Comparison of the Mineral Profile of Two Types of Horse Diet, Silage and Commercial Concentrate, and Their Impacts on Hoof Tensile Strength

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The hoof is one of the most delicate parts of a horse’s body and its quality depends on a combination of endogenous and exogenous factors. The type of nutrition that a horse receives is a very important factor in determining hoof quality, and a horse’s diet can be supplemented to ensure that it is an adequate source of the energy, proteins, vitamins, and minerals required for healthy growth of all structures comprising the hoof. The aim of this study is to compare two types of horse diets, silage and commercial concentrate, and their impacts on hoof tensile strength. ABSTRACT: The type of diet that a horse consumes is one of the most important factors determining the mineral profile and tensile strength of its hooves, so the quality and nutritional value of the supplied feed are fundamental to achieving satisfactory hoof quality. The objective of this study was to compare the differences in the mineral concentrations of sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and Iron (Fe) between two diets, namely silage and a commercial concentrate, using atomic absorption spectrometry and to determine which led to higher increases in the hoof tensile strength of horses consuming these diets. Thirty-two Spanish horses were randomly divided into two groups, where the diet of the horses in group 1 was silage oat hay, and that of the horses in group 2 was a commercial concentrate and oat hay. Both diets were provided for 12 months. The hoof tensile strength was then measured using an Instron universal testing machine. Mg and Fe levels were higher (p < 0.05) in the silage than in the commercial concentrate, and hoof Mg, Zn, K, and tensile strength were also influenced by the hormonal stage (p < 0.05). The type of diet directly affected the hoof Mg, Zn, K, Na, and tensile strength (p < 0.05), which Mg, K and Na were higher in horses fed with concentrate. It was found that for each unit of Zn (μg/g and Na (μg/g)), in the hoof, the tensile strength is affected by −0.10 N/mm(2) and −0.003 N/mm(2), respectively for each mineral.