporoa, New Zealand). Significant (P < 0.05) increases in dry matter intake (20%), energy intake (20%), retained energy (32%) and digestible energy (22%) were observed for the CFL compared to the LC. In a concurrent small scale study within the trial, numeric improvements in water intake (18%) for the CFL were recorded. The results demonstrated that the standard reference values underestimate the digestibility and nutritional contribution made by CFL when fed to horses, and that this type of forage has increased nutritional benefits.

Keywords

Lucernecontrolled fermentationchaffhorsesdigestion
Type
Original Research
Information
Journal of Applied Animal Nutrition , Volume 1 , 2012 , e1
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Journal of Applied Animal Nutrition Ltd. 2012

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