Bee pollen product supplementation to horses in training seems to improve feed intake: A pilot study.

This research conducted a pilot study involving Arabian horses in training and aimed to explore if supplementing their diet with Dynamic Trio 50/50, a bee pollen-based product, could enhance their physical fitness and nutritional variables, along with their blood leukocyte profiles. The findings suggested that the bee pollen product may have beneficial effects on performance by aiding horses to meet their presumed higher nutrient necessities by boosting feed intake and consequently nutrient retention.

Research Methodology

• The study involved 10 Arabian horses that were subjected to a standardised exercise test (SET), and based on their sex and fitness levels, were randomly allocated to two groups. One group received a daily dosage of 118 g of Dynamic Trio 50/50 (bee pollen-based supplement) while the other group received a 73 g placebo for a duration of 42 days.
• Between the 18th and 21st days of the study, a total collection was performed on six geldings to measure nutrient retention and digestibility of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF).
• Post 42 days, the horses were conditioned with exercise and subjected to another SET. Various health and performance indicators were measured including V160 and V200 (computed from SET heart rates), lactate, glucose, haematocrit (HT), haemoglobin (HB) concentrations from SET blood samples and total leukocyte counts. IgG, IgM and IgA concentrations were determined from both resting and recovery blood samples from both SETs.

Research Findings

• Geldings on the bee pollen supplement ate more feed compared to those on the placebo.
• A decrease in phosphorus excretion was noticed in horses receiving the bee pollen product, and they also tended to retain more nitrogen.
• Horses on the bee pollen supplement seemed to digest more NDF and ADF yet had reduced NDF digestibility and there was trend towards reduced ADF digestibility.
• No significant differences were found between the two groups concerning V160 and V200, heart rate, lactate levels, haematocrit and haemoglobin concentrations.
• A lower lymphocyte count trend was observed in the bee pollen supplement group compared to the placebo group on the 42nd day of the study.
• The researchers concluded that supplementation with Dynamic Trio 50/50 could potentially have a positive impact on horse performance by increasing the feed intake – hence, addressing possible higher nutrient demands while in training.