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When the 2014 and 2018 US Farm Bills legalized hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), increased farming created an abundance of hemp by-products. Hempseed meal (HSM) is a by-product of hempseed oil extraction. With increasing availability, hemp must be evaluated as a potential feedstuff for sustainable livestock systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the palatability of HSM as an equine feedstuff. The study used a modified 3x3 Latin Square design utilizing 3 mature geldings (G; 7.3 ± 2.5 yr) and 3 mature mares (M; 12.5 ± 6.5 yr) blocked by sex. Basal feed consumption and bucket preference was established during a washout period of 2 feedings/d over 3 days before each period. During each treatment period (3d) horses were offered either 500g of soybean meal pellets (SBM), rice bran pellets (RBP), or beet pulp pellets (BPP) in one bucket and 500g of HSM in a second bucket each feeding. Feed treatments were switched between bucket positions each feeding. Findings are presented as mean ± SEM. Data were analyzed using an ANOVA within R Statistical Program©. The study found that HSM consumption (351.2 ± 30.6g) did not differ with treatment (p = 0.63), bucket (p = 0.94), or sex (p = 0.67). HSM consumption was greater than SBM (237.7 ± 34.8g; p = 0.005) and BPP (37.0 ± 9.3g; p< 0.001) but was not different from RBP (299.1 ± 35.2g; p = 0.19). HSM consumption increased with each subsequent period (Period 1: 229.6 ± 33.4g; Period 2: 381.3 ± 27.1g; Period 3: 442.6 ± 17.2; p < 0.001). These findings indicate that HSM may be more palatable than SBM and BPP but similar to RBP. HSM consumption may continue to increase over time. HSM may serve as an acceptable replacement to more common feedstuffs used in equine rations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congress passed US Farm Bills legalizing hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), after which hempfarming increased, resulting in an abundance of hemp by-products, like hempseed meal (HSM). As such, HSM must be evaluated as a potential animal feedstuff. A study was designed to evaluate the acceptability of HSM over time in horses, using 6 stocktype geldings (11.5 ± 3.4yr, 539.6 ± 31.9kg, BCS 6). Horses were offered 1 kg of HSM pellets over two 5-min periods, 1 h apart each day, and offered 1 kg of Coastal Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay between offerings. Horses remained on a commercial ration during a 1-d feeding-pattern acclimation prior to the 6-d trial. Data (mean ± SEM) were analyzed using a Repeated Measures ANOVA within R Statistical Program. One horse was removed from the study due to complete diet refusal. Intake of HSM on d1 (0.287 ± 0.081kg; P = 0.062), d2 (0.378 ± 0.084kg; P = 0.07), and d3 (0.446 ± 0.087; P = 0.077) tended to be lower than d5 (0.695 ± 0.071 kg). Similarly, d1 (P = 0.043), d2 (P = 0.036), and d3 (P = 0.048) were less than d6 (0.652 ± 0.064 kg). Day 4 (0.530 ± 0.09 kg) tended to be less than d5 (P = 0.09), but there was no difference between d5 and d6 (P = 0.73). Hay consumption was greater on d1 (0.702 ± 0.026kg; P = 0.003) and d2 (0.723 ± 0.041kg; p = 0.001) than d6 (0.410 ± 0.051kg). Hay consumption and HSM intake were not correlated (R² = 0.001), but the proportions of HSM consumed between feedings were highly correlated (R² = 0.947), increasing at 0.4 of Feeding 1. These findings indicate that HSM consumption increases after 4 days of exposure but is not impacted by hay consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]