Hindgut Fermenters: Equine

Question 1

Just make sure you know these:
1. Dorsal plane
2. Transverse plane
3. Saggital plane

Answer 1

1. Parallel to long axis of trunk & vertical to ground, divides into left & right sides.
2. Perpendicular to long axis of trunk but horizontal to ground.
3. Parallel to long axis (head to tail), perpendicular to ground

Ur doing great honey!

Question 2

Monogastric
What size stomach
Relies on…
Needs… (3)

Answer 2

1. Large stomach
2. Relies on digestible CHO’s like starch & sugar
3. Needs:
   - Protein
   - Electrolytes
   - Water

Question 3

Ruminants have large ___ chambers and a ____ stomach. They ___ cud to break down further. Also, they need ___, ____, ___, & ___.

Answer 3

1. Foregut chambers
2. True stomach
3. Chew cud
4. Protein, fat, SC, vitamins, electrolytes, & water

Question 4

Hindgut fermenters have a relatively small ___. Primary digestion of bulk of diet, mainly ___, happens in the hindgut. They also need ___, ___, ___, & ___.

Answer 4

1. Stomachs
2. Fiber happens in the hindgut
3. Protein, fat, SC, vitamins, electrolytes, & water

Question 5

T/F: Hindgut fermentation is not as efficient of a fermenter.

Answer 5

True

Question 6

A horse takes a bite of delicious food. Describe the route this food will take through the GI tract.

Answer 6

1. Esophagus
2. stomach
3. duodenum
4. small intestine
5. jejenum
6. ileum
7. cecum
8. R ventral colon
9. L ventral colon
10. dorsal colon
11. small colon
12. rectum

Question 7

Prehension meaning

Answer 7

Getting food into the mouth. Horses use their lips a lot

Question 8

Mastication meaning

Answer 8

Chewing

Question 9

T/F: Mature horses can produce 35-40L of saliva per day.

Answer 9

True! That’s anywhere between 9-11 gallons

Question 10

How do horses chew?
About how many jaw movements would a 500kg horse have per day?

Answer 10

• They grind and chew in a circular motion & side to side.
• A 500kg horse can have up to 60,000 jaw movements per day.

Question 11

Saliva contains bases such as ___. These bases are slippery and buffer ___ acids.

Answer 11

1. Bicarbonate
2. Buffer stomach acids

Question 12

Salivas contains amylase. This begins ___ digestion and breakdown of starch into ___ & ___.

Answer 12

1. Chemical digestion
2. Dextrins & maltose

Question 13

T/F: A 500kg horse can have up to 60,000 jaw movements per day

Answer 13

True

Question 14

A normal chewing pattern for a horse is ___ & ___ movements

Answer 14

Horizontal and vertical

Question 15

What is floating teeth?

Answer 15

The filing down of the sharp points in the horses teeth

Question 16

What are some examples of dental problems? (4)

Answer 16

1. Hooks: Sharp enamel points that form on the front and back of a horse’s cheek teeth, or molars.
2. Wave: One part of the mouth is more worn than the other.
3. Diastema: Gap in the valve (teeth) and food can get stuck
4. EORTH: Incisors gums are too high

Question 17

What is quidding?

Answer 17

When a horse drops feed from it’s mouth while eating or leaves partially chewed bits behind.
This can be due to dental problems or other health issues.

Question 18

Choke is…

Answer 18

Food stuck in esophagus “Esophageal block”

Question 19

T/F: Less efficient digestion can cause oral health problems in horses

Answer 19

True

Question 20

Ill Thrift is..

Answer 20

Weight loss in horses

Question 21

Colic is ___ pain that can come a source of multiple things

Answer 21

Abdominal pain

Question 22

Deglutition is…

Answer 22

Swallowing

Question 23

What are the three stages of deglutition?

Answer 23

1. Pushing food bolus into pharynx
2. Propel food bolus into esophagus while closing off airway
3. Peristaltic waves move bolus down to stomach

Question 24

Name the three sections of the stomach

Answer 24

1. Squamous
2. Glandular
3. Pylorus

Question 25

T/F: Domestic horses that are not fed continuously are higher risk for stomach ulcers due to an empty stomach

Answer 25

True. The stomach should rarely be empty under natural conditions

Question 26

Two reasons why a horse cannot burp or vomit

Answer 26

1. Terminal esophagus transitions to stomach at an acute angle 2. Strong muscles forming the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), remains tense, stomach distension increases tension

Question 27

Name in order the anatomy of the hindgut (4)

Answer 27

1. Cecum: - Right side of abdomen 2. Large colon - Also ascending colon - Double-U shape 3. Transverse colon 4. Descending colon - Small colon, rectum, anus

Question 28

What are the functions of the cecum? (4)

Answer 28

1. Important site of fermentation 2. Performed by bacteria & protozoa 3. VFA production - Propionic, acetic, butyric acids - Major energy source!! 4. Non-protein N & residual protein - fermented to ammonia & microbial protein

Question 29

What are the functions of the large colon? (4)

Answer 29

1. Mixing, retention, propulsion (like other regions) 2. VFA absorption 3. Water & electrolyte regulation 4. Bands (taenia) & sacculation: slow movement of ingesta

Question 30

Transverse colon function

Answer 30

Water and electrolyte regulation

Question 31

Small colon functions (3)

Answer 31

1. Water regulation 2. Feces formation, retention, propulsion 3. Vitamin B synthesis & absorption

Question 32

Food transit time Horse: Cow: Elephant:

Answer 32

1. Horse: 24-72 hours. - Poor fibers can take up to 10 days! 2. Cow: Similar to horse but generally slower 3. Elephant: 12hrs. Worst efficiency wise of the three

Question 33

Why chew twice? (3)

Answer 33

1. Initially eat quick while safe 2. Second when its safer 3. Broader selection

Question 34

Why ferment? (3)

Answer 34

1. Abundance of plant material 2. Make use of NSC plant material 3. Ruminant very efficient!

Question 35

T/F: Some hindguts eat twice. They will eat their feces to recover nutrients missed first time around

Answer 35

True. This is called coprophagy. Rabbits and other rodents do this

Question 36

In natural conditions, horses spend ___ hours or more per day on browsing, roaming, & grazing. Up to ___ miles per day are covered.

Answer 36

16 hours 25 miles

Question 37

T/F: Domesticated horses are typically fed meals and have issues with weight management

Answer 37

True

Question 38

Horses will eat ___% to ___% of their body weight in dry matter per day

Answer 38

1.5-2.5%

Question 39

Methods of slow rate consumption (3)

Answer 39

1. Slow hay feeders 2. Hay nets 3. Grazing muzzles

Question 40

Routines to keep in mind for feeding (5)

Answer 40

1. Make feeding changes gradual - Over two weeks 2. Strive for cont access to feed 3. Clean, fresh, unfrozen water 4. Encourage turn-out 5. 50:50 rules or min of 1% bwt in forage/day