Effect of a new concentrate, rich in fibre, on horse rations digestibility

Commercial mixed feeds for light horse feeding are more and more used and, in recent times, a particular role is played by mixed feeds characterized by high fibre percentages together with pre-biotic or pro-biotic supplements. Consequently, more data about these new feeds are required. The apparent digestibility of a commercial mixed feed containing about 14 % crude fibre (CF) as fed and lactulose 1% was determined by means of 3 in vivo digestibility trials each performed on 4 saddle horses weighting about 550 kg over a 6 days faeces total collection period with a previous 14 days adaptation period. The diets were based on a first cut meadow hay - whose digestibility was estimated in the first trial - and the mixed feed at a feeding level close to maintenance. The forage to concentrate ratio was, respectively, 100:0, 75:25 and 50:50 in the three trials. Apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, gross energy, crude protein, NDF, ADF and CF were measured by the ingesta/excreta procedure. Data was processed by ANOVA; no significant differences were found between the digestibility trials