Protein, amino acid and energy requirements of weanling foals and yearlings

Weanling foals are sensitive io the quality of dietary protein, i.e. amino acid supply. Lysine and threonine have been indicated as the two first-limiting amino acids for growth, but data on other amino acids are inadequate for establishing any accurate recommendations. Dietary protein quality has been reported to influence the amino acid profile of serum, and the blood amino acid concentrations and amino acid intakes reported in certain studies may have some value as guidelines in determining the amino acid requirements of growing horses. The energy requirements of weanling foals depend on age, growth rate and proportion of the utilized growth potential. Furthermore, the requirements for growth are influenced, e.g., by the ambient temperature and the type of energy source led to foals.