Effekte verschiedener Futtermittel und -bearbeitungsformen auf die Futteraufnahmedauer, die Kaufrequenz und die Kauintensität beim Pferd

The present study examined the effects of different feeds and their varied preparation methods on the duration of food intake, chewing frequency and chewing intensity by equines. Single foods as well as different combinations of these foods were observed in order to find the appropriate foods that lengthen the duration of chewing by equines, in order to increase their occupation time. These included mechanical and thermal processed cereals, unprocessed cereals (oats and barley), different compound feeds and forage (hay, haylage and straw-alfalfa-chaff) as well as combinations of oats and alfalfa chaff. Material and methods: The horses in this study, aged from 10 to 11 years, were clinically healthy. These were three trotters and one mecklenburger warm blood. The diets were given partly block by block or at random. The restricted diets were formulated to provide 2 g starch/kg BW per day, the sugar beet pulp provided 1 kg DM/Animal. These feedings covered a period of 13 days. The forage was feed restrictively (1 kg DM) for myography and ad libitum for 21 days. In three different restrictive combinations of oats and alfalfa (oats at first, oats at second and oats mixed with alfalfa), oats provided 2 g starch/kg BW and alfalfa provided 0.5 g crude fibre/kg BW. In addition to the restrictive feeding in the morning the horses were fed hay three times a day. The chewing frequency was measured with a mechanical counter, modified halters and a myograph. In the myogram the chewing intensity corresponds to the amplititude’s height and the chewing interval to the amplititude’s duration. The myographic measurement was made twice, not before the 5th day of the investigation. The measurements with the counter and the halter were made simultaneously to the myogaphy. The duration of intake, the chewing frequency as well as the duration of the chewing action and the chewing intensity were measured. Results: The feeding of forage showed the following results: the longest duration of intake, the lowest intake amount, the highest chewing frequency and the highest chewing intensity. Contrary to the forage, the intake of the compound feeds as well as the cereals was significantly faster. The intake amount was higher, the chewing frequency was lower and the chewing intensity was lower. The sugar beet pulp showed moderate intake velocities and intensities. The previous feeding with alfalfa chaff had no significant influence on oats; but the feed intake velocity and the intake amount were lowered and the chewing frequency was increased while the intensity remained constant. The mixture of alfalfa chaff with oats increased significantly the average intake velocity, but did not influence the intake amount, frequency and intensity (p>0.05). The chewing intervals for the examined feeding combinations showed fewer differences (p>0.05, exception: micronised and rolled barley). Conclusions: The feeding of forage intensified the chewing process which is associated with an increased saliva production and leads to a longer preoccupation with feed intake. The feeding of alfalfa chaff prior to oats lead to a certain saturation effect which consequently slowed down the following intake of oats. The mixing of alfalfa chaff with oats showed rather adverse effects as the intake was accelerated on the whole.