Preliminary study of dairy Yili horse feed intake under grazing conditions

The feed intake of dairy Yili horse under grazing conditions was tested in Zhaosu meadow steppe by simulating feed method, herd difference method as well as internal and external indicator method from August to October in 2013. There was no significant difference between different months of the feed intakes of dairy Yili horse determined by the same method. The dry mass intakes measured by simulating feed method, herd difference method and internal and external indicator method was 12.79 kg·15 h-1·horse-1, 16.39 kg·d-1·horse-1 and 13.28 kg·d-1·horse-1, respectively. The difference between the dry mass intakes measured by herd difference method and internal and external indicator method was not significant (P＞0.05) and the dry matter intake was initially identified as 14.83 kg·d-1·horse-1.