Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 PhD Student, Department of Animal Science, college of Agriculture. Lorestan University, Khorramabad. Iran
2 Associate professor, Department of Animal Science, college of Agriculture. Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran
3 Associate professor, Department of Animal Science, college of Agriculture. Lorestan University, Khorramabad,. Iran
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of using a slow-feed (hay-net) on feeding time, forage consumption rate, apparent digestibility, volatile fatty acids (VFA), bacterial population, and the activity of cellulolytic and amylolytic enzymes in the colon of horses. Eight Arabian horses (body weight= 396± 45 kg, age= 9±3 years) were used in a cross-over design for two period of 28 days each. During each period, four horses received forage through a hay-net. Fecal samples were collected on days 21 to 28 of each period. The results showed that using hay net significantly increased (P <0.05) feeding time from 257 to 659 minutes per day and decreased (P <0.05) forage consumption rate from 1592 and 610 g/h. The hay-net did not affect the total VFA and relative VFAs (P < 0.05). Lactobacillus populations in horses with hay-net increased (P <0.05) compared to those without hay-net. The populations of cellulitic, amylolytic, escherichia coli, and coliforms bacteria were unchanged by hay-net. The activity of carboxy methyl cellulase enzyme significantly increased (P <0.05), while the activity of microcrystalline cellulase, amylase, and filter paper decomposition activity was not affected (P < 0.05) by hay-net. In conclusion, slow-feed hay net devices successfully limited the forage consumption rate, expanded feeding time, and changed the activity of some fiber-decomposing enzymes in the large intestine of horses, however, the recommendation of hay-nets for nutritional management in horses needs further investigation.
Keywords
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