Horses have evolved as grazing nonruminant herbivores with a relatively small stomach and a highly specialized hindgut capable of fermenting fibrous feeds. However, domestication might have altered the feeds consumed by horses, and today conserved forages and starch-rich concentrates often make up the ration as a substitute or supplement to grazing. Understanding how feeding management and diet composition influence digestion is crucial for keeping the horse healthy, although conducting such investigations can be challenging. The objective of this study was to measure gastric emptying in combination with metabolic and digestive responses in the plasms and cecum of horses, respectively, when changing the feeding order of oats and hay. Gastric emptying, digestion in the small intestine, and cecum of horses were evaluated. Results from this study indicate that feeding order affected gastric emptying, and the digestive and metabolic responses were more clearly reflected in cecum pH than plasma glucose and insulin. Based on the results from this study and other relevant literature, it is recommended to feed forage before concentrate.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.