Course Description
Examination of advanced principles of equine nutrition, including digestion, metabolism, digestive anatomy, and feeding management principles.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be required to submit a research paper
based on current topics in equine nutrition. In addition, exams
for graduate students will contain a greater number of essay-
type questions. Graduate students will receive additional short
answer/essay-type questions on exams. These questions will cover
conceptual information, requiring the students to develop
critical thinking. In addition, these students will be required
to research a topic of interest related to the course content.
This investigation will use current research in equine
nutrition, resulting in the development of a research paper and
class lecture on the topic. The research paper will consist of
a 5- to 10-page summary of work in the topic area. Emphasis
will be placed on thoroughness, writing skills, and writing
style. Finally, graduate students will be asked to prepare a
lecture for the entire class based on their topic.
Athena Title
EQUINE NUTRITION
Prerequisite
ADSC 3300 or ADSC 3630-3630L
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The purpose of this course is to teach advanced principles of equine nutrition, including the digestion and metabolism of feedstuffs, types of feedstuffs, nutritional disorders unique to the horse, and ration balancing/formulation for horses. At the conclusion of the class, students should be able to understand basic principles of horse nutrition as well as anatomical and metabolic characteristics unique to the horse. Students will be able to understand standard feeding principles, as well as feeding principles for horses with different metabolic disorders.
Topical Outline
Week 1: -Overview of nutrition, nutrients, feedstuffs Lab: Superficial overview of types of feeds available to horses Week 2: -Digestive anatomy of the horse, including Teeth Capacity, relative parts Motility of the GI tract Unique factors Lab: Equine GI anatomy simulation, the Glass Horse Weeks 3&4: -Common equine digestive problems: colic, colitis, ulcers, founder Labs: Assignment of case study horses, collect history Week 5: Forages for horses; pasture management; toxic plants Lab: Forage ID, forage selection for horses Week 6: -Grains/energy sources; grain processing; EXAM 1 Lab: Grain ID, grain presentations/discussion Week 7: Protein requirements for different classes of horses Lab: Tour feed mill Week 8: Vitamins and minerals: Toxicities and deficiencies Lab: Tour feed analysis lab (within department or outside lab); perform feed analysis Week 9: -Feeding management, NRC Lab: Ration formulation Week 10: -Feed tags, FDA regulations, supplements Lab: Supplement presentations/discussion Week 11: -Common metabolic disorders: RER and PSSM Lab: Horse muscle lab Week 12: -Insulin resistance (Cushings, Metabolic Syndrome, pasture fructans, etc.), OCD’s Lab: Toxic plant ID Week 13: -Geriatric horses, malnutrition, refeeding the malnourished horse, COPD (EXAM 2) Lab: Work on case studies—computer lab Week 14: -Environmental impacts of horse nutrition Lab: Guest speaker Week 15: -Mold (hays, moldy corn poisoning, etc.); feeding with other animals Lab: Presentations on case studies, papers due
Syllabus