Growth and development of yearling horses fed either alfalfa or coastal bermudagrass: Hay and a concentrate formulated for bermudagrass hay

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted with yearling horses to determine whether the use of a concentrate designed to be fed with Coastal bermudagrass hay would cause growth differences or skeletal abnormalities when fed with western alfalfa hay. In experiment 1, 13 thoroughbred and quarterhorse yearlings, 332.8 ± 8.5 days, of age were assigned at random within breed and gender subgroups to 1 of 2 diets: (1) alfalfa hay plus a 12.7% CP concentrate and (2) coastal bermudagrass hay plus the same concentrate. The horses were housed in drylot paddocks in groups of 3 or 4 animals and group fed the hay at 1 kg/100 kg BW daily. The concentrates were fed individually to appetite for two 1.5-hour feeding periods daily for 112 days. Orts were weighed back daily. The animals were weighed, measured, and blood samples collected at the start of the experiment and at 28-day intervals for 112 days. Radiographs of the third metacarpal were made on day 0, 56, and 112 for estimation of bone mineral content. In experiment 2, 15 thoroughbred and quarterhorse yearlings, 345.6 ± 8.4 days of age, were used to repeat the experiment. The concentrate fed in this experiment contained 12.4% CP. In experiment 1, the hay protein content was less than anticipated, resulting in a protein intake below NRC 1 recommendations. In experiment 2, the hay protein was higher and more typical of NRC 1 values. In both experiments, feed intake of the 2 diets was not different ( P > .10). Weight gain ( P = .0136, P = .0330), heart girth gain ( P = .0084, P= .0044), and hip height gain ( P = .0165, P = .0137) were higher for the alfalfa fed yearlings for experiment 1 and experiment 2, respectively. Withers height gain ( P = .0079) and body length gain ( P = .0232) were also greater for the alfalfa fed yearlings on experiment 2. Bone mineral content and bone metabolism indicators were not influenced by diet ( P > .10).