Effect of a 12-Week Conditioning Period on Nitrogen Balance in Horses

Fourteen horses were used in two 12-week experiments. Horses were fed to meet crude protein needs for exercising horses and participated in light-to-moderate exercise. Total feces and urine output were measured in 4-day collections at the beginning and the end of each experiment. Fecal nitrogen (FN) and urine nitrogen (UN) were used to calculate nitrogen balance and digestibility. Nitrogen intake (NI) was higher in the end collection (P = .001). Fecal nitrogen expressed as a daily amount or as a percentage of NI was not different (P = .63 and .39, respectively). Nitrogen digestibility was not different (P = .39); however, the amount of nitrogen absorbed (NA) was lower in the initial collection (P = .001). Urine nitrogen was lower in the end collection when expressed as a total loss per day (P = .041), percent of NI (P = .001), or as a percent of NA (P = .001). Daily nitrogen retention (NR), NR expressed as a percentage of NI and as a percentage of NA, was higher in the end collection (P = .001). The improvement in NR in the end collection is due to the reduction in UN loss. This suggests more efficient use of dietary protein because there was no difference in FN loss; but without a significant change in body weight or body condition score, it cannot be concluded that the additional retained nitrogen was because of a need to support additional muscle mass.