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not sure how to properly edit the sandbox so I thought I would just stick these up here:
1. Stomach: Has a glandular and a nonglandular side. The glandular side produces pepcin. 2. Please include info about the pelvic flexure (not sure about the spelling). This is a common place for impaction colic. Carsinmotion ( talk) 07:41, 4 May 2009 (UTC)
I thought I read somewhere that the "only give you horse a few sips of water after work" idea was a myth that was disproved. I'll try to find the source. Eventer 00:35, 12 February 2007 (UTC)
Can we source "Failure to do so could lead to Equine Exertional Rhabdomyolysis, or "tying up," a very serious muscular problem." I am running across stuff in some magazines that suggests that tying up is genetically triggered...? Montanabw 17:41, 12 February 2007 (UTC)
OK, did a bit of research. According to the Illustrated Atlas of Clinical Equine Anatomy and Common Disorders of the Horse (I will source when I have the time. Its a great reference, btw), the "pathogenesis of ER is not clearly understood". Possbile causes include: 1) change of blood supply in muscle 2) electrolyte or fluid imbalance 3) genetic predisposition 4) nutritional influence. For the electrolyte imbalance: diets usually consist of hay and cereal grains, which generally consist of high levels of K+ and low levels of Na+ ions. These ions are especially important to the muscle and nerve tissue, thus incorrect levels are a possible cause of ER. Fillies and mares are apparently more prone to getting ER, especially those that are "highly anxious," suggesting an endocrine influence. Also certain family lines seem to be more prone (genetics). Eventer 02:24, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
Noting that I have moved previous text to Talk:Equine nutrition/Temp. Will work on sourcing. This was overkill as I did not copy the article from Rutgers, though it was a major source. Montanabw 19:24, 14 February 2007 (UTC) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Montanabw ( talk • contribs) 17:25, 14 February 2007 (UTC).
Section needs rewrite, combine with horse anatomy, sourcing, etc. Working on it here
<ref name=”Vet handbook”>Giffen, James M. and Tom Gore. ‘’Horse Owner’s Veterinary Handbook., 2nd ed. New York:Howell Book House, 1989, 1998. ISBN 0876056060</ref>
Horses do not have a gall bladder to store bile.
Oral cavity: lips, cheeks, hard and soft palate, tongue and muscles. four pairs of salivary glands. Prehensile lips, sharp incisors for cutting, molars, or cheek teeth grind plant matter.
Esophagus is 5 feet long, enters the stomach at an acute angle, creating a one-way valve, which is why horses cannot vomit. Powerful spincter mechanism at the gastroesophageal junction, vomiting and reflux uncommon
Stomach can hold 4 gallons, most efficient when filled to 2 gallons. Acid and pepsin. Pepsin breaks down proteins into amino acids
Stomach empties when 2/3 full, whether stomach enzymes have completed their processing of the food or not, can prevent full digestion and proper utilization of feed. this is why several small feedings are preferable to a few large ones.
Pancreas produces digestive enzymes and insulin.
Small intestine is 70 feet long, holds 12 gallons, three parts are the duedenum, jejunum and ileum. Bile from the liver acts here, combined with enzymes from the pancreas and enzymes from the small intestine.
Most food is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine. Liquids and roughage move into the large intestine.
Large intestine is 25 feet long total, and consists of the cecum, large colon, small colon and rectum. Large colon is the most frequent site of impactions.
Cecum is 4 feet long, holds 7 to 10 gallons. Contains bacteria that feeds upon digestive chyme, and breaks down cellulose by means of fermentation. Bacteria in the cecum also produce certain fat-soluble vitamins, absorbed by the horse.
Large colon is 10-12 feet long, holds 20 gallons of semi-liquid matter. Small colon is also 10-12 feet long, but smaller diameter. It absorbs water and forms waste products. The rectum is one foot long and holds waste material until is is passed from the horse’s body.
Most common cause of choke is horses not chewing their food thoroughly, usually because of eating their food too quickly, but also sometimes due to dental problems that make chewing painful. Choke does not cut off respiration.
Colic itself is not a disease, but rather a description of symptoms connected to abdominal pain.
Horses and other Equids evolved as grazing animals, adapted to eating small amounts of the same kind of food all day long. In the wild, the horse adapted to eating prairie grasses in semi-arid regions and traveling significant distances each day in order to obtain adequate nutrition. [1]
Digestion begins in the mouth, which is also called the "oral cavity." Horses select pieces of forage and pick up finer foods, such as grain, with their sensitive, prehensile, lips.The front teeth of the horse, called incisors, clip forage, and food is then pushed back in the mouth by the tongue, and ground up for swallowing by the premolars and molars. [2]
The esophagus is about 5 feet in length, and carries food to the stomach. The esophagus enters the stomach at an acute angle, creating a one-way valve, with a powerful spincter mechanism at the gastroesophageal junction, which is why horses cannot vomit. [2] The esophagus is also the area of the digestive tract where horses may suffer from choke. (see also: choke (horse))
Horses have a relatively small stomach for their size, and this limits the amount of feed a horse can take in at one time. The average sized horse (800 to 1200 lbs) has a stomach with a capacity of only four gallons, and works best when it contains about two gallons. Because the stomach empties when 2/3 full, whether stomach enzymes have completed their processing of the food or not, which prevents full digestion and proper utilization of feed, continuous foraging or several small feedings per day are preferable to one or two large ones. [2]
In the stomach, assorted acids and the enzyme pepsin break down food. Pepsin allows for the further breakdown of proteins into amino acid chains. [2] Other enzymes include resin and lipase. Additionally, the stomach absorbs some water, as well as ions and lipid soluble compounds. The the end product is food broken down into chyme. citation needed It then leaves the stomach through the pyloric valve, which controls the flow of food out of stomach. citation needed
The horse’s small intestine is 50 to 70 feet long and holds 10 to 12 gallons. This is the major digestive organ, and where most nutrients are absorbed. [3] It has three parts, the duedenum, jejunum and ileum. Bile from the liver acts here, combined with enzymes from the pancreas and small intestine itself. Horses do not have a gall bladder, so bile flows constantly. Most food is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine. Any remaining liquids and roughage move into the large intestine. [2]
The cecum is the first section of the large intestine. the cecum is also known as the "water gut" or "hind gut." It is a cul-de-sac pouch, [3] about 4 feet long that holds 7 to 8 gallons. It contains bacteria and protozoa that digest cellulose plant fiber through fermentation, and any soluble carbohydrates. [4] These bacteria feed upon digestive chyme, and also produce certain fat-soluble vitamins which are absorbed by the horse. [2] The reason horses must have their diets changed slowly is so the bacteria in the cecum are able to modify and adapt to the different chemical structure of new feedstuffs. [3] Too abrupt a change in diet can cause colic, as the new food is not properly digested.
The large colon, small colon, and rectum make up the remainder of the large intestine. The large colon is 10-12 feet long and holds up to 20 gallons of semi-liquid matter. It is made up of the right lower (ventral) colon, the left lower (ventral) colon, the left upper (dorsal) colon, the right upper (dorsal) colon, and the transverse colon. [2] Its main purpose it to absorb carbohydrates which were broken down from cellulose in the cecum. Due to its many twists and turns, it is a common place for a type of horse colic called an impaction. [4] [3]
The small colon leads is 10-12 feet in length and holds only 5 gallons of material. It is the area where the majority of water in the horse's diet is absorbed, and is also the place where fecal balls are formed. The rectum is about one foot long, and acts as a holding chamber for fecal matter, which is then expelled from the body via the anus. [2]
Horses and other Equids evolved as grazing animals, adapted to eating small amounts of the same kind of food all day long. In the wild, the horse adapted to eating prairie grasses in semi-arid regions and traveling significant distances each day in order to obtain adequate nutrition. [5]
Digestion begins in the mouth, also called the "oral cavity." The front teeth of the horse, called incisors, clip forage, and horses pick up finer foods, such as grain, with their lips. Food is then pushed back in the mouth by the tongue, and ground up for swallowing by the premolars and molars. citation needed
When swallowing occurs, the soft palate (a flap of tissue in the back of the mouth) closes over the pharynx of the animal, which prevents food from going down the trachea, but momentarily prevents the horse from being able to breathe. This soft palate is also the reason why horses cannot breathe through their mouth when they are in respiratory distress. citation needed
The esophagus is about 4-5 feet in length, and carries food to the stomach. Due to the coronary sphincter, the esophagus only allows the passage of food in one direction, and this is why horses cannot vomit. It is also the area of the digestive tract where horses get choke, or esophageal obstruction, due to eating something that is too large or dry to pass down the length of the esophagus. Therefore, unlike humans, equine choke does not prevent the animal from breathing, but is still a very serious problem that can eventually lead to pneumonia if left untreated. citation needed
Horses have a relatively small stomach for their size that limits the amount of feed a horse can take in at one time. The average sized horse (800 to 1200 lbs) has a stomach with a capacity of only 2 to 4 gallons, [4] and works best when it is about 2/3 full. citation needed Therefore, best management allows horses to have continuous access to forage or at least several small meals, as opposed to one or two large meals a day. citation needed
Food arrives into the stomach from the esophagus. The majority of gastric juice is made up of hydrochloric acid, which turns pepsinogen into the enzyme pepsin. Pepsin allows for the partial breakdown of proteins. Other enzymes include resin and lipase. Additionally, the stomach absorbs some water, as well as ions and lipid soluble compounds. The main purpose of the stomach, however, is to break down food into chyme. citation needed It then leaves the stomach through the pyloric valve, which controls the flow of food out of stomach. citation needed
The horse’s small intestine is 50 to 70 feet long and holds 10 to 23 gallons. This is the major digestive organ, and where most nutrients are absorbed. [3]
Additionally, the pancreas and liver both play a role in the small intestine, by secreting a very alkaline digestive juice about 5-6 inches from the pyloric valve. This counteracts the acidity of the chyme arriving from the stomach and prevents it from eating through the tissue of the intestine. citation needed
Most liquids are passed to the cecum, also known as the "water gut" or "hind gut." It is a cul-de-sac pouch, [3] about 3 to 4 feet long that holds 7 to 8 gallons. It contains bacteria and protozoa that digest plant fiber (through fermentation) and any soluble carbohydrates. [4] Horses must have their diets changed slowly so that the bacteria in the cecum are able to modify and adapt to the different chemical structure of new feedstuffs. [3] Too abrupt a change in diet can cause colic, as the new food is not properly digested.
The large colon, small colon, and rectum make up the large intestine. The large colon is about 12 feet long and holds up to 20 gallons. Its main purpose it to absorb carbohydrates which were broken down from cellulose in the cecum. Due to its many twists and turns, it is a common place for a type of horse colic called an impaction. [4] [3]
The small colon leads is 10-12 feet in length and holds only 5 gallons of material. It is the area where the majority of water in the horse's diet is absorbed, and is also the place where fecal balls are formed. citation needed
The rectum is about one foot long, and acts as a holding chamber for fecal matter, which is passed out the anus. citation needed
The equine digestive system is about 100 feet in length. Fermentation of cellulose occurs in the cecum (hind-gut), unlike the four-chambered stomachs of ruminants. The equine gastro-intestinal tract is prone to complications (such as colic) that can easily become fatal. Consists of:
Two things should be improved though:
I question this line "they must never be fed fermentable materials such as silage" .. This was the opinion for a long time, but has changed drastically over the past 10 - 15 years. The mold issue in silage is a lesser issue because it is highly visible, and thus can be discarded and not fed to horses - where as mold in hay can go undiscovered under a longer period of time. I know several serious stables that feed a mix of hay and silage to all their horses. Thoughts? mceder ( u t c) 20:32, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
As part of the WikiProject Good Articles, we're doing Sweeps to go over all of the current GAs and see if they still meet the GA criteria. I went through the article and made various changes, please look them over. I believe the article currently meets the criteria and should remain listed as a Good Article. Altogether the article is well-written and is still in great shape after its passing in 2007. Continue to improve the article making sure all new information is properly sourced and neutral. If you have any questions, let me know on my talk page and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I have updated the article history to reflect this review. --Happy editing! Nehrams2020 ( talk • contrib) 18:31, 4 July 2009 (UTC)
I’d like to add some further information to the section ‘Special feeding issues for mules and donkeys’. As this section already touches on, donkeys and mules are very efficient at digesting food, much more so than horses and even ponies and need to be fed accordingly. I’d like to add some information, initially about feeding requirements for your average donkey, and then also cover overweight, underweight and geriatric donkeys. I’m new to Wikipedia, so not entirely familiar with the way things are done, but if anyone has any objections to me adding to this section as follows please let me know.
Donkeys in their natural environment have evolved to spend long parts of the day (14-16 hours per day) browsing and foraging for food. In their native arid and semi-arid climates this would often be a poor quality, scrubby fibre. Domesticated donkey owners face the challenge of feeding their donkey enough low energy fibre in order to meet their appetite, but in temperate climates the forage available is often too rich and abundant resulting in weight gain and obesity with further implications including laminitis and hyperlipaemia. Although the donkey’s gastrointestinal tract has no marked differences in structure to that of the horse, it is well documented that ‘donkeys are more efficient at digesting food than horses and, as a consequence, can thrive on less forage than a similar sized pony’. [1] Research carried out at The Donkey Sanctuary in 2005 established that donkeys need to eat approximately 1.5% of their bodyweight per day in dry matter, [2] compare this with 2-2.5 % quoted for horses above. It is not fully understood why donkeys are such efficient digestors but it is thought that compared to horses they may have a different microbial population in the large intestine, another suggestion is increased gut retention time compared to ponies. [3]
Donkeys gain most of their daily energy needs from structural carbohydrates (fibre). An average, healthy donkey will need nothing more than a diet of ad lib feeding straw (preferably barley straw), supplemented with controlled grazing in the summer and hay in the winter. A donkey’s requirement for protein and fat are so low that in practice once the energy requirements are met so too are the protein and fat requirements. [4] Cereal based ‘horse’ feeds are often too high in energy levels and will exceed the daily requirements of the donkey, putting them at risk of obesity, laminitis, hyperlipaemia and gastric ulcers. [5] Even a small amount of grazing or fresh fodder during the spring and summer will provide adequate vitamin levels, so for a normal, healthy donkey a diet of straw plus a little grazing/hay will meet all their nutritional needs; there is no need to over-complicate the diet with unnecessary extra feeds. A low-calorie vitamin and mineral supplement should be given to those on a restricted diet (i.e. for weight loss) year round, and to all donkeys during the winter months.
{{reflist|refs= <ref>Smith, David and Wood, Stephanie. Donkey Nutrition. The Professional Handbook of the Donkey Duncan, James and Hadrill, David (2008) Whittet Books. Volume 4: p10. </ref> <ref>Wood, Stephanie, Smith, David and Morris, Catherine. ‘Seasonal variation of digestible energy requirements of mature donkeys in the UK’. “Proceedings Equine Nutrition Conference.” Hanover, Germany. 1-2 October 2005:p39-40. </ref> <ref> Smith DG, Pearson RA. A review of the factors affecting the survival of donkeys in semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. (Special issue: Nutrition and health of donkeys in the tropics) Tropical Animal Health and Production. 2005. 37: Supplement 1, 1-19. </ref> <ref> Burden FA, Gallagher J, Thiemann A, Trawford AF. Necropsy survey of gastric ulcers in a population of aged donkeys: prevalence, lesion description and risk factors. 2009 Animal 3 (2) 287–293. </ref>}} Liz Hazell-Smith 13:27, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
81.17.71.114 ( talk) 13:34, 22 July 2010 (UTC)
References
I have some problems with photo caption for the hay image in the Forages section: "Good quality grass hay is green and has visible leaves and young seed heads." First, it seems like the caption equates good quality hay with high nutrition value hay (young seed heads. Second, if the hay is green or more yellowish says more about if it has been dried out at field or in a barn, doesn't it? So while it may indicate something about the vitamin content of the hay, the green colour in it self does not say anything of the hygenic quality or nutritional value.
I propose that the caption is changed to a more descriptive one, like just "Grass hay". / Pastisch ( talk) 11:49, 24 December 2012 (UTC)
I'm good with moving the discussion, and potential edits, to the hay page. However, I think the caption here is fine, no need for a paragraph-long caption, and if we really think this article's text (have you even read the text here?) is in need of a rephrase later, we can discuss that too. Montanabw (talk) 01:36, 24 January 2013 (UTC)
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A bit on pasture forage grazing rates here: http://www.thehorse.com/articles/39911/pasture-management-101-high-traffic-areas-and-overgrowth?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=farm-barn&utm_campaign=12-10-2017
Montanabw (talk) 20:14, 26 December 2017 (UTC)
Rg 69.73.35.2 ( talk) 19:01, 2 March 2023 (UTC)
This is the
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Find sources: Google ( books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL |
Equine nutrition has been listed as one of the Natural sciences good articles under the good article criteria. If you can improve it further, please do so. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it. | |||||||||||||
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A fact from this article appeared on Wikipedia's
Main Page in the "
Did you know?" column on
February 14, 2007. The text of the entry was: Did you know ...that because the
horse does not have a
gall bladder, they can only have up to 20% fat as part of their
equine nutrition? | |||||||||||||
Current status: Good article |
This article is rated GA-class on Wikipedia's
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This article is substantially duplicated by a piece in an external publication. Please do not flag this article as a copyright violation of the following source:
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not sure how to properly edit the sandbox so I thought I would just stick these up here:
1. Stomach: Has a glandular and a nonglandular side. The glandular side produces pepcin. 2. Please include info about the pelvic flexure (not sure about the spelling). This is a common place for impaction colic. Carsinmotion ( talk) 07:41, 4 May 2009 (UTC)
I thought I read somewhere that the "only give you horse a few sips of water after work" idea was a myth that was disproved. I'll try to find the source. Eventer 00:35, 12 February 2007 (UTC)
Can we source "Failure to do so could lead to Equine Exertional Rhabdomyolysis, or "tying up," a very serious muscular problem." I am running across stuff in some magazines that suggests that tying up is genetically triggered...? Montanabw 17:41, 12 February 2007 (UTC)
OK, did a bit of research. According to the Illustrated Atlas of Clinical Equine Anatomy and Common Disorders of the Horse (I will source when I have the time. Its a great reference, btw), the "pathogenesis of ER is not clearly understood". Possbile causes include: 1) change of blood supply in muscle 2) electrolyte or fluid imbalance 3) genetic predisposition 4) nutritional influence. For the electrolyte imbalance: diets usually consist of hay and cereal grains, which generally consist of high levels of K+ and low levels of Na+ ions. These ions are especially important to the muscle and nerve tissue, thus incorrect levels are a possible cause of ER. Fillies and mares are apparently more prone to getting ER, especially those that are "highly anxious," suggesting an endocrine influence. Also certain family lines seem to be more prone (genetics). Eventer 02:24, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
Noting that I have moved previous text to Talk:Equine nutrition/Temp. Will work on sourcing. This was overkill as I did not copy the article from Rutgers, though it was a major source. Montanabw 19:24, 14 February 2007 (UTC) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Montanabw ( talk • contribs) 17:25, 14 February 2007 (UTC).
Section needs rewrite, combine with horse anatomy, sourcing, etc. Working on it here
<ref name=”Vet handbook”>Giffen, James M. and Tom Gore. ‘’Horse Owner’s Veterinary Handbook., 2nd ed. New York:Howell Book House, 1989, 1998. ISBN 0876056060</ref>
Horses do not have a gall bladder to store bile.
Oral cavity: lips, cheeks, hard and soft palate, tongue and muscles. four pairs of salivary glands. Prehensile lips, sharp incisors for cutting, molars, or cheek teeth grind plant matter.
Esophagus is 5 feet long, enters the stomach at an acute angle, creating a one-way valve, which is why horses cannot vomit. Powerful spincter mechanism at the gastroesophageal junction, vomiting and reflux uncommon
Stomach can hold 4 gallons, most efficient when filled to 2 gallons. Acid and pepsin. Pepsin breaks down proteins into amino acids
Stomach empties when 2/3 full, whether stomach enzymes have completed their processing of the food or not, can prevent full digestion and proper utilization of feed. this is why several small feedings are preferable to a few large ones.
Pancreas produces digestive enzymes and insulin.
Small intestine is 70 feet long, holds 12 gallons, three parts are the duedenum, jejunum and ileum. Bile from the liver acts here, combined with enzymes from the pancreas and enzymes from the small intestine.
Most food is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine. Liquids and roughage move into the large intestine.
Large intestine is 25 feet long total, and consists of the cecum, large colon, small colon and rectum. Large colon is the most frequent site of impactions.
Cecum is 4 feet long, holds 7 to 10 gallons. Contains bacteria that feeds upon digestive chyme, and breaks down cellulose by means of fermentation. Bacteria in the cecum also produce certain fat-soluble vitamins, absorbed by the horse.
Large colon is 10-12 feet long, holds 20 gallons of semi-liquid matter. Small colon is also 10-12 feet long, but smaller diameter. It absorbs water and forms waste products. The rectum is one foot long and holds waste material until is is passed from the horse’s body.
Most common cause of choke is horses not chewing their food thoroughly, usually because of eating their food too quickly, but also sometimes due to dental problems that make chewing painful. Choke does not cut off respiration.
Colic itself is not a disease, but rather a description of symptoms connected to abdominal pain.
Horses and other Equids evolved as grazing animals, adapted to eating small amounts of the same kind of food all day long. In the wild, the horse adapted to eating prairie grasses in semi-arid regions and traveling significant distances each day in order to obtain adequate nutrition. [1]
Digestion begins in the mouth, which is also called the "oral cavity." Horses select pieces of forage and pick up finer foods, such as grain, with their sensitive, prehensile, lips.The front teeth of the horse, called incisors, clip forage, and food is then pushed back in the mouth by the tongue, and ground up for swallowing by the premolars and molars. [2]
The esophagus is about 5 feet in length, and carries food to the stomach. The esophagus enters the stomach at an acute angle, creating a one-way valve, with a powerful spincter mechanism at the gastroesophageal junction, which is why horses cannot vomit. [2] The esophagus is also the area of the digestive tract where horses may suffer from choke. (see also: choke (horse))
Horses have a relatively small stomach for their size, and this limits the amount of feed a horse can take in at one time. The average sized horse (800 to 1200 lbs) has a stomach with a capacity of only four gallons, and works best when it contains about two gallons. Because the stomach empties when 2/3 full, whether stomach enzymes have completed their processing of the food or not, which prevents full digestion and proper utilization of feed, continuous foraging or several small feedings per day are preferable to one or two large ones. [2]
In the stomach, assorted acids and the enzyme pepsin break down food. Pepsin allows for the further breakdown of proteins into amino acid chains. [2] Other enzymes include resin and lipase. Additionally, the stomach absorbs some water, as well as ions and lipid soluble compounds. The the end product is food broken down into chyme. citation needed It then leaves the stomach through the pyloric valve, which controls the flow of food out of stomach. citation needed
The horse’s small intestine is 50 to 70 feet long and holds 10 to 12 gallons. This is the major digestive organ, and where most nutrients are absorbed. [3] It has three parts, the duedenum, jejunum and ileum. Bile from the liver acts here, combined with enzymes from the pancreas and small intestine itself. Horses do not have a gall bladder, so bile flows constantly. Most food is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine. Any remaining liquids and roughage move into the large intestine. [2]
The cecum is the first section of the large intestine. the cecum is also known as the "water gut" or "hind gut." It is a cul-de-sac pouch, [3] about 4 feet long that holds 7 to 8 gallons. It contains bacteria and protozoa that digest cellulose plant fiber through fermentation, and any soluble carbohydrates. [4] These bacteria feed upon digestive chyme, and also produce certain fat-soluble vitamins which are absorbed by the horse. [2] The reason horses must have their diets changed slowly is so the bacteria in the cecum are able to modify and adapt to the different chemical structure of new feedstuffs. [3] Too abrupt a change in diet can cause colic, as the new food is not properly digested.
The large colon, small colon, and rectum make up the remainder of the large intestine. The large colon is 10-12 feet long and holds up to 20 gallons of semi-liquid matter. It is made up of the right lower (ventral) colon, the left lower (ventral) colon, the left upper (dorsal) colon, the right upper (dorsal) colon, and the transverse colon. [2] Its main purpose it to absorb carbohydrates which were broken down from cellulose in the cecum. Due to its many twists and turns, it is a common place for a type of horse colic called an impaction. [4] [3]
The small colon leads is 10-12 feet in length and holds only 5 gallons of material. It is the area where the majority of water in the horse's diet is absorbed, and is also the place where fecal balls are formed. The rectum is about one foot long, and acts as a holding chamber for fecal matter, which is then expelled from the body via the anus. [2]
Horses and other Equids evolved as grazing animals, adapted to eating small amounts of the same kind of food all day long. In the wild, the horse adapted to eating prairie grasses in semi-arid regions and traveling significant distances each day in order to obtain adequate nutrition. [5]
Digestion begins in the mouth, also called the "oral cavity." The front teeth of the horse, called incisors, clip forage, and horses pick up finer foods, such as grain, with their lips. Food is then pushed back in the mouth by the tongue, and ground up for swallowing by the premolars and molars. citation needed
When swallowing occurs, the soft palate (a flap of tissue in the back of the mouth) closes over the pharynx of the animal, which prevents food from going down the trachea, but momentarily prevents the horse from being able to breathe. This soft palate is also the reason why horses cannot breathe through their mouth when they are in respiratory distress. citation needed
The esophagus is about 4-5 feet in length, and carries food to the stomach. Due to the coronary sphincter, the esophagus only allows the passage of food in one direction, and this is why horses cannot vomit. It is also the area of the digestive tract where horses get choke, or esophageal obstruction, due to eating something that is too large or dry to pass down the length of the esophagus. Therefore, unlike humans, equine choke does not prevent the animal from breathing, but is still a very serious problem that can eventually lead to pneumonia if left untreated. citation needed
Horses have a relatively small stomach for their size that limits the amount of feed a horse can take in at one time. The average sized horse (800 to 1200 lbs) has a stomach with a capacity of only 2 to 4 gallons, [4] and works best when it is about 2/3 full. citation needed Therefore, best management allows horses to have continuous access to forage or at least several small meals, as opposed to one or two large meals a day. citation needed
Food arrives into the stomach from the esophagus. The majority of gastric juice is made up of hydrochloric acid, which turns pepsinogen into the enzyme pepsin. Pepsin allows for the partial breakdown of proteins. Other enzymes include resin and lipase. Additionally, the stomach absorbs some water, as well as ions and lipid soluble compounds. The main purpose of the stomach, however, is to break down food into chyme. citation needed It then leaves the stomach through the pyloric valve, which controls the flow of food out of stomach. citation needed
The horse’s small intestine is 50 to 70 feet long and holds 10 to 23 gallons. This is the major digestive organ, and where most nutrients are absorbed. [3]
Additionally, the pancreas and liver both play a role in the small intestine, by secreting a very alkaline digestive juice about 5-6 inches from the pyloric valve. This counteracts the acidity of the chyme arriving from the stomach and prevents it from eating through the tissue of the intestine. citation needed
Most liquids are passed to the cecum, also known as the "water gut" or "hind gut." It is a cul-de-sac pouch, [3] about 3 to 4 feet long that holds 7 to 8 gallons. It contains bacteria and protozoa that digest plant fiber (through fermentation) and any soluble carbohydrates. [4] Horses must have their diets changed slowly so that the bacteria in the cecum are able to modify and adapt to the different chemical structure of new feedstuffs. [3] Too abrupt a change in diet can cause colic, as the new food is not properly digested.
The large colon, small colon, and rectum make up the large intestine. The large colon is about 12 feet long and holds up to 20 gallons. Its main purpose it to absorb carbohydrates which were broken down from cellulose in the cecum. Due to its many twists and turns, it is a common place for a type of horse colic called an impaction. [4] [3]
The small colon leads is 10-12 feet in length and holds only 5 gallons of material. It is the area where the majority of water in the horse's diet is absorbed, and is also the place where fecal balls are formed. citation needed
The rectum is about one foot long, and acts as a holding chamber for fecal matter, which is passed out the anus. citation needed
The equine digestive system is about 100 feet in length. Fermentation of cellulose occurs in the cecum (hind-gut), unlike the four-chambered stomachs of ruminants. The equine gastro-intestinal tract is prone to complications (such as colic) that can easily become fatal. Consists of:
Two things should be improved though:
I question this line "they must never be fed fermentable materials such as silage" .. This was the opinion for a long time, but has changed drastically over the past 10 - 15 years. The mold issue in silage is a lesser issue because it is highly visible, and thus can be discarded and not fed to horses - where as mold in hay can go undiscovered under a longer period of time. I know several serious stables that feed a mix of hay and silage to all their horses. Thoughts? mceder ( u t c) 20:32, 1 May 2007 (UTC)
As part of the WikiProject Good Articles, we're doing Sweeps to go over all of the current GAs and see if they still meet the GA criteria. I went through the article and made various changes, please look them over. I believe the article currently meets the criteria and should remain listed as a Good Article. Altogether the article is well-written and is still in great shape after its passing in 2007. Continue to improve the article making sure all new information is properly sourced and neutral. If you have any questions, let me know on my talk page and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I have updated the article history to reflect this review. --Happy editing! Nehrams2020 ( talk • contrib) 18:31, 4 July 2009 (UTC)
I’d like to add some further information to the section ‘Special feeding issues for mules and donkeys’. As this section already touches on, donkeys and mules are very efficient at digesting food, much more so than horses and even ponies and need to be fed accordingly. I’d like to add some information, initially about feeding requirements for your average donkey, and then also cover overweight, underweight and geriatric donkeys. I’m new to Wikipedia, so not entirely familiar with the way things are done, but if anyone has any objections to me adding to this section as follows please let me know.
Donkeys in their natural environment have evolved to spend long parts of the day (14-16 hours per day) browsing and foraging for food. In their native arid and semi-arid climates this would often be a poor quality, scrubby fibre. Domesticated donkey owners face the challenge of feeding their donkey enough low energy fibre in order to meet their appetite, but in temperate climates the forage available is often too rich and abundant resulting in weight gain and obesity with further implications including laminitis and hyperlipaemia. Although the donkey’s gastrointestinal tract has no marked differences in structure to that of the horse, it is well documented that ‘donkeys are more efficient at digesting food than horses and, as a consequence, can thrive on less forage than a similar sized pony’. [1] Research carried out at The Donkey Sanctuary in 2005 established that donkeys need to eat approximately 1.5% of their bodyweight per day in dry matter, [2] compare this with 2-2.5 % quoted for horses above. It is not fully understood why donkeys are such efficient digestors but it is thought that compared to horses they may have a different microbial population in the large intestine, another suggestion is increased gut retention time compared to ponies. [3]
Donkeys gain most of their daily energy needs from structural carbohydrates (fibre). An average, healthy donkey will need nothing more than a diet of ad lib feeding straw (preferably barley straw), supplemented with controlled grazing in the summer and hay in the winter. A donkey’s requirement for protein and fat are so low that in practice once the energy requirements are met so too are the protein and fat requirements. [4] Cereal based ‘horse’ feeds are often too high in energy levels and will exceed the daily requirements of the donkey, putting them at risk of obesity, laminitis, hyperlipaemia and gastric ulcers. [5] Even a small amount of grazing or fresh fodder during the spring and summer will provide adequate vitamin levels, so for a normal, healthy donkey a diet of straw plus a little grazing/hay will meet all their nutritional needs; there is no need to over-complicate the diet with unnecessary extra feeds. A low-calorie vitamin and mineral supplement should be given to those on a restricted diet (i.e. for weight loss) year round, and to all donkeys during the winter months.
{{reflist|refs= <ref>Smith, David and Wood, Stephanie. Donkey Nutrition. The Professional Handbook of the Donkey Duncan, James and Hadrill, David (2008) Whittet Books. Volume 4: p10. </ref> <ref>Wood, Stephanie, Smith, David and Morris, Catherine. ‘Seasonal variation of digestible energy requirements of mature donkeys in the UK’. “Proceedings Equine Nutrition Conference.” Hanover, Germany. 1-2 October 2005:p39-40. </ref> <ref> Smith DG, Pearson RA. A review of the factors affecting the survival of donkeys in semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. (Special issue: Nutrition and health of donkeys in the tropics) Tropical Animal Health and Production. 2005. 37: Supplement 1, 1-19. </ref> <ref> Burden FA, Gallagher J, Thiemann A, Trawford AF. Necropsy survey of gastric ulcers in a population of aged donkeys: prevalence, lesion description and risk factors. 2009 Animal 3 (2) 287–293. </ref>}} Liz Hazell-Smith 13:27, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
81.17.71.114 ( talk) 13:34, 22 July 2010 (UTC)
References
I have some problems with photo caption for the hay image in the Forages section: "Good quality grass hay is green and has visible leaves and young seed heads." First, it seems like the caption equates good quality hay with high nutrition value hay (young seed heads. Second, if the hay is green or more yellowish says more about if it has been dried out at field or in a barn, doesn't it? So while it may indicate something about the vitamin content of the hay, the green colour in it self does not say anything of the hygenic quality or nutritional value.
I propose that the caption is changed to a more descriptive one, like just "Grass hay". / Pastisch ( talk) 11:49, 24 December 2012 (UTC)
I'm good with moving the discussion, and potential edits, to the hay page. However, I think the caption here is fine, no need for a paragraph-long caption, and if we really think this article's text (have you even read the text here?) is in need of a rephrase later, we can discuss that too. Montanabw (talk) 01:36, 24 January 2013 (UTC)
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A bit on pasture forage grazing rates here: http://www.thehorse.com/articles/39911/pasture-management-101-high-traffic-areas-and-overgrowth?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=farm-barn&utm_campaign=12-10-2017
Montanabw (talk) 20:14, 26 December 2017 (UTC)
Rg 69.73.35.2 ( talk) 19:01, 2 March 2023 (UTC)