Inducing weight loss in native ponies: is straw a viable alternative to hay?
equine
metabolic syndrome
nutrition
obesity
straw
Journal
The Veterinary record
ISSN: 2042-7670
Titre abrégé: Vet Rec
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0031164
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
17 Oct 2020
17 Oct 2020
Historique:
received:
21
11
2019
revised:
24
02
2020
accepted:
09
03
2020
pubmed:
6
5
2020
medline:
17
3
2021
entrez:
6
5
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Obesity is a growing problem in UK equine population. Achieving weight loss in obese horses and ponies at risk of laminitis is an important but often challenging objective. We hypothesised that supplementing poor winter pasture with a mix of barley straw and hay (50:50) rather than hay alone (group B) would lead to weight loss in grazing equids over winter. For this purpose, a group of 40 horses were fed either the straw mix (group A) or hay alone (group B) over winter. Over the study period, all animals in group A (n=25) lost weight with a mean weight change of -27±17 kg, while in group B (n=15) only 3 out of 15 lost weight (20 per cent), and overall, group B gained weight (+6±18 kg). This study suggests that straw is a cost-effective and low-energy roughage, which may be a useful alternative to hay alone when trying to induce weight loss in grazing equids over winter. There were no episodes of colic or laminitis during the study period in either group.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Obesity is a growing problem in UK equine population. Achieving weight loss in obese horses and ponies at risk of laminitis is an important but often challenging objective.
METHODS
METHODS
We hypothesised that supplementing poor winter pasture with a mix of barley straw and hay (50:50) rather than hay alone (group B) would lead to weight loss in grazing equids over winter. For this purpose, a group of 40 horses were fed either the straw mix (group A) or hay alone (group B) over winter.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Over the study period, all animals in group A (n=25) lost weight with a mean weight change of -27±17 kg, while in group B (n=15) only 3 out of 15 lost weight (20 per cent), and overall, group B gained weight (+6±18 kg).
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that straw is a cost-effective and low-energy roughage, which may be a useful alternative to hay alone when trying to induce weight loss in grazing equids over winter. There were no episodes of colic or laminitis during the study period in either group.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32366497
pii: vr.105793
doi: 10.1136/vr.105793
doi:
Types de publication
Clinical Trial, Veterinary
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e60Informations de copyright
© British Veterinary Association 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Competing interests: None declared.