Effect of oils administration on diets digestibility and haematic fatty acids profile in exercising horses

The ration of performance horse usually includes great amount of cereals. Nevertheless there is a limit to the amount of starch which a ration should contain. Addition of dietary fat to improve the caloric density of horse mixed feed is a common practice. Fat supplement reduces the negative effect of excessive starch fermentations in large intestine

Macellazioni comparative: stima della composizione corporea iniziale di agnelli appenninici

During the experimental period of 50-100 days, three comparative slaughter trials were carried out on ninety-two Apennine lambs. Eleven lambs were slaughtered at 50 days old, in order to estimate initial body composition. Their empty bodies were analized for energy, protein, fat, ash and water. On average, chemical body composition resulted: moisture 56.26%, protein 16.64%, fat 10.47%, ash 3.84% and energy 7.26 MJ/kg. Individual body content and chemical body composition were correlated with live weight (LW). Linear regression equations were then calculated. The equations in the case of body content were the following: water (g) = 508.69 LW(kg) + 952.24, d.s.r. = 286.26, R2 = 0.98; protein (g) = 146.68 LW(kg) + 346.02, d.s.r. = 177.33, R2 = 0.93; fat (g) = 222.70 LW (kg) + 2083.96, d.s.r. = 273.72, R2 = 0.93; ash (g) = 31.68 LW (kg) + 118.48, d.s.r. = 66.19, R2 = 0.82; energy (MJ) = 10.23 LW (kg) – 52.46, d.s.r. = 9.44, R2= 0.96. No confidence linear regression equations were obtained for chemical body composition, with the exception of fat (%) = 0.69 LW (kg) + 2.34, d.s.r. = 1.58, R2 = 0.79 and energy (MJ/kg) = 0.17 LW (kg) – 4.03, d.s.r. = 0.52, R2 = 0.68

Effect of different protein sources on lamb growth and carcass characteristics

Five pelleted diets, based on barley, a roughage and five different protein sources (soybean meal solv. extd. (SBM), sunflower meal solv. extd. (SUN), sweet white lupin seeds (L), SBM/SUN, SBM/L) were investigated in a growing trial on 30 male Apennine lambs. Feeding consumption was not significantly affected by the diets however, lambs receiving the diet containing lupin, as main protein source, trended towards better feed conversion rates. Diets did not significantly affect final live weight, average daily gain, feed conversion rate and protein efficiency ratio (PER); also these parameters appeared slightly better in the lambs receiving the diet containing lupin, as main protein source. There were no significant differences in slaughtering animal performances among the diets. Results obtained indicate that sweet white lupine and sunflower meal can replace soybean meal as protein supplement

Total mixed ration in exercising horse: digestibility and nitrogen metabolism

The aim of this study was to evaluate the apparent digestibility of a total mixed ration (TMR) versus a traditional mixed hay/cereals diet. Four adult trained Standardbred geldings – BW = 478±37 kg - were used. The two diets consisted of 20 kg of a commercial TMR - corn silage, alfalfa hay, wet brewers’ grain, oat, apple pomace, molasses cane, soybean oil and mineral/vitamin supplement - (Diet 1) or 7 kg of meadow hay and 4.5 kg of cereal-mix - corn, oat, barley and protein/mineral/vitamin supplement - (Diet 2). The trial was conducted according to a Latin Square design (2x2). After an adaptation period of four weeks, total faeces and urine were collected for 6 days. Both feed and faeces samples were analysed for DM, OM, CP, EE, CF, NDF, ADF, cellulose, hemicellulose, ADL and GE. Data were analysed by ANOVA. The apparent digestibility and nitrogen balance of the two diets were compared. DM, OM, CP and GE apparent digestibility were significantly different between the diets, with higher values for unifeed diet than traditional diet. Energy requirement was satisfied by both diets (96.54 vs 95.55 MJ). Nitrogen balance showed negative values in both diets (- 61.67 vs - 9.05), but the hay/cereals supplemented diet showed the best protein utilisation

Energy and nitrogen retention in Massese lambs

The ovine Massese breed has a good milk attitude but it is also characterised by a satisfying meat production. In fact the genetic improvement is directed to increase prolificity and milk production attitude with a good meat production. Because of the peculiarity of this breed the growing requirements might be different from those normally used for specialized meat breeds..

Digeribilità di due razioni contenenti amidi sottoposti a diverso trattamento in purosangue in attività

The aim of the trial was to evluate the apparent digestibility of two rations. The first of one was a traditional ration with a traditional ration with forage and mixed cereals (oat, corn and barley), in the second one the mixed cereals were replaced with extrused pellets. Digestibikity was evaluated with acid insoluble ash method (AIA). Five thoroughbred racehorses (two years old) were used. During the experimential trial the horses continued their training schedule. The results show a significant increase of fiber fractions digestibility in diet with extruded pellets (p<oo.5): CF (27.25+/-3.80 vs 41.26+/-4.57), NDF (41.01 +/- 2.12 vs 58.82 +/-6.61), cellulose (44.64+/-2.30 vs 53.59+/-8.01), hemicellulose (47.02+/-3.53 vs 68.62+/-5.68). No differences was observed for DM, CP, OM, EE, NSC, starch and gross energy