title: How to improve the hygienic quality of forages for horse feeding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Improving the hygienic quality of forages for horse nutrition seems to be a reasonable target for decreasing the prevalence of pulmonary diseases. The aim of the experiment was to study the effects of different agricultural practices on the main aero-allergens contained in forages, including breathable dust, fungi, mycotoxins and pollens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that the late harvest of hay, a second crop or a haylage production provides a good alternative to increase hygienic quality by reducing fungi contamination and breathable dust content. Barn drying of hay, while having no effect on breathable dust, similarly reduced fungi contamination. In contrast, when hay was harvested at a lower dry mass content (750 g DM kg⁻¹ versus 850 g DM kg⁻¹), both breathable dust and fungi contaminations were increased, which could at least be reversed by adding propionic acid just before baling. Zearalenone was detected in different hays, and even in one case, in breathable dust.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, our data suggest that different approaches can be used to increase forage hygienic quality for horse feeding and thus reduce their exposure to factors involved in equine pulmonary disease.
authors: UMR INRA 950 Ecophysiologie végétale, Agronomie et Nutritions N, C, S, IFR 146 ICORE, Esplanade de la Paix, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Caen, France.
authors: Virginie
authors: V
authors: Séguin
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Garon
authors: Servane
authors: S
authors: Lemauviel-Lavenant
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Lanier
authors: Valérie
authors: V
authors: Bouchart
authors: Yves
authors: Y
authors: Gallard
authors: Benoît
authors: B
authors: Blanchet
authors: Sylvain
authors: S
authors: Diquélou
authors: Emmanuelle
authors: E
authors: Personeni
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Ourry
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D005602:France; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006736:Horses; D007777:Lactobacillaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D050296:Microbial Viability; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D011058:Pollen / Q000009:adverse effects; D012621:Seasons; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D009183:Mycotoxins