Protein rich forage for the athletic horse
Early harvested forage has a high energy content but often also a high crude protein content, which can result in an excessive crude protein intake. In this study 6 trotters in training were fed two diets that consisted of early harvested grass silage with high energy content (>11 MJ metabolizable energy/kg dry matter (DM)). One silage had a high crude protein content (125 g digestible cp/kg DM) that gave an excess protein intake and the other silage (86 g digestible cp/kg DM) provided a recommended intake of crude protein. The horses were fed only the forages supplemented with minerals and salt. Three horses started on the high protein diet and three on the recommended protein diet and then they switched so all horses were tested on both diets. The horses were fed the diets for 3 weeks before two race-like exercise tests were performed. One test was performed on a treadmill and the other as a simulated race on an oval racetrack.
The results could not show any significant differences between the diets before, during and after the exercise tests in heart rate, breathing frequency, plasma lactate and blood pH. Table 1 shows values from directly after exercise and after 15 minutes of recovery.
The high protein diet implied an excess in forage crude protein; 160 % of recommended intake. The results show that the horses could handle the excess during and after the shorter intensive exercise tests resembling trotting races.
Other studies have shown advantages with high crude protein intakes from forage for high performing horses such as positive effects on insulin release after feeding and higher concentrations of muscle glycogen and more rapid glycogen synthesis after exercise. Early harvested forage with high energy and protein content is therefore very interesting for athletic horses.
Sara Muhonen, AgrD
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