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and Implications Soybean hulls (SH) have been successfully fed to ruminant animals as an economical substitute for hay. This feedstuff is a source of highly digestible fiber and does not contain starch. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate SH as a replacement fiber in horse diets. Four cecally cannulated Quarter Horse geldings, aged 6 to 10 years and averaging 502 kg, were used in a 4x4 Latin Square design with 21-day periods. Diets consisted of alfalfa-bromegrass hay (14.4% CP, 58.1% NDF, 39.1% ADF) with the addition of either 0, 25, 50, or 75% unpelleted SH (13.1% CP, 60.6% NDF, 43.7% ADF). Diets were offered at 2% of bodyweight (as fed) daily and body weights were measured weekly. Cecal samples (90-min post-feeding) and total fecal collections (3 d) were taken at the end of each treatment period. Fecal collection bags were emptied every 6 hours and 10% of the total amount was frozen for later analysis. Total cecal VFA production increased linearly from 70 mM to 109 mM as proportions of SH in diets increased (P = 0.02). Proportions of propionate increased linearly (P < 0.01) and cubically (P = 0.03) with means of 15.7, 18.0, 16.6, and 21.9 moles per 100 moles total VFA for the 0, 25, 50, and 75% SH diets respectively. Proportions of butyrate decreased linearly (P < 0.01) from 5.3 to 3.9 moles per 100 moles total VFA. The acetate to propionate ratio decreased linearly (P = 0.02) and cubically (P = 0.03) with means of 4.9, 4.2, 4.9, and 3.3. Apparent digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, ADF, cellulose, and hemicellulose did not differ (P > 0.24) with treatment. Apparent digestibility of N decreased linearly (P < 0.01) as concentrations of SH increased in the diet, most likely due to increased cecal fermentation and microbial biomass production. Cecal pH decreased linearly (P = 0.01) from 7.00 to 6.45 as the level of SH increased, but there was no change (P linear = 0.68) for cecal ammonia (mean concentration of 3.85 mM). Soybean hulls appear to stimulate cecal fermentation and to be a suitable replacement for hay in equine diets. This may be an especially important finding for owners of geriatric horses that often have difficulty consuming roughages.

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and Implications The primary objective of this study was to determine if an orally administered concentrated equine serum product provided in the first hours of life could prevent failure of passive transfer in foals. To achieve this objective, ten foals of Quarter Horse breeding were utilized. Treated foals were administered 250 ml of an oral serum product at 1 and 3 h of age via nasogastric intubation. These foals were muzzled to prevent nursing from their dam. Supplemental milk replacer (200 ml/feeding) was provided to the treated foals at 6 h and 9 h of age. Mares of treated foals had their udder stripped at 1, 3, 6, and 9 h post parturition. The initial colostrum collected (200 ml) was fed back to the treated foals when the muzzle was removed at 12 h of age. Control foals were allowed to nurse from their dams ad libitum. Jugular blood samples were obtained from all foals for determination of concentrations of plasma IgG. Plasma IgG concentrations were higher (p<.05) for treated foals compared to control foals at 5 h and 48 h of age. Plasma IgG concentrations were not different (p>.10) at all other time periods measured. All treated foals had plasma IgG concentrations over 700 mg/dl by 10 h of age, showing that the oral IgG treatment was effective in preventing failure of passive transfer in foals.

The following thesis is divided into three chapters. Chapter one includes a review of the literature pertaining to conditions within the equine cecum and the effects of probiotic substances upon this environment. Chapter two presents a summary of the research conducted to determine the effects of a non-viable Lactobacillus product on the microbiota and environment of the equine cecum. Chapter three includes the general conclusion that can be obtained from this research in relation to previous work in this field. Portions of this thesis will be submitted for publication and the co-authors will include Peggy A. Miller