AVS 324 1st Edition Lecture 17 Outline of Last Lecture I. Equine Infectious Anemiaa. Coggins TestII. Appropriate Vaccinationsa. Rabiesb. Tetanusc. Eastern (& Western) Equine Encephalitisd. West Nile VirusOutline of Current Lecture I. CecumII. Volatile fatty acidsa. Symbiotic relationshipIII. FeedingIV. Laminitis V. Floating TeethCurrent LectureHorse Digestion…- Digestive system is over 100 ft long- Bad design b/c cecum is in the back of the systemo Digestion done by microbes, breaking down cellulose into volatile fatty acids (VIAs) Acetic: 70% [as more fiber is ingested this number goes up] Butyric: 5% [as more grain is ingested this number goes up] Propionic: 25%o Cecum provides environment for microbes and & microbes break down cellulose into VIAsThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute. Symbiotic relationship o Only gives 35% of nutrients from the cecum If it was located in the beginning of the digestive system it would give 90%of the nutrients a horse needs- Amino Acid breakdown occurs in small intestines (before the cecum)- Hay that is too fine will not work for horseso Need long and short fibers of various roughness - Many small meals a day along w/ movement is better than 2 large meals a day- Biggest mistake w/ horses is overfeedingo Need about 4% of body weight (30-40 pounds) of food a day As season changes, alter the food amount- Winter: more food- Summer: less food- Two things directly related to digestive upseto Laminitis: (a.k.a. Founder) Inflammation of veins (laminae) below the wall of the hoof & the sinking of the coffinbone (coffinbone canactually comeout the bottomof the foot) Symptoms…- Heat inhoof-Boundingdigital pulse- Shifting of weight & lameness - Reluctance to move Causes…- Injuries- Incorrect feeding practices - Too much exercise o Tooth Floating: Horses lower jaw is bigger than upper jaw- This allows teeth to grow unevenly and can cuttongue or gum- Spurs form on teeth that are sharp Look at feces if large pieces of un-chewed grain arepresent: may need to have teeth floated- This happens b/c it is painful toeat and horses will gulp downfood w/o chewing Use a tranquilizer or a twitch - ★ Remember ★o Quality of food is important 4% of body weighto Ribs: best place to evaluate a horse 1-9 body condition score Should be able to feel ribs not seethem 5 is ideal body condition score for ahealthy
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