Nutrition and feeding of the broodmare

Abstract

Four pregnant donkeys at approximately 10-11 month of pregnancy were used. The aim of the trial was to compare the apparent digestibility of two different rations: a low quality meadow hay based diet versus a diet with hay and a cereal commercial concentrate feed (CM). Diet 1 consisted of 9 kg of meadow hay whereas in Diet 2 hay was partially replaced by the CM (70:30 hay:CM ratio). The animals were randomly divided into two groups and the trial was conducted according to a change-over design for two periods of 20d. Measurements of apparent digestibility were made on the last 6 d of each period. Size of fibre particles in faeces was evaluated too. Donkeys fed with Diet 1 consumed significantly more of DM per metabolic weight unit than animals fed with diet 2. Higher apparent digestibilities of dietary DM, energy, and fibre fractions were seen observed in donkeys fed with Diet 2. Intakes of both diets exceeded the estimated energy requirement, whereas protein needs were not satisfied by Diet 1. The percentages of different size fibre particles recovered in faeces showed no significant differences in both diets.