Six mature idle geldings were used in a crossover design to determine the effects of
restricted grazing on hindgut pH and fluid balance. Initially, horses were randomly
assigned to a control group (CTRL: n ¼ 3) having access to warm-season grass pasture
continuously, or a restricted grazing (RG: n ¼ 3) group having access to pasture for
12 consecutive hours (1900-700 hours) per 24-hour period for 7 days; they were
then reassigned to the opposite treatment for an additional 7 days (i.e., CTRL: n ¼ 6; RG:
n ¼ 6). Fecal samples were collected from each horse at 700 hours on day 7 of each
period and analyzed for pH and dry matter (DM) as indicators of hindgut pH and fluid
balance, respectively. Jugular blood samples were also collected at 700, 1300, and 1900
hours on day 7 and were analyzed for plasma protein as an indicator of systematic fluid
balance. Fecal pH and DM data were analyzed using a paired t test. Plasma protein data
were analyzed as a repeated-measures design. The mean ( SE) difference between CTRL
and RG for fecal pH (.01 .16) and fecal DM (.68 .6%) was not significant (P ¼ .93 and
.52, respectively). Mean plasma protein concentrations were not affected by treatment or
by treatment sample time interaction, but tended to increase (P ¼ .07) during the
sampling period regardless of treatment. In conclusion, 12 hours of grazing restriction
followed by 12 hours of grazing did not negatively impact hindgut pH or fluid balance.
Six mature idle geldings were used in a crossover design to determine the effects ofrestricted grazing on hindgut pH and fluid balance. Initially, horses were randomlyassigned to a control group (CTRL: n ¼ 3) having access to warm-season grass pasturecontinuously, or a restricted grazing (RG: n ¼ 3) group having access to pasture for12 consecutive hours (1900-700 hours) per 24-hour period for 7 days; they werethen reassigned to the opposite treatment for an additional 7 days (i.e., CTRL: n ¼ 6; RG:n ¼ 6). Fecal samples were collected from each horse at 700 hours on day 7 of eachperiod and analyzed for pH and dry matter (DM) as indicators of hindgut pH and fluidbalance, respectively. Jugular blood samples were also collected at 700, 1300, and 1900hours on day 7 and were analyzed for plasma protein as an indicator of systematic fluidbalance. Fecal pH and DM data were analyzed using a paired t test. Plasma protein datawere analyzed as a repeated-measures design. The mean ( SE) difference between CTRLand RG for fecal pH (.01 .16) and fecal DM (.68 .6%) was not significant (P ¼ .93 and.52, respectively). Mean plasma protein concentrations were not affected by treatment orby treatment sample time interaction, but tended to increase (P ¼ .07) during thesampling period regardless of treatment. In conclusion, 12 hours of grazing restrictionfollowed by 12 hours of grazing did not negatively impact hindgut pH or fluid balance.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
