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An investigation into whether a significant correlation exists between feed pH and faecal pH of horses fed a variety of different diets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

R Wheeler
R Wheeler*
Affiliation:
Welsh Institute of Rural Studies. Llanbadarn Fawr, University of Wales Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth, SY23 3AL, UK
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Extract

Previous work has shown that an increase in readily fermentable carbohydrates (CHO) in the diet of pigs is reflected by a decrease in faecal pH (Canh et al., 1998). It is well documented that a similar increase in CHO in the diet of equids is reflected by a decrease in caecal pH (McLean et al., 2000). Little work has been undertaken to determine if such a relationship exists in equids or indeed if there is a correlation between dietary pH and faecal pH.

The feed pH and faecal pH of six groups, each of 8 horses, receiving a variety of diets were examined. The dietary groups covered a wide range of feeds from purely forage based to predominantly concentrate based. Diet 1 consisted of 100% Hay (Hy), diet 2 of 100% grass (Gr), diet 3 of a 70:30 mix of Haylage (Hg) and grass (Gr): stud nuts, diet 4 of a 50:50 mix of haylage and competition mix, diet 5 a 30:70 mix of haylage to race mix and diet 6 a 60:40 mix of haylage, alfalfa and sugar beet pulp: rolled oats.

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Posters
Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 32: Emerging Equine Science , 2004 , pp. 211 - 213
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 2004

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References

Canh, T.T, Sutton, A.L., Aarnink, A.J.A., Verstegen, M.W.A., Schrama, J.W. and Bakker, G.C.M. (1998). Dietary carbohydrates alter the faecal composition and pH and the ammonia emission from slurry of growing pigs. Journal of Animal Science 76:1887–1895.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kienzle, E. (1994). Small intestinal digestion of starch. Revue Mediciene Vetinaire 145(2):199-204.Google Scholar
McLean, B.M.L., Hyslop, J.J., Longland, A.C., Cuddeford, D. and Hollands, T. (2000). Physical effects of processing barley and its effect on intra-caecal fermentation parameters in ponies. Animal Feed Science and Technology 85:79-87. CrossRefGoogle Scholar