Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T12:25:07.756Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A comparison between the 2N and 4N HCl acid-insoluble ash methods for digestibility trials in horses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 August 2009

D. Bergero ,
C. Préfontaine ,
N. Miraglia  and
P. G. Peiretti
D. Bergero*
Affiliation:
DIPAEE, Torino University, Via L. Da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
C. Préfontaine
Affiliation:
Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada
N. Miraglia
Affiliation:
Dipartimento SAVA, Molise University, Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
P. G. Peiretti
Affiliation:
ISPA, National Research Council, Via L. Da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The digestibility of horse feeds and rations can be determined using different techniques such as calculations based on the chemical composition, in vivo or in vitro methods. The marker methods overcome difficulties like discomfort for the animals and longer experimental times encountered using the ingesta/egesta method. In field conditions, a natural indigestible marker like acid-insoluble ash (AIA), with no changes in the normal ration, could be a very useful tool for digestibility trials. A group of six standardbred horses was used in a set of seven apparent digestibility trials. The diets were based on a first-cut meadow hay added to three different cereals (barley for trials 1 and 2; oats for trials 3 and 5 and corn for trials 6 and 7), the hay : concentrate ratio being 60 : 40 or 70 : 30 on a dry matter basis. Feedstuffs and faeces were analysed to determine the AIA content, using 2N HCl or 4N HCl technique. No differences about AIA concentration were found between the two methods for means and accuracy in each diet. Digestion coefficients for each diet did not differ with AIA method, even if in some trials interfering factors consistently lowered the overall values. Consequently, the AIA 2N HCl can be considered the easier and cheaper method to state apparent digestibility in field conditions, and a good tool for digestibility trials in horses fed hay-based diets.

Keywords

horseapparent digestibilitygrainshay
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 3 , Issue 12 , December 2009 , pp. 1728 - 1732
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Almeida, MI, Lopez Donzeles, J, Leao, MI, Cecon, PR 2001. Internal and external markers to estimate the apparent digestibility of nutrients in horses diets. In Proceedings of the 17th Equine Nutrition and Physiology Symposium, Lexington, Kentucky, USA, pp. 477–481. Equine Science Society, Champlain, IL, USA.Google Scholar
Andrieu, J, Jestin, M, Martin-Rosset, W 1996. Prediction of the organic matter digestibility of forages in horses by NIRS. In Proceedings of the 47th EAAP Meeting, Lillehammer, Norway, H4, p. 299. EAAP, Rome, Italy.Google Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists 2004. Official methods of analysis, vol. 2, 18th edition. AOAC, Arlington, VA, USA.Google Scholar
Bergero, D, Miraglia, N, Abba, C, Polidori, M 2004. Apparent digestibility of Mediterranean forages determined by total collection of faeces and acid insoluble ash as internal marker. Livestock Production Science 85, 235–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cuddeford, D, Hughes, D 1990. A comparison between chromium-mordanted hay and acid insoluble ash to determine apparent digestibility of a chaffed, molassed hay/straw mixture. Equine Veterinary Journal 22, 122–125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Furuichi, Y, Takahashi, T 1981. Evaluation of acid insoluble ash as a marker in digestion studies. Agricultural and Biological Chemistry 45, 2219–2224.Google Scholar
Kavanagh, S, Lynch, PB, O’Mara, F, Caffrey, PJ 2001. A comparison of total collection and marker technique for the measurement of apparent digestibility of diets for growing pigs. Animal Feed Science and Technology 89, 49–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
INRA 1984. Tables de la valeur nutritive des aliments pour le cheval. In Le cheval (ed. R Jarrige and W Martin-Rosset), pp. 664–689. INRA éditions, Paris, France.Google Scholar
INRA 1990. In L’alimentation des chevaux (ed. W Martin-Rosset), p. 232. INRA éditions, Paris, France.Google Scholar
Macheboeuf, D, Jestin, M, Andrieu, J, Martin-Rosset, W 1997. Prediction of the organic matter digestibility of forages in horses by the gas test method. BSAS Occasional Publication 22, 252–254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin-Rosset, W, Andrieu, J, Jestin, M 1996a. Prediction of the organic matter digestibility (OMD) of forages in horses from the chemical composition. In Proceedings of the 47th EAAP Meeting, Lillehammer, Norway, p. 295. EAAP, Rome, Italy.Google Scholar
Martin-Rosset, W, Andrieu, J, Jestin, M 1996b. Prediction of the organic matter digestibility (OMD) of forages in horses by the pepsin-cellulase method. In Proceedings of the 47th EAAP Meeting, Lillehammer, Norway, p. 294. EAAP, Rome, Italy.Google Scholar
Martin-Rosset, W, Andrieu, J, Vermorel, M, Dulphy, JP 1984. Valeur nutritive des aliments pour le cheval. In Le Cheval (ed. R Jarrige and W Martin-Rosset), pp. 209–238. INRA éditions, Paris, France.Google Scholar
Martin-Rosset, W, Dulphy, JP 1987. Digestibility interactions between forages and concentrates in horses: influence of feeding level – comparison with sheep. Livestock Production Science 17, 263–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miraglia, N, Bergero, D, Bassano, B, Tarantola, M, Ladetto, G 1999a. Studies of apparent digestibility in horses and the use of internal markers. Livestock Production Science 60, 21–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miraglia, N, Bergero, D, Polidori, M, Gagliardi, D, Tarantola, M 1999b. Diet digestibility in a horse affected by chronic enteritis. Atti del Convegno ‘Nuove acquisizioni in materia di alimentazione, allevamento e allenamento del cavallo sportivo’, Campobasso, Italy, pp. 15–19.Google Scholar
Miraglia, N, Bergero, D, Polidori, M, Peiretti, PG, Ladetto, G 2006. The effect of a new fibre rich concentrate on the digestibility of horse rations. Livestock Science 100, 10–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miraglia, N, Martin-Rosset, W, Tisserand, JL 1988. Mesure de digestibilité des fourrages destinés aux chevaux par la technique des sacs de nylon. Annales de Zootechnie 37, 13–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parkins, JJ, Snow, DH, Adams, S 1982. The apparent digestibility of ‘complete diet’ cubes given to thoroughbred horses and the use of chromic oxide as an inert faecal marker. British Veterinary Journal 138, 350–355.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peiretti, PG, Meineri, G, Miraglia, N, Mucciarelli, M, Bergero, D 2006. Intake and apparent digestibility of hay or hay plus concentrate diets determined in horses by total collection of faeces and n-alkanes as internal markers. Livestock Science 100, 189–194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sutton, EJ, Bowland, JP, McCarthy, JF 1977. Studies with horses comparing 4N-HCl insoluble ash as an index material with total fecal collection in the determination of apparent digestibilities. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 57, 543–549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Titgemeyer, EC, Armendariz, CK, Bindel, DJ, Greenwood, RH, Loest, CA 2001. Evaluation of titanium dioxide as a digestibility marker for cattle. Journal of Animal Science 79, 1059–1063.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Keulen, J, Young, BA 1977. Evaluation of acid-insoluble ash as a natural marker in ruminant digestibility studies. Journal of Animal Science 44, 282–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Soest, PJ, Robertson, JB, Lewis, BA 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber and non-starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3583–3597.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vermorel, M, Martin-Rosset, W 1997. Concepts, scientific bases, structure and validation of the French horse net energy system (UFC). Livestock Production Science 47, 261–275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar