Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of roughages in horses with total feces collection and mobile bags. Two trials were carried out simultaneously. The first trial evaluated the digestibility of nutrients of coastcross hay (Cynodon dactylon cv. coastcross) with total feces collection. The second trial assessed the digestibility of nutrients of alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa), peanut (Arachis pintoi) and coastcross hay with mobile bags. This trial was conducted with gastric insertions of nylon bags every 12 hours, and each bag contained 663 mg of feed samples in a proportion of 17 mg DM/cm². Feces and bags were collected directly from the stall floor immediately after excretion. There was no difference between the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, carbohydrates and hydrolysable carbohydrates of coastcross hay estimated with feces collection and mobile bags. Forage peanut showed high nutrients digestibility, with values close to those observed with alfalfa, indicating potential for use in diets for horses.
Highlights
Knowledge of the nutritional value of forages as well as the digestive physiology of horses promote the formulation of more effective and safe diets, ensuring better performance of athletes horses.The collection of total feces is still the most used method for the evaluation of horse feed
This study aimed to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of roughages in horses with total feces collection and mobile bags
There was no difference between the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, carbohydrates and hydrolysable carbohydrates of coastcross hay estimated with feces collection and mobile bags
Summary
The collection of total feces is still the most used method for the evaluation of horse feed. The in situ digestion method with nylon mobile bags was developed as an alternative to total feces collection, as a faster and applied method. The advantage of this technique is that various feeds can be evaluated in a simple protocol, where the feed samples are placed in polyester bags, inserted in the stomach of the animal and recovered with the feces. Araújo et al (2000) reported that the mobile nylon bags technique can be used in replacement of the total collection of feces in horses
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