TÓPICOS EM NUTRIÇÃO DO CAVALO ATLETA

Abstract

The aim of the study was to highlight topics in horse nutrition athlete considering the importance of both genetics and management, training and feeding. Brazil is a major horse producer in Latin America with the third largest herd worldwide. When we talk about athlete horse, we must think about its formation, this one starts in the final third of pregnancy, because there occurs 70% of its growth and development, before From birth the only way to feed the foal is through the mother. The main differentiation in the feeding of common and athletic horses is in the amount energy and protein needed for food. For athlete horses a larger amount of energy in the feed. Lipid use has been intensively studied, especially in animals that are sports oriented and growing animals. Lipids contain 2.25 times more energy than carbohydrates increasing exercise speed and decreasing muscle fatigue. Of course an adult horse needs 8-12% protein where, it is easily found in grazing. Equine feeding on competition day will depend on the exercise he will undergo. The resistance tests are fed with a higher amount of forage, from six to eight kg / day for bowel dilation thus increasing the reserve of water and electrolytes.