Evaluation of the Inclusion of DDGS on Equine Diet

• Grant number: 25/05471-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Augusto de Oliveira Gobesso
• Grantee: Beatriz Francesconi Benício
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/23702-8 - Determinig the optimal mix of grass-alfalfa hay for performance horses, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

DDGS (Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles), a byproduct resulting from ethanol production from corn, can be a useful feed ingredient in horse diets, however, research into this species is still limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of replacing wheat bran with DDGS in equine diets. It will be used eight 14-year-old, male, castrated Thoroughbred Arabian horses weighing 514.65±54.20 kg. It will be adopted individual daily consumption of 1.75% of body weight (BW) in dry matter, 1.0% of which will be roughage and 0.75% concentrate, characterizing a roughage/concentrate ratio of 60:40, following NRC 2007 recommendations to meet the nutritional requirements of the category. Water and mineral salt will be provided ad libitum. The experimental design will be a 4x4 double latin square, with the animals being randomly assigned to each treatment. The treatments will consist of: Control treatment (CT): concentrate formulated with wheat bran; Treatment 1 (T1): replacing 33% of the wheat bran in the diet with DDGS; Treatment 2 (T2): replacing 66% of the wheat bran in the diet with DDGS; Treatment 3 (T3) replacing 100% of the wheat bran in the diet with DDGS. The apparent total digestibility of nutrients and fecal fermentation parameters (short-chain fatty acids, lactic acid and fecal pH) will be evaluated. The data will be submitted to analysis of variance, using the mixed model of the PROC MIXED package of the SAS program (Statistical Analysis System, 9.0), applying the appropriate mean or regression tests to the results that show significance. The study aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge about the use of DDGS by analyzing the digestibility of nutrients and, consequently, its effectiveness as a nutritional ingredient in the formulation of equine feed.