This research aimed to evaluate blood parameters, dry matter intake and faeces characteristics in horses fed with high fat diets. Fifteen horses were used in a completely randomized design with three diets and five repetitions. The diets were: diet without soybean oil inclusion (control); diet with of 8.5% soybean oil inclusion; diet with 19.5% soybean oil inclusion. The trial had 34 days of duration, 30 days to diet adaptation and four days for samples collection. Blood samples were taken at 34th day to hematological and biochemical evaluation. Faeces characteristics were evaluated from 33rd and 34th day and dry matter intake (DMI) were evaluated from 30th to 34th of essay. Horses fed with high fat diet increased number of erythrocytes and reduced mean corpuscular volume in blood (P<0.05). Blood levels of hemoglobin differ (P<0.05) only in horses fed with control diet or diet with 8.8% soybean oil inclusion, with lower value in control diet of 9.5g dL-1. Serum triglycerides were more available in horses fed diet with 19.5% soybean oil inclusion. Reduced DMI, of 1.9 and 2.8kg, were observed in horses fed diet with 8.5% and 19.5% soybean oil inclusion respectively in relation to control diet, with DMI of 9.0kg/day. Fecal production were reduced, to 0.7 and 1.1kg DM, in horses fed diets with 8.5% and 19.5% soybean oil inclusion in relation to control diet, of 3.4kg DM. High fat diets for horses with soybean oil inclusion reduced dietetic intake and increased serum triglycerides levels without diarrheas or faeces characteristics alterations.
hematology; horses; lipids
