Grants and Contracts Details
Description
This (new investigator, strengthening) research proposal will address the USDA CSREES strategic
goal to "enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of rural and farm economies" through the
Foundation Program priority for "improved nutritional performance, growth and lactation of
animals" (Program Area A1231).
In order to formulate lower protein diets for horses that will reduce nitrogen excretion while still
providing sufficient indispensable amino acids to optimize equine growth and performance, it is
necessary to know the requirements for the amino acids most likely to be limiting in the diet.
Although threonine has been identified as a limiting amino acid in horse diets, requirements have
not been determined in horses of any age. Small intestinal endogenous losses are high in threonine;
therefore, total dietary threonine requirements may be especially sensitive to diet composition. The
proposed project will: (1) Establish the total dietary threonine requirements of yearling and mature
horses; and (2) Determine how the proportion of forage in the diet affects total dietary threonine
requirements in horses. It is hypothesized that horses receiving a predominantly forage diet will
have higher total threonine requirements than those receiving approximately equal amounts of
forage and concentrates. The indicator amino acid oxidation method, a technique that has been
used extensively in other species, will be used to measure threonine requirements in yearling and
mature horses receiving either predominantly forage or forage/concentrate diets. By determining
the dietary threonine requirements of horses, we will obtain valuable information which will
facilitate the development of lower protein diets for horses.
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 7/1/12 → 6/30/16 |
Funding
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture: $460,000.00
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