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Ingestive behavior.

K A Houpt1

  • 1Department of Physiology, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca.

The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Equine Practice
|August 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Horses dedicate significant time to eating, prioritizing grasses but consuming various plants and preferred concentrates. Their feeding habits are adaptable to maintain caloric intake and influenced by social factors and physiological cues.

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Area of Science:

  • Equine nutrition and behavior
  • Animal physiology
  • Comparative feeding ecology

Background:

  • Horses are herbivores with a natural inclination towards grazing, spending a substantial portion of their day feeding.
  • Their diet naturally includes grasses, supplemented by forbs and woody plants, with a preference for palatable concentrates like oats and corn.
  • Understanding equine feeding behavior is crucial for managing their health and optimizing performance in various industries.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize current knowledge on equine feeding behavior, including dietary preferences and intake regulation.
  • To identify key physiological and environmental factors influencing how much and how often horses eat.
  • To highlight research gaps, particularly concerning the impact of exercise and reproductive status on feeding patterns.

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Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on equine feeding behavior and physiology.
  • Analysis of factors affecting food intake, such as diet composition, social environment, and physiological signals.
  • Identification of areas requiring further investigation within equine nutrition.

Main Results:

  • Horses spend over 60% of their time eating, with a preference for grasses but also consuming other plant materials and concentrates.
  • Feeding time and intake volume are regulated to maintain caloric balance, influenced by factors like diazepam and social presence.
  • Eating cessation is triggered by increased gastric osmolality, with concurrent increases in plasma osmolality, protein, and glucose during digestion.
  • Foals exhibit frequent, small meals and begin solid food sampling early, mirroring dam's feeding behavior.

Conclusions:

  • Equine feeding is a complex behavior influenced by diet, physiology, and social dynamics.
  • Key regulatory mechanisms involve caloric intake maintenance and physiological feedback loops.
  • Further research is needed to understand the effects of exercise and reproductive state on horse feeding behavior, crucial for the equine industry.