title: [Energy intake and body weight development of Warmblood foals that changed stud at weaning].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the energy requirements of Warmblood foals with a change of the stud at weaning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine colts purchased at weaning participated in the study aged approximately 6 months to 1 year. They were transported to the stud by their breeders either having been separated from their dams in their home stable or upon arrival at the stud. The foals were offered a late first cut of haylage, oats and foal starter feed. To ensure individual feeding of concentrates, the foals were tethered twice daily. The total combined haylage intake of all foals per day was recorded. Individual concentrate intake, body weight and body condition score (BCS) were documented at 4-week intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total energy intake was 74 MJ digestible energy (68 MJ metabolisable energy) per animal per day. The foals had been delivered at the stud with a comparably low body weight (285 ± 30 kg) and BCS (4.2 ± 0.4 on a scale from 1 to 9). At the end of the study, aged 319 ± 22 days, they attained an average body weight of 326 ± 24 kg and a BCS of 4.2 ± 0.4. The energy intake of the foals of this study was higher and their body weight development slower than in foals of a parallel study, which were born and raised in the stud and therefore exposed to less stressful weaning conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Foals with a comparatively low body weight and BCS at weaning in combination with further stressors need considerably more energy than foals that undergo less stressful weaning conditions.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Mack
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Remler
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Senckenberg
authors.affiliation: Prof. Dr. Ellen Kienzle, Lehrstuhl für Tierernährung und Diätetik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Schönleutnerstraße 8, 85764 Oberschleißheim, E-Mail: Kienzle@tiph.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kienzle
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D014886:Weaning
keywords: Horse; concentrates; energy requirements; equine nutrition; foal; growth; weaning