Horse Anatomy, Markings and Digestion
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Transcript Horse Anatomy, Markings and Digestion
Horse Lecture #2
Body Parts, Facial Markings, Digestive
Tract, Nutrition Requirements
Body Parts
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Poll
•Coronet
Withers •Fetlock
Croup •Pastern
Muzzle
Latch
Stifle
Hock
Cannon
Hoof
White marking between
eyes.
Comes in many shapes.
Thin line down
front of nose
Small white fleck
between nostrils
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Thick white line down
front of nose. Horse also
has a star.
Very wide blaze that extends to and
may cover the eyes, nostrils, and upper
lip.
• Horses with bald faces often have
white that extends to the lower lip as
well.
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Face Markings
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Star
Stripe
White Face
Blaze
Snip
Interrupted
Stripe
Digestive Tract
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Esophagus
Stomach
Small Intestine
Large Intestine
– Cecum
– Large Colon
– Small Colon
Rectum
Monogastric stomach: Digestion through
digestive juices unlike the microbial fermentation of
ruminants.
• Esophagus (food passes from mouth to stomach)
• Stomach (digestive juices breakdown food)
• Small Intestine (starch, sugar, fats, vitamins, and
1/2 of protein absorbed)
• Large Intestine (Fermentation by
microbes/bacteria. Remaining protein and some
minerals absorbed.)
– Includes: Cecum, Large Colon, Small Colon
Horse Stomach
• The stomach of a horse is smaller, compared
to other species, in relation to the size of the
animal.
• Therefore, it is more desirable to feed horses
in smaller amounts at one time but provide
more frequent feedings.
Large Intestine, Horses
• IMPORTANT- because the large intestine of
the horse usually contains substantial
quantities of ingested material, impaction
occurs easily.
• This impaction is the start of what horse
ailment?
• Colic
Horses can’t what!
They also are
obligate nosebreathers!
• Burp or vomit!
• Their cardiac sphincter (valve between esophagus
and stomach) only works 1-way.
• Once food/air goes in….
Large Intestine, Horses
• Cecum is an important organ in horses.
• The large intestine makes up approximately 60% of
the total digestive tract.
• Divided into cecum, large colon, small colon and
rectum.
• Horses can use large amounts of roughage because
of the presence of bacteria in the cecum and colon.
• These bacteria digest hemicelluloses and cellulose
and ferment carbohydrates.
Horse Care
• Nutrition: Requires about 2% of body wt daily
• Feed smaller amounts than cows, more
frequently
• 10-12 gallons of fresh water per day
• Balance Hays, Grains, and Supplements
• Diet: 80% roughage & 20% concentrate
– more grain if horse is working hard, not to exceed
50% of diet grain because of increased likelihood
of colic and possibly laminitis (founder).
Equine Feeds
Classes of Feeds
• Roughages
• Concentrates
• Supplements
Roughages
• High in Fiber
• Low in Energy
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Pasture (2 acres per horse)
Hay (most common)
Forage Crops
Silage
Concentrates
• Low in fiber and high in energy
• Grains: Oats (most popular), Barley, Corn
(energy-dense)
• Grain by-products
Molasses
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A popular component of mixed concentrates
Palatable
Cheap source of energy
Can reduce the quantity of dust in feed
5% of the ration - recommended
Supplements
• Can help correct deficiencies in protein,
minerals, and vitamins.
• Increases nutritive value
• 3 common types
– Protein (Higher energy horses need more)
– Vitamin (A, B, D, E)
– Mineral (Calcium, Phosphorous, Sodium Chloride)
Extra Material/Curriculum
•STOP
Small white
marking up to
and including
the pastern.
Small white
marking on the
heel, at the
back of the hoof.
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White marking
finishing around the
knee or hock.
White marking
that ends around
half-way up the
cannon bone.
Small white ring
around the coronet
band, above the
hoof.
Stocking that continues up the leg
Stocking that
continues up the
leg, but only
partially.
Hay
• Most common form of roughage
• Many variables affect hay quality
– Plant Species
– Rainfall
– Stage of plant growth
– Harvesting Procedures
Alfalfa Hay
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Highly Palatable (acceptability of taste)
High in Protein (18%-19%)
Good Source of Vitamins A and B
Higher Priced (Bale = $7-$10)
Cubes
5-8 cuttings (not all are clean)
Pasture
• Native is most common
• Grasses, legumes, and forbs
• Generally, pasture should be a mixture of 1-2
grasses with 1-2 legumes.
• A mature horse requires a minimum of 2 acres
Concentrates
• The concentrate part of the ration contains
the grains
– Higher in energy
– Lower in fiber
• Most Common
– Oats
– Barley
– Corn
Than Roughages
Oats
• Most Popular grain fed to horses
• High fiber content (13%)
– More bulk per nutrient content
– Must eat more to satisfy nutrient content
– Less likely to founder or colic
• Cleanliness is a must
– Dust feeds can lead to respiratory problems
• Whole or processed
Barley
• Comparable to oats
– Lower in fiber
• Weighs more per unit volume than oats
Barley
Oats
Corn
• Very “energy-dense”
– Large amounts of carbohydrates
• Excellent for horses that require a lot of
energy
– Working horses
– Race Horses
• Low in protein
• High weight per unit volume
Protein
• Higher requirement for horses that are:
– Growing
– Lactating
– In later pregnancy stages
– Eating poor quality roughage
– Performance animals (high stress)
• Converted to energy by the horse
Protein
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Examples of protein supplements include:
Alfalfa
Linseed
Soybean
Cottonseed Meal
Vitamins
• Horses derive no benefits from “extra”
vitamins.
• Supplements for Vitamin A:
– Fish liver oils
– Liver meal
• Supplements for Vitamin B:
– Dried brewer’s yeast
– Dried legumes
Vitamins
• Supplements for Vitamin D:
– Suncured hay
– Exposure to sunlight
• Supplements for Vitamin E (usually not
necessary):
– Alfalfa pellets
Minerals
• Frequently needed to balance the mineral
content of rations.
• Most common deficient minerals are:
– Calcium
– Phosphorus
– Sodium chloride
Minerals
• Supplements for Calcium and Phosphorus:
– Steamed Bone Meal
– Dicalcium Phosphate
• Supplements for sodium chloride:
– Salt block
Review - Supplements
• Name two situations where a horse might
need protein supplements.
• T/F – Vitamins supplements are always a must
for horses.
• What is a good supplement for vitamin D?
• T/F – Alfalfa pellets are a good supplement for
vitamin E.
• What is a good supplement for a sodium
chloride deficiency?
Horse Care
• Nutrition: will eat 1 1/2 - 3% of body wt daily
• feed smaller amounts than cows, more
frequently
• 10-12 gallons of water / day
• hays, grains, supplements
• 4 parts roughage to 1 part concentrate
– more grain if horse is working
Horse Care
• Reproduction: low conception rate
• Mares more likely to conceive in spring
• Health: colic (abdominal pain) & broken bones
most serious
• Vaccinate annually
• Worm regularly: at least twice / year