Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2017
Maize and peas that have undergone physical processing are used routinely in cereal mixes for equines. However, little information is available on how physical processing of maize and peas affects degradation dynamics in equines. This experiment examines the effect of two physical processing methods (micronisation and extrusion) on in situ degradation of maize and peas in the caecum of ponies
Two caecally-fistulated mature Welsh-cross pony geldings (approx. LW 270kg) were offered ad libitum grass hay plus minerals. Incubation bags (monofilament polyester 6.5 x 20cm, 41? m pores, 16mg/cm2 sample size) containing either unprocessed maize (UM), micronised maize (MM), extruded maize (EM), unprocessed peas (UP), micronised peas (MP) or extruded peas (EP) were incubated in the caecum for fixed times according to both a forward (0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 8, 24, 48h) and reverse (48, 24, 8, 4, 12, 6, 2, 0h) incubation sequence. For each feedstuff residues from each time were bulked within pony and across incubation sequence for subsequent analysis of dry matter (DM) and starch (STC).