Dietary experience modifies horses' feeding behavior and selection patterns of three macronutrient rich diets

Choice feeding is often used to investigate an animal’s nutritional requirements and dietary preferences. A problem with this approach is that animals with long gut transit times, such as the horse, may find it difficult to associate a chosen food with its nutritional consequence when alternative foods are presented simultaneously. One solution is to present foods singly for a period of time before a simultaneous choice session to allow the development of learned associations. This method was used to determine if horse’s voluntary intake and feeding behavior was influenced by the macronutrient composition of the diet. Seven stabled horses, maintained on a low intensity exercise regimen, were allowed, on an ad libitum basis, haylage and 3 isocaloric forage based diets that were rich in 1 of 3 macronutrients (protein, lipid, and hydrolyzable carbohydrate). Initially, diets were presented as a 3-way choice for 5 d (self-selection a [SSa]), then singly (monadic phase) with exposure to each diet for 2 separate periods of 3 d each, and finally again as a choice for 5 d (self-selection b [SSb]). The total amount of trial diet offered differed with trial phase, with 2 to 2.5% of BW during SSa and the monadic phase, increasing to ad libitum access during SSb. To control differences in the total amount of trial diet offered, 2 measurements of voluntary intake were taken at 4 and 22 h postpresentation. Daily macronutrient and energy intakes were estimated from proximate analysis of the trial diets and batches of haylage fed. Feeding behavior was observed over a single 4-h period during both self-selection phases. Horses showed no initial preference after 4 h for any 1 diet during SSa. Following the monadic phase, horses demonstrated a preference for the protein and hydrolyzable carbohydrate rich diets over the lipid rich diet (P < 0.001). Dietary experience modified foraging behavior as the total number of visits to the diets decreased during SSb (P < 0.005). Analysis of 24 -h macronutrient consumption showed that protein and hydrolyzable carbohydrate intake increased during SSb, whereas lipid intake remained constant over both self-selection phases (P < 0.001). These data indicate for perhaps the first time that horses can respond to dietary macronutrient content and that single presentations during choice studies facilitates expression of dietary preferences

Formal vs. informal coach education

The training of coaches is considered central to sustaining and improving the quality of sports coaching and the ongoing process of professionalisation. Sports coaches participate in a range of learning opportunities (informal to formal) that contribute to their development to varying degrees. In this article, we present our collective understanding on the varying types of learning opportunities and their contribution to coach accreditation and development. The authors presented these views (from a sports pedagogy perspective) as part of a workshop entitled "Formal vs. Informal Coach Education" at the 2007 International Council of Coach Education Master Class in Beijing. These reflections seek to stimulate the on-going, and often sterile, debate about formal versus informal coach education/learning in order to progress scholarship in coaching

Evaluation et prévision de différentes sources de pollution issues de l’élevage et de l’utilisation du cheval

National audienceFaced with the rise of environmental issues in livestock farming, equine emissions were evaluated by INRA from studies of digestion and metabolism. Emissions of enteric methane were calculated for the different categories of equines in respect of their physiological status and for the main types of diets. Overall, equines contribute only to 1.5% of total emission of enteric methane in France (on average 20.7kg/al/yr) while ruminants contribute to 97%. Models of prediction of N excretion in feces and urine, established for a 500kg BW adult horse at maintenance, used N intake or DM intake and N content of diets as predictors (R²>0.80). Annual total N excretion would reach 38 N units/al. Mineral excretion varies from 30% to 70% of voluntary intake depending on the mineral considered, the type of animal, its physiological state and the balance between minerals in the diet. To date, excretion of the different types of minerals cannot be predicted accurately. About 600 000 horses produce manure in France, with an average of 12t/yr for a 500kg BW horse. Sustainable manure management needs to be implemented, especially in suburban areas where the number of horses is increasingFace à la montée des enjeux environnementaux en élevage, les rejets des équins ont été évalués par l'INRA à partir d‟études de digestion et de métabolisme. Ainsi, l‟émission journalière de méthane entérique a été calculée pour les différentes catégories d‟équins, stades physiologiques et types d‟alimentation. Globalement, la part des équins dans les émissions totales de méthane entérique des animaux de ferme en France est seulement de 1,5% (en moyenne 20,7kg/al/an), contre 97% pour les ruminants. Les modèles de prévision des rejets azotés dans les fèces et l‟urine, établis chez le cheval de selle de 500kg à l‟entretien, utilisent l‟azote ingéré ou la matière sèche ingérée et la teneur en azote du régime comme variables prédictives (R²>0,80). L‟excrétion azotée totale est estimée à 38 unités d‟N/al/an. Enfin, les restitutions minérales varient de 30 à 70% des quantités ingérées selon l‟élément considéré, le type d‟animal, son état physiologique et les équilibres entre minéraux de la ration. Elles ne peuvent être prédites actuellement avec une précision satisfaisante. Environ 600 000 équins en France produisent du fumier, avec une moyenne de 12t/an pour un cheval de 500kg. Les procédés de valorisation de ce fumier doivent être mis en place rapidement, notamment en zones périurbaines où le nombre d‟équins augmente

Comparative foraging behaviour of horses and cattle in european wetlands

1. Equids are generalist herbivores that co-exist with bovids of similar body size in many ecosystems. There are two major hypotheses to explain their co-existence, but few comparative data are available to test them. The first postulates that the very different functioning of their digestive tracts leads to fundamentally different patterns of use of grasses of different fibre contents. The second postulates resource partitioning through the use of different plant species. As domestic horses and cattle are used widely in Europe for the management of conservation areas, particularly in wetlands, a good knowledge of their foraging behaviour and comparative nutrition is necessary.2. In this paper we describe resource-use by horses and cattle in complementary studies in two French wetlands. Horses used marshes intensively during the warmer seasons. both species used grasslands intensively throughout the year; cattle used forbs and shrubs much more than horses. Niche breadth was similar and overlap was high (Kulczinski's index 0.58-0.77). Horses spent much more time feeding on short grass than cattle. These results from the two sites indicate strong potential for competition.3. Comparative daily food intake. measured in the field during this study for the first time, was 63% higher in horses (144 g(DM) kg W-0.75 day(-1)) than in cattle (88 g(DM) kg W-0.75 day(-1)). Digestibility of the cattle diets was a little higher. but daily intake of digestible dry matter (i.e. nutrient extraction) in all seasons was considerably higher in horses (78 g(DM) kg W-0.75 day (-1)) than in cattle (51 g(DM) kg W-0.75 day(-1)). When food is limiting. horses should outcompete cattle in habitats dominated by grasses because their functional response is steeper: under these circumstances cattle will require an ecological refuge for survival during winter, woodland or shrubland with abundant dicotyledons.4. Horses are a good tool for plant management because they remove more vegetation per unit body weight than cattle. and use the most productive plant communities and plant species (especially graminoids) to a greater extent. They feed closer to the ground, and maintain a mosaic of patches of short and tall grass that contributes to structural diversity at this scale. Cattle use broadleaved plants to a greater extent than horses, and can reduce the rate of encroachment by certain woody species.</p

Diversités des agricultures dans la (les) filière(s) équine(s)

International audienceThis article presents the equine industry and its segments. It highlights the diversity that characterizes the horse industry on many levels. This diversity is firmly linked to the presence of equine in diverse areas, to varied human resources and to a constant ability to adapt horse uses to the changes in society. This occurs in spite of the elitist and non-agricultural image of horses that remains in place even though it is obsolete today. The equine sector is a source of significant positive externalities on agricultural and territorial levels, in terms of economic, social, cultural and environmental effects. Because of the recent but nonetheless important development of the equine sector, many research topics remain to be explored. Even if the diversity that characterizes the horse industry can affect its transparency, there is no doubt that it is an asset that can be used on many levels, giving the horse industry its adaptability and its plurality of externalities.Cet article présente un état des lieux de la filière équine, parcourant les segments qui la composent et soulignant la diversité qui la caractérise à de nombreux niveaux. Cette diversité est liée à la présence des équidés au sein de territoires variés, à des ressources humaines diverses et à une constante adaptation des usages du cheval aux évolutions de la société. L'image élitiste et non-agricole du cheval est obsolète et la diversité de la filière équine est source d'externalités largement positives aux niveaux agricole et territorial, en termes économiques, sociaux, culturels et environnementaux. Du fait d'un développement assez récent mais néanmoins important de la filière équine, nombre de sujets de recherche restent à explorer. Il est toutefois certain que la diversité qui caractérise cette filière, bien que pouvant pénaliser sa visibilité, est un atout à exploiter à de nombreux niveaux, lui conférant capacité d'adaptation et pluralité de retombées