title: Macronutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, plasma indicators of protein metabolism and mineral absorption in horses fed a ration rich in sugar beet pulp.
abstract: In a cross-over study with six mature horses, the effect of iso-energetic replacement of dietary glucose by beet pulp on macronutrient digestibility, nitrogen metabolism and mineral absorption was studied. The test ration contained 25% beet pulp in the total dietary dry matter. Beet pulp feeding significantly lowered crude fat and non-structural carbohydrate digestibility, but had no significant effect on digestibility of other macronutrients, faecal and urinary nitrogen excretion and the faecal to urinary nitrogen excretion quotient. However, on the beet pulp diet, plasma ammonia and creatinin concentrations were significantly lower than on the glucose diet. No diet effect on magnesium absorption was observed. It is suggested that dietary beet pulp stimulates the conversion of ammonia into urea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.f.s.olsman@students.uu.nl
authors.forename: A F S
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Olsman
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Huurdeman
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haaksma
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Beynen
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D027461:Beta vulgaris; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004063:Digestion; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D011897:Random Allocation; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008903:Minerals; D000641:Ammonia; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D009584:Nitrogen