52a Reunião Anual da Sociedade Brasileira de
Zootecnia
Zootecnia: Otimizando Recursos e Potencialidades
Belo Horizonte – MG, 19 a 23 de Julho de 2015
EFFECTS OF DIETS WITH DIFFERENT ENERGY SOURCES IN THE BODY SCORE AND
PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT IN BRAZILIAN SPORT HORSES TRAINING FOR EVENTING
COMPETITIONS1
Luana Avila Giorgia Dimache2, Fernanda Nascimento de Godoi3, Grasiele Coelho Cabral4, Bruna Caroline
Franzan5, Ana Carla Chaves Dias5, Vinicius Pimentel Silva6, Fernando Queiroz de Almeida7
1
Parte da dissertação de Mestrado do primeiro autor, financiada pela CAPES.
Mestrado no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia – UFRRJ, Bolsista da CAPES. e-mail: [email protected]
3
Professora Adjunto – Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia – UFBA. E-mail: [email protected]
4
Doutorado no Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia – UFRRJ, Seropédica, Brasil
5
Mestrado no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia – UFRRJ, Seropédica, Brasil, Bolsista da CAPES.
6
Professor Adjunto – Instituto de Zootecnia – UFRRJ.
7
Professor Associado. Instituto de Veterinária - UFRRJ. Bolsista Pesquisador do CNPq. E-mail: [email protected]
2
Abstract: There were used fourteen Brazilian Sport horses in a completely randomized design with two diets and
seven replicates. The diets used were: commercial concentrate containing starch as the main energy source and
coast cross hay; commercial concentrate containing lipids as the main energy source and coast cross hay. The trial
lasted 90 days; the horses were weighed, and evaluated the thickness of subcutaneous fat at the rump, percentage of
body fat, body score, and thorax girth. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and means compared by Fisher
test (P>0.05). Means values of body weight, thickness of subcutaneous fat at the rump, body fat percentual, body
score and thorax girth of horses feeding diet with concentrated feed containing starch as the main energy source and
concentrated feed containing lipids as the main energy source was 526.14 ± 65.17 kg and 504.57 ± 19.54 kg; 0.80 ±
0.26 cm and 0.72 ± 0.23 cm; 12.38 ± 1.20% and 11.96 ± 1.06%; 6.07 ± 1.13 and 5.64 ± 0.69; 190.86 ± 6.41 cm e
189.71 ± 3.73 cm, respectively. The diets with different sources of energy do not promote significant differences in
weight, body condition, thickness of subcutaneous fat in the region of the rump, body fat percentage and thorax
girth. The diets can be used for athletic horses that require different energy sources according to the energy
metabolism without causing damage in the maintenance of their body composition.
Keywords: body composition, energy metabolism, lipids, starch, ultrasonography
EFEITOS DE DIETAS COM DIFERENTES FONTES DE ENERGIA NO ESCORE CORPORAL E
PERCENTUAL DE GORDURA CORPORAL DE EQUINOS BRASILEIRO DE HIPISMO EM
TREINAMENTO PARA CONCURSO COMPLETO DE EQUITAÇÃO
Resumo: Foram utilizados quatorze equinos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com duas dietas e sete
repetições. As dietas utilizadas: concentrado contendo amido como principal fonte energética e feno de coastcross;
concentrado contendo lipídeos como principal fonte energética e feno de coastcross. O ensaio durou 90 dias,
quando os equinos foram pesados e avaliados a gordura subcutânea da garupa, porcentagem de gordura corpórea,
escore corporal e perímetro torácico. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias comparadas
pelo teste Fisher (P>0,05). O valor médio do peso, da espessura da gordura subcutânea na garupa, da gordura
corporal total, do escore corporal e do perímetro torácico dos equinos consumindo dieta composta por concentrado
contendo amido como fonte energética e concentrado contendo lipídeos como fonte energética foi de 526.14 ±
65.17 kg e 504.57 ± 19.54 kg; 0.80 ± 0.26 cm e 0.72 ± 0.23 cm; 12.38 ± 1.20% e 11.96 ± 1.06% ; 6.07 ± 1.13 e 5.64
± 0.69; 190.86 ± 6.41 cm e 189.71 ± 3.73 cm, respectivamente. As dietas com diferentes fontes de energia não
promovem diferenças significativas no peso, escore, espessura de gordura da garupa, percentual de gordura corporal
e perímetro torácico podendo ser utilizada para equinos atletas que necessitam de diferentes fontes de energia de
acordo com o metabolismo energético, sem causar prejuízos na manutenção corporal dos equinos.
Palavras-chave: amido, composição corporal, lipídeos, metabolismo energético, ultrassonografia
Introduction
Differences in energy metabolism of sport horses show that, depending on the type of exercise established,
feeding management must be modified. According to the NRC (2007), a horse with 500kg and 5% fat has 10 times
more energy stored as fat than in the form of glycogen, however, there are few studies indicating the percentage of
body fat in different groups of equines. Because of this, the incentive to measure the percentage of body fat in
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52a Reunião Anual da Sociedade Brasileira de
Zootecnia
Zootecnia: Otimizando Recursos e Potencialidades
Belo Horizonte – MG, 19 a 23 de Julho de 2015
horses for a better understanding of the metabolic adaptations during the different production phases and / or during
the training program is encouraged. Body condition score (BCS) is a subjective indicator of body condition in
horses, based on the deposit of fat in certain regions, incorporating visual and palpation of the animal evaluation,
where the numerical scale used ranges from 1 to 9. The number 1 is emaciated or poor, 2 very thin, 3 thin, 4
moderately thin, 5 moderate, 6 moderately fleshy animal, 7 fleshy animal, 8 fat animal, 9 extremely fat animal
(Henneke et al.1983; NRC, 2007). NRC (2007) suggests that a weight gain of 16-20 kg will increase the body
condition score of a 500 kg horse from a four to a five. Different methodologies can be used to determine the fat
mass, wherein the determination of the percentage of body fat using ultrasound is the simplest and easiest to apply,
It is a dynamic and non-invasive technique which can be performed without interrupting the training program, an
element which is of particular importance when high-performance athletic horses are studied (Kearn et al., 2002).
The measurements using ultrasound may be repeated for an unlimited period of time, making longer viable studies.
Studies regarding nutritional management programs and equine training are conducted to achieve maximum
performance. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate and compare the weight, body condition score, and thorax girth,
thickness of subcutaneous fat in the region of the rump and body fat percentage of Brazilian Sport Horses training
for Eventing feeding diets with different energy sources.
Materials and Methods
The research was conducted in Laboratório de Avaliação do Desempenho de Equinos, at the Brazilian
Army Cavalry School, RJ, Brazil. Fourteen Brazilian Sport horses in training for eventing competitions were used.
It was used a completely randomized design with two treatments (diets) and seven repetitions (animals). Trial had
90 days of duration, 30 days to adaptation of diets, which were defined as; Treatment 1: Diet consisting of
commercial concentrated feed containing starch as the main energy source (POLI-HORSE ATHLETIC AE® 7%
EE) and coast cross hay; Treatment 2: Diet consisting of commercial concentrate feed with lipids as the main
energy source (POLI-HORSE ATHLETIC AR® 12,5% EE) and coast cross hay. The horses were fed five times a
day; three times a day with the commercial concentrate (5am, 1pm and 7pm) and twice daily the coast cross hay
(10am and 3am). The proportion of concentrate: roughage was 60:40 in 2.0% BW on a dry matter basis. Diets were
formulated using as reference the nutritional requirements for adult horse in intense physical activity and in
accordance with their respective weights, according to the NRC (2007). After 90 days of consumption horses were
weighed in mechanical scale (COIMMA®) with a maximum capacity of 1000 kg and were body condition score
was evaluated with the methodology described by Henneke et al. (1983); NRC, (2007). The measurement of
thickness of subcutaneous fat at the rump was performed by a "B" mode ultrasound with a linear transducer with
frequency of 7-10 MHz (DP-4.900VET Mindray®) at the region of the muscle Gluteus Medius. The percentage of
body fat was estimated using the equation Body Fat (%) = 8.64 +4,70X according to Westervelt et al. (1976), where
x is the thickness of adipose tissue in cm. The thorax girth was assessed by measuring the outer circumference
through the region of the withers using a tape measure for horses. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and
means compared by Fisher test (P>0.05) using System Statistical Analyses and Genetics (SAEG) program.
Results and Discussion
There were no significant differences among the variables analyzed in this study. It was observed that the
means values of body weight of horses consuming diet consisting of commercial concentrated feed containing
starch as the main energy source and commercial concentrated feed containing lipids as the main energy source was
526.14 ± 65.17 kg and 504.57 ± 19.54 kg, respectively. Means values thickness of the subcutaneous fat region on
the rump of these animals was 0.80 ± 0.26 cm and 0.72 ± 0.23 cm, respectively (Table 1). The evaluation by
covering fat ultrasound on the back of horses was used to estimate total body fat obtaining the average value of
12.38 ± 1.20% for treatment 1 and 11.96 ± 1.06% for treatment 2. The body score and the thorax girth had average
6.07 ± 1.13 and 5.64 ± 0.69; 190.86 ± 6.41 cm and 189.71 ± 3.73 cm, for treatments 1 and 2 respectively. The
absence of significant treatment effect occurred in the observed variable, probably because, diets were formulated
using as a reference the nutritional and energy requirements for adult horses, in intense physical activity and
according to the individual weights of animals, in order to meet all the daily energy needs, just changing the energy
source between treatments.
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52a Reunião Anual da Sociedade Brasileira de
Zootecnia
Zootecnia: Otimizando Recursos e Potencialidades
Belo Horizonte – MG, 19 a 23 de Julho de 2015
Table 1.Body weight (kg), thickness of subcutaneous fat rump (cm), body fat percentage (%)*, body condition
score, thorax girth (cm).
Items
Body weight (kg)
Thickness of subcutaneous fat rump (cm)
Body fat percentage (%)*
Body condition score
Thorax girth (cm)
Treatment 1 (AE) (n=14)
Mean ± standard deviation
526.14 ± 65.17a
0.80 ± 0.26a
12.38 ± 1.20a
6.07 ± 1.13a
190.86 ± 6.41a
Treatment 2 (AR) (n=14)
Mean ± standard deviation
504.57 ± 19.54a
0.72 ± 0.23a
11.96 ± 1.06a
5.64 ± 0.69a
189.71 ± 3.73a
* ŷ= 8,64 + 4,70 X (r2 = 0,86)
They had body weight and body condition score without any change of the same nutrient content. In this
study both diet consisting of concentrated feed made with starch as the main energy source as commercial
concentrate formulated with lipids as the main energy source had no significant effects on the body condition score
and percentage of body fat of Eventing Equine. In practice, these results demonstrate that the owners can choose for
a diet composed either starch or lipids as the main energy source, for the maintenance of body composition. Thus,
what will be the primary factor in the choice of energy source in the diet of equine athletes will be more energy
metabolic pathway required equestrian sport.
Conclusions
The diets with different sources of energy do not promote significant differences in weight, score, and
thorax girth and body fat percentage and can be used for athletic horses that require different energy sources
according to the energy metabolism without causing losses in the maintenance of their body composition.
Acknowledgements
CAPES for the financial support, the Brazilian Army Cavalry School for the availability of animals and
facilities, and the Polinutri for the supply of concentrates.
References
Henneke, D.R.; Potter, G.D.; Kreider, J.L.; Yeats, B.F. 1983. Relationship between body condition score, physical
measurements and body fat percentage in mares. Equine Veterinary Journal, 15:371-372.
Kearns, C. F.; Mckeever, K. H.; Abe, T. 2002. Overview of horse body composition and muscle architecture:
implications for performance. The Veterinary Journal, 164:224-234.
NRC - National Research Council. 2007. Nutrient requirements of horses. 6th ed. Revised. National Academy Press.
Washington D.C. 341p.
Westervelt, R.G.; Stouffer, J.R.; Hintz, H.F.; Schryver, H. F. 1976. Estimating fatness in horses and ponies. Journal
of Animal Science, 3:781-785.
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