| Abstract: | Weight maintenance and blood chemistry parameters of geriatric (>20 yrs) horses and ponies housed at a farm for retired horses were compared between animals fed a 14% protein pelleted/extruded feed (ES) formulated specifically for geriatric horses versus those fed the textured sweet feed used at the facility. A total of 48 geriatric horses and 3 ponies were initially examined, 28 of which were assigned to be fed ES, the other 23 continued to be fed an 8.5% protein textured sweet feed mix (SF). Horses and ponies were fed the feeds in amounts estimated to be necessary for weight maintenance or gain according to initial body condition scores, with hay being offered free choice. The horses were weighed, assigned body condition scores and had blood drawn for complete blood counts and blood chemistry panels in December, 1992 before feed changes were initiated. The same measurements were taken on surviving horses and ponies three months after the feed changes had been made (March, 1993).For statistical analyses, data were grouped according to the animal's initial body condition score. Horses (n=17) and a pony with initial body condition scores of three or less (Group 1) which were fed ES had greater weight gain (ES: 32kg±4; SF: −9kg±7; p<.001); higher final condition scores (ES: 4.5±2; SF: 3.6±.3; p<.05) and plasma total protein (ES: 6.3 gm/dl±.2; SF: 5.2 gm/dl±.3; p<.005) in March than those fed SF (n=14). Group 1 horses fed SF experienced a decrease (p<.0001) in hematocrit (December: 41.4%±1.3; March: 34.4±1.2) and hemoglobin (December: 14.6±.4 gm/dl; March: 11.9±.3 gm/dl, p<.001), whereas those fed ES had a slight increase (p<.15) in hematocrit and no change (p>.2) in hemoglobin over the same period. Blood phosphorus was increased (December: 2.21±.08 mg/dl; March: 2.48±.07 mg/dl; p<.05) in Group 1 horses fed ES and tended (p<.15) to be higher than in Group 1 horses fed SF (March: 2.27±.12 mg/dl). In horses and the pony with initial condition scores greater than 3 (Group 2), condition scores, body weights and hematocrit did not differ (p>.2) between animals fed ES (n-9) versus SF (n=9) in December or March. However Group 1 animals fed ES experienced greater weight gains (p<.001) and increases in body condition score (p<.05) than Group 2 SF fed horses during this period. Blood phosphorus in Group 2 ES fed horses tended to increase (December: 2.3±.1 mg/dl; March: 2.6±.1 mg/dl; p<.10) and was higher (p<.01) in March than in Group 2 horses fed SF (March: 2.1±.1 mg/dl). In both groups, liver enzymes and creatinine did not differ (p>.2) between diets in March. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was higher in ES fed horses than the SF fed horses in March in both Group 1 (p<.02) and Group 2 (p<.07) but was within the normal range for adult horses.Horses which were fed the ES were subjectively assessed by the farm manager to have better hair coats and higher activity levels than when they had been fed textured sweet feed and relative to horses that were not fed ES. Geriatric horses, especially those unable to maintain adequate weight on standard rations in the absence of hepatic or renal disease, appear to benefit from the special formulation of ES. |
