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Topic:Fatty Acids
Fatty acids are essential components of equine nutrition, serving as important sources of energy and playing a role in various physiological processes. They are categorized into saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, with the latter further divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In horses, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are of particular interest due to their involvement in inflammatory pathways and cell membrane integrity. These fatty acids can be obtained from dietary sources such as forage, grains, and supplements. Research investigates their impact on equine metabolism, performance, and overall health. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the dietary sources, metabolic roles, and potential health implications of fatty acids in horses.
Evaluation of the perioperative stress response from dexmedetomidine infusion alone, with butorphanol bolus or remifentanil infusion compared with ketamine and morphine infusions in isoflurane-anesthetized horses. To evaluate perioperative stress-related hormones in isoflurane-anesthetized horses administered infusions of dexmedetomidine alone or with butorphanol or remifentanil, compared with ketamine-morphine. Methods: Randomized, prospective, nonblinded clinical study. Methods: A total of 51 horses undergoing elective surgical procedures. Methods: Horses were premedicated with xylazine, anesthesia induced with ketamine-diazepam and maintained with isoflurane and one of four intravenous infusions. Partial intravenous anesthesia (PIVA) was achieved with dexmedetomidine (1.0 μg kg hour; group D; 12 hor...
Effect of hay type on cecal and fecal microbiome and fermentation parameters in horses. The effect of hay type on the microbiome of the equine gastrointestinal tract is relatively unexplored. Our objective was to characterize the cecal and fecal microbiome of mature horses consuming alfalfa or Smooth Bromegrass (brome) hay. Six cecally cannulated horses were used in a split-plot design run as a crossover in two periods. The whole plot treatment was ad libitum access to brome or alfalfa hay fed over two 21-d acclimation periods with subplots of sampling location (cecum and rectum) and sampling hour. Each acclimation period was followed by a 24-h collection period where cecal and f...
Effect of Dietary Flaxseed Oil Supplementation on the Redox Status, Haematological and Biochemical Parameters of Horses’ Blood. This study compared the effect of two dietary vegetable oils on plasma biochemical indices, haematological parameters, and redox status of horses. Forty riding horses (20 mares and 20 stallions) of the Malopolski breed were divided equally into two groups that were similar in terms of age, sex, and body weight (on average 530 ± 30 kg). The horses received soybean oil (SO) or flaxseed oil (FO) in the amount of 25 mL per 100 kg BW/day. After 60 days, blood was collected for biochemical and haematological analyses. The results show that horses receiving FO as compared to the SO group had signifi...
Variability of ACOX1 Gene Polymorphisms across Different Horse Breeds with Regard to Selection Pressure. The gene encodes peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1, the first enzyme in the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway, which could be significant for organisms exposed to long periods of starvation and harsh living conditions. We hypothesized that variations within , revealed by RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq), might be based on adaptation to living conditions and had resulted from selection pressure. There were five different horse breeds used in this study, representing various utility types: Arabian, Thoroughbred, Polish Konik, draft horses, and Hucul. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located i...
Effects of dietary fish oil and alpha-tocopherol supplementation on selected blood parameters and fatty acid profiles in mares and their foals. The effects of fish oil (40 ml/day) supplementation, with or without synthetic all-rac-alpha-tocopherol-acetate (2,500 IU/day), during the last 65 days before expected parturition were investigated in 15 adult mares (553 ± 24 kg BW) and their foals. Mares were assigned to one of three diets: control (n = 5), control plus fish oil and alpha-tocopherol (n = 4; FO + AT) or control with just fish oil (n = 6; FO). Blood samples were obtained from the mares before a 15-day dietary adaptation period (T1) and from mares and foals the first (T2) and fifth (T3) days post-partum. Colostrum...
Metabolomics analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples in horses with naturally-occurring asthma and experimentally-induced airway inflammation. The present work characterized the metabolomic profile of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in healthy horses, experimentally-induced airway inflammation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) nebulization, and naturally-occurring asthma (n = 3 in each group). All animals underwent clinical and upper airway endoscopic examinations, and bronchoalveolar lavage. BALF supernatant samples were subjected to metabolic analysis based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Overall, 67 peaks were obtained from BALF GC-MS analysis, corresponding to 53 metabolites which were categorized according to ch...
Chemical composition and lipid profile of mare colostrum and milk of the quarter horse breed. The objective of this study was to characterize the chemical composition and lipid profile of colostrum and milk of purebred Quarter Horse mares. Thirty-four (34) purebred mares were selected, which were then separated into groups according to age, birth order and lactation stage. Colostrum samples were collected in the first six hours after delivery and milk samples from the 7th postpartum day, with intervals of 14 days until the end of lactation. The samples were refrigerated and sent to the Milk Laboratory of the University (Laboleite-UFRN), where they were analyzed for chemical composition...
Fatty Acid Composition of Yakut Horse Tissues. We compared the composition and content of fatty acids (FAs) in the liver, muscles, and subcutaneous fat of Yakut horses inhabiting extreme environment in the Cryolithozone. Essential linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, supplied to horses with their food, were accumulated in different tissues. Linoleic acid was accumulated in the liver but alpha-linolenic acid was accumulated in muscle and subcutaneous fat. Such a distribution indicates different roles of these fatty acids in the metabolism of horses. Yakut horse meat is a valuable dietary product owing to its fatty acid composition and conten...
Expression of enzymes involved in polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis in the stallion testis and epididymis. The aim of the present study was to characterise key enzymes involved in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthesis in the testis and epididymis collected from 2-year-old healthy warmblood stallions (n=10). The mRNA expression of fatty acid synthase, the Δ9-, Δ6-, Δ5- and Δ4-desaturases and elongases 6, 5 and 2 (encoded by the fatty acid synthase (FASN), the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), the fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2), the fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1), the delta 4-desaturase, sphingolipid 1 (DEGS1), ELOVL fatty acid elongase 6(ELOVL6), ELOVL fatty acid elongase 5 (ELOVL5), ELOVL ...
Effects of Sodium Caseinate and Varying Protein Sources on In Vitro Fermentation of Forages by Mixed Equine Cecal Microorganisms. To assess the impact of protein on fermentation by equine cecal microorganisms, cecal fluid from 4 cecally cannulated horses was used to inoculate fermentation bottles containing buffer, forage, and supplemental protein. In experiment 1, sodium caseinate (SC) provided 0, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, or 4% additional crude protein (CP) to bottles containing alfalfa or native warm-season prairie grass hay. Bottles were equipped with continuous gas pressure monitors and placed into a shaking incubator for 48 hours at 39°C. Cultures with alfalfa had greater (P < .0001) in vitro dry matter disappearance (IV...
Assessment of the FAM174A 11G allele as a risk allele for equine metabolic syndrome. An 11G nucleotide repeat in the 3' UTR of FAM174A was recently postulated as a risk allele with a dominant mode of inheritance for equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and laminitis status in Arabian horses. The objective of this project was to evaluate this hypothesis in a large and diverse across-breed population. A total of 301 ponies, 292 Morgans, 64 Arabians, 49 Tennessee Walking Horses and 59 Quarter Horses were genotyped for six observed G repeat alleles in the FAM174A 3' UTR. Phenotype data included laminitis status, baseline insulin, glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, triglycerides, adip...
Changes in the faecal microbiota of horses and ponies during a two-year body weight gain programme. Obesity is a major health concern in many domesticated equids animals since it is related to metabolic abnormalities such as insulin dysregulation, hyperlipidaemia or laminitis. Ponies especially are known as "easy keepers" and are often affected by obesity and its related metabolic disorders. Research in the last decade indicated that the intestinal microbiota may play an important role in the development of obesity, at least in humans. Therefore, the objective of our study was to characterize changes in the faecal microbiota during a two-year weight gain programme which compared ponies and w...
Relationships of inflamm-aging with circulating nutrient levels, body composition, age, and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in a senior horse population. Similarly to aged humans, senior horses (≥20 years) exhibit chronic low-grade inflammation systemically, known as inflamm-aging. Inflamm-aging in the senior horse has been characterized by increased circulating inflammatory cytokines as well as increased inflammatory cytokine production by lymphocytes and monocytes in response to a mitogen. Little is currently known regarding underlying causes of inflamm-aging. However, senior horses are also known to present with muscle wasting and often the endocrinopathy pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). Despite the concurrence of these phenom...
Influence of Metabolic Status and Diet on Early Pregnant Equine Histotroph Proteome: Preliminary Findings. Insulin resistance (IR) is characterized by an increase in biomarkers of systemic inflammation and susceptibility to laminitis in horses. Impacts on reproduction include a lengthened interovulatory period in horses. Dietary omega-3 (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) promotes anti-inflammatory processes, has been implicated in health benefits, and can reduce cytokine secretion. This preliminary study investigated the impact of IR as well as the influence of dietary supplementation (DHA) on the uterine fluid proteome in early pregnant horses. Mares were artificially inseminated; uterine fluid and embr...
Digestibility of diets containing calcium salts of fatty acids or soybean oil in horses. Calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFAs) frequently are fed to ruminants, but their fate in the equine digestive system is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare Enertia s/f, a proprietary CSFAs, and soybean (SB) oil with respect to impact on apparent total tract nutrient digestion and cecal fermentation parameters in horses. Eight cecally cannulated Quarter Horses were used in a crossover design in which horses consumed a diet for 32 d consisting of 1.5% body weight (BW) (as-fed) smooth bromegrass hay and 0.5% BW (as-fed) pelleted concentrate containing 4.9% CSFAs or 4.1% SB oil. Fecal...
Serum acylcarnitine profile in endurance horses with and without metabolic dysfunction. Mitochondrial β-oxidation is essential in fat metabolism and can be monitored with blood acylcarnitine profiling, as partly degraded fatty acids accumulate as their carnitine esters. To guarantee continuous energy supply during long-distance exercise, endurance horses oxidise considerable amounts of fat in the mitochondrion. In endurance races over 80 km, glycogen depletion is evident in equine slow-twitch high oxidative muscle fibres and as a consequence, horses participating in endurance races over 80 km rely almost entirely on β-oxidation of fatty acids. This study investigated mitoch...
Effects of Docosahexaenoic Acid-Rich Microalgae Supplementation on Metabolic and Inflammatory Parameters in Horses With Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Much of the equine population is obese and therefore predisposed to the development of additional health concerns such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). However, pharmacologic treatments for EMS are limited. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is a therapeutic strategy in humans with metabolic dysfunction that improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation, but the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in horses with EMS are unclear. Therefore, in this pilot study, 10 mixed-sex and mixed-breed horses with EMS were fed a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich microalgae containing 16 ...
Influence of housing type on the cecal environment of horses. Eight previously cecally cannulated Quarter Horse geldings were utilized in a crossover design with two 28-d periods with a 21-d washout period between to evaluate the influence of housing on the cecal environment and dry matter intake (DMI). Horses were adapted to diet and housing from day 1 to 19, DMI was determined from day 20 to 24, and cecal fluid was collected on day 28. Horses were paired by age and body weight (BW) and randomly assigned to treatment. Treatments consisted of housing horses individually in stalls or group housed in a pen. Regardless of treatment, all horses were individu...
Beyond Gut Instinct: Metabolic Short-Chain Fatty Acids Moderate the Pathogenesis of Alphaherpesviruses. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), such as sodium butyrate (SB), sodium propionate (SPr), and sodium acetate (SAc), are metabolic end-products of the fermentation of dietary fibers. They are linked with multiple beneficial effects on the general mammalian health, based on the sophisticated interplay with the host immune response. Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) is a major pathogen, which primarily replicates in the respiratory epithelium, and disseminates through the body via a cell-associated viremia in leukocytes, even in the presence of neutralizing antibodies. Infected monocytic CD172a cells and ...
Lipid classes in adipose tissues and liver differ between Shetland ponies and Warmblood horses. Fatty acids, as key components of cellular membranes and complex lipids, may play a central role in endocrine signalling and the function of adipose tissue and liver. Thus, the lipid fatty acid composition may play a role in health status in the equine. This study aimed to investigate the fatty acid composition of different tissues and liver lipid classes by comparing Warmblood horses and Shetland ponies under defined conditions. We hypothesized that ponies show different lipid patterns than horses in adipose tissue, liver and plasma. Six Warmblood horses and six Shetland ponies were housed an...
Omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid oxymetabolites modulate the inflammatory response of equine recombinant interleukin1β-stimulated equine synoviocytes. Omega-3 fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation may have beneficial effects in certain chronic diseases, potentially including osteoarthritis. Favorable effects are attributed, in part, to downstream pro-resolving oxylipid metabolites. We investigated the role of n-3 PUFA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-derived oxylipids (docosanoids) on equine synoviocyte metabolism. We hypothesized that n-3 PUFA and selected docosanoids would modulate inflammatory mediator gene expression by recombinant equine (re)IL-1β-stimulated synovial fibroblasts. Synoviocyte monolayer cultures were prepared from grossly ...
Effect of dietary supplementation with long-chain n-3 fatty acids during late gestation and early lactation on mare and foal plasma fatty acid composition, milk fatty acid composition, and mare reproductive variables. The effects of dietary marine-derived n-3 fatty acids (FA) on mare milk and mare and foal plasma FA, postpartum ovarian follicular growth and prostaglandin concentrations were evaluated. Sixty days prior to expected foaling dates, mares were assigned to one of three diets: corn oil (CORN, n = 6), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) diet (D; 12.64 g/d, n = 7), or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA (ED; 8.84 g EPA, 10.43 g DHA/d, n = 7). Milk and plasma were collected for FA analysis. Follicular data were recorded through the first postpartum ovulation. Post-ovulation serial blood samp...
A cream containing omega-3-fatty acids, humectants and emollients as an aid in the treatment of equine Culicoides hypersensitivity. Topical application of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has shown satisfactory results in dogs and humans with allergic skin diseases. Urea and glycolic acid act as keratolytics and moisturizers. Culicoides hypersensitivity is the most common equine hypersensitivity disorder and only limited treatment options exist. Objective: To evaluate the effect of a cream containing topical PUFAs, humectants and emollients on clinical signs of equine Culicoides hypersensitivity. Methods: Privately owned horses (n = 28) with clinical signs of Culicoides hypersensitivity. Methods: For a period of four ...
Effects of body weight gain on insulin and lipid metabolism in equines. The objective of this study was to illuminate the changes in serum NEFA concentrations during a combined glucose-insulin test (CGIT) and basal serum triacylglycerides (TGs) with increasing BW in Shetland ponies and warmblood horses. Therefore, basal blood samples were taken during fasting and a CGIT was performed in 19 healthy equines (10 Shetland ponies, 9 warmblood horses) (t0). After one (t1) and two (t2) year(s) of receiving 200% of their maintenance metabolizable energy requirement, procedures were repeated in the same equines. Sixteen of 19 equines had no signs of insulin dysregulation c...
Evaluation of an HMGA2 variant for pleiotropic effects on height and metabolic traits in ponies. Ponies are highly susceptible to metabolic derangements including hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and adiposity. Objective: Genetic loci affecting height in ponies have pleiotropic effects on metabolic pathways and increase the susceptibility to equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Methods: Two hundred ninety-four Welsh ponies and 529 horses. Methods: Retrospective study of horses phenotyped for metabolic traits. Correlations between height and metabolic traits were assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficients. Complementary genome-wide analysis methods were used to identify a region of in...
Effects of sodium caseinate on hindgut fermentation and fiber digestion in horses. Eight cecally cannulated Quarter Horses were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square experiment conducted in four 14-d periods to determine effects of sodium caseinate (casein) on hindgut fermentation and fiber digestion. During each period, horses were assigned to one of four treatments consisting of control (water; CON), 0.125 g casein/kg BW (LOW), 0.25 g casein/kg BW (MED), or 0.5 g casein/kg BW (HI). Casein was solubilized in 800 mL water and dosed directly into the cecum at 0700 and 1900 hours using a metal dosing syringe. Smooth Bromegrass hay (CP 8.50%), water, and salt were provided a...
Phospholipase A2 products predict the hematopoietic support capacity of horse serum. Horse serum is commonly used as an additive to support the maintenance of hematopoietic progenitor cells in culture. However, the wide variability in the performance of different lots calls for parallel testing of multiple batches over extended periods of culture. Identification of the serum components that determine hematopoietic support would therefore save considerable time and effort and would help to standardize culture procedures. We report here that the ability of horse serum to support the self-renewal of multipotent murine hematopoietic progenitor FDCP-Mix cells is correlated to the c...
The Effects of Various Levels of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Inflammatory Markers in Conditioned Horses During Lactate Threshold Tests. Exercise stimulates the release of inflammatory cytokines and supplementation with n-3 fatty acids reduces inflammation. The effects of different doses of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on inflammation in polo horses submitted to field lactate threshold tests (LT) were analyzed. We hypothesized that higher doses of DHA would reduce postexercise inflammation. Twenty polo horses were assigned to different treatments: control group fed (n = 5) grain and hay, 3 treatment groups (n = 5) fed 10, 20, or 50 g/day of DHA with grain and free choice hay during 60 days. Horses underwent LT tests before st...
[New aspects of non-waste use of secondary raw materials of horse breeding in Yakutia]. In the diet of the population of Yakutia, the meat of 6-month-old and local herd horses is especially valued for its high nutritive value, excellent taste and dietary properties. In addition to meat, a number of other slaughter products, such as by-products, intestinal raw materials, internal fat, blood, etc., can be received during primary processing. Many of them are not fully used. The relevance of this work is to study the possibilities of waste-free use of the Yakut horse products. Biochemical investigation of the composition of the secondary products of slaughter (fat, blood, by-products...
Effect of feeding pomegranate seed oil as a source of conjugated linolenic acid on Arabian stallion semen quality in cooled and postthawed condition. The objective was to assess the influence of pomegranate seed oil supplementation on the quality of fresh, cooled and frozen-thawed Arabian breed stallion semen. Eight stallions (n = 4 per group) received their normal diet (control group) or normal diet top dressed with 200 ml of pomegranate seed oil (PSO group). Semen was collected every fifteen days for 90 days. Stallions were reversed across the treatments after a sixty-day interval. In cooled and stored condition (2, 12 and 24 hr), spermatozoa motion characteristics, membrane integrity, viability, morphology and lipid peroxidation wer...
