H. F. Schryver

Stimulation of food intake in horses by diazepam and promazine

In two adult horses doses of 0.02-0.03 mg/kg diazepam, intravenously, increased 1 hr intake 54-75% above control levels. Intake was stimulated when the diet was a high grain, calorically dense one and also when the diet was a high fiber, calorically dilute one. Two young rapidly growing weanling horses showed an even more pronounced stimulation of intake. Following diazepam 1 hr intake was increased 105-240% above control lelvels. Promazine at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg also stimulated intake in adult horses, but not as markedly as did diazepam. A transquilizer and a neuroleptic appear to have a stimulatory eff upon short-term intake in horses.

A note on the comparison of digestion by New World camels, sheep and ponies

Digestion trials were conducted with four ponies, two sheep and two New World camels (one llama and one guanaco) given alfalfa pellets and a complete pelleted hay-grain diet. The New World camels were significantly more efficient in the digestion of dry matter, neutral-detergent fibre, acid-detergent fibre and cellulose than the sheep or ponies.

Calcium excretion in feces of ungulates.

1. Fecal excretion of calcium was examined in 122 individual ungulates representing 7 species of Equidae, 3 species of Tapiridae, 3 species of Rhinocerotidae, 2 species of Elephantidae, 2 species of Hippopotamidae, 12 species of Bovidae, 2 species of Cervidae, 3 species of Camellidae and 1 species of Giraffidae. 2. Animals were fed timothy hay, a low calcium diet or alfalfa hay, a high calcium diet. 3. In a few cases oat straw or prairie hay was used instead of timothy hay. 4. Samples of feces were obtained from individuals daily for 4 days following a 20 day dietary equilibration period. 5. Feces of equids, tapirs, rhinoceros and elephants had a lower calcium concentration and a lower Ca/P ratio than feces of ruminants when the animals were fed diets of equivalent calcium content. 6. The findings suggest that the non-ruminant ungulate equids, tapirs, rhinoceros and elephants absorb a larger proportion of dietary calcium than ruminants do.

A comparison of the mineral composition of milk of domestic and captive wild equids (Equus przewalski, E. zebra, E. burchelli, E. caballus, E. assinus)

Milk samples were obtained in early and/or late lactation from Przewalski horses, Hartmanns zebras, Grants zebras, domestic horses, ponies and a mule mare made pregnant by embryo transfer. Samples were compared for their content of total solids, ash, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc and iron. Milk from the Przewalski horses, Hartmanns zebra and the domestic horse had similar mineral composition and the content of minerals was higher in early than in late lactation. Milk from the domestic mule contained the lowest concentration of calcium, phosphorus and zinc but the highest concentration of magnesium, sodium and potassium. Milk from the Grants zebras contained more sodium than potassium, unlike milk from Przewalski horses, Hartmanns zebras or domestic horses in which there was more potassium than sodium.

Digestibility by ponies of oat straw treated with anhydrous ammonia

The digestibility of oat straw treated with anhydrous ammonia was studied in four Shetland-type ponies in a 4×4 Latin square experiment. The experimental diets which contained soya bean oil meal, corn, sugarcane molasses, and 65% straw were: (1) straw treated with anhydrous ammonia, (2) untreated straw, (3) untreated straw plus urea, (4) untreated straw plus soya bean oil meal. Digestibility of the dry matter was 15% greater ( P P