Nutrient intake of horses in thoroughbred and standardbred stables.

Abstract

Twenty-five Thoroughbred (TB) and 25 Standardbred (SB) stables were visited to determine their feeding practices. The ingredients of the main feed of the day for a mature gelding of average size in full training were weighted at each stable. Nutrient content of diets was calculated using published data for the individual ingredients. Results are expressed as mean +/- sd. The estimated body weight of TB horses was 493 +/- 34 kg and 437 +/- 32 kg for SB horses. There was considerable variation in diet composition and nutrient intake between stables. The TB trainers fed 11.0 +/- 2.4 kg and SB trainers 11.8 +/- 2.5 kg per day. The concentrate component of the diet weighed 7.8 +/- 1.6 and 7.7 +/- 2.3 kg for TB and SB stables, respectively, and the roughage component for TB horses 3.3 +/- 1.4 and SB horses 4.1 +/- 1.4 kg per day. The digestible energy intake of horses at TB stables was 129 +/- 29 MJ per day and at SB stables 132 +/- 31 MJ per day. Crude protein intake of TB horses was 1452 +/- 363 g and SB horses 1442 +/- 338 g per day. There were differences in some feeding practices at TB and SB stables. Standardbred trainers fed more roughage than TB trainers. Standardbred trainers fed chaffed lucerne (alfalfa) and cereal hays as the major roughage, whereas TB trainers fed more hay. The major hay type fed by TB trainers was lucerne, whereas many SB trainers preferred clover hay. Both trainers fed oats as the major grain, but TB trainers fed slightly more maize (corn) than SB trainers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)