ABSTRACT - Two nutrition programs were tested on Mangalarga Marchador foals: TA: supplementation with concentrate from 2 to 12 months of age and TB: supplementation from weaning to 12 months of age. Animals from TA and TB were kept in either one of the available feedlots: one of coast cross (Cynodon dactylon x Cynodon nenfluensis) + Cynodon nenfluensis grasses and the other of coast cross (C. dactylon x C. nenfluensis) only. Monthly the animals were weighed (W) and measured: height at withers (HW) and chest girth (CG) and flexure limbs deformities frequency. The 22 foals were born from September 1993 to February 1994 and they were allotted to each treatment, according to their sex, stallion and chronological birth, in a completely randomized design. Means were compared through the F test. The results showed that TA foals showed better HW and CG at weaning and better CG at 12 months. Foals under TB showed compensatory gains on HW from weaning to 12 months of age. There was not clinical evidence of limb flexure deformities in both programs.
compensatory gain; creep feeding; development; equine; nutrition
