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Frontiers in physiology2023; 14; 1213032; doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1213032

Effect of high-starch or high-fibre diets on the energy metabolism and physical performance of horses during an 8-week training period.

Abstract: Large amounts of high-starch concentrates are traditionally fed to horses in training. However, this has been associated with digestive or muscle diseases and behavioural modifications. In parallel, it has been demonstrated that horses fed high-fibre, low-starch diets achieve the same performance over an exercise test as the ones fed high-starch diets. However, whether the same performance level can be maintained over a longer training cycle is still being determined. This study aimed to compare the evolution in physical performance and cardiorespiratory responses of two groups of French Trotters fed either a control high-starch (15.0 g dry matter hay/kg body mass/day + 6.6 g dry matter oats/kg body mass/day) or a high-fibre diet (75% of oats replaced by dehydrated alfalfa) over an 8-week training period. The horses that entered the trial were untrained for ≥4 months and previously fed hay only. Track training with speed monitoring included interval training sessions and 2400 m performance tests from week 1 to week 8 (W8). Before (week 0, W0) and after (week 9, W9) the training period, horses performed an incremental continuous exercise test during which cardiorespiratory parameters were measured. Both groups progressed to the same extent regarding physical performance measured during interval training sessions (acceleration: 0.16 m.s-2 at W0 and 0.40 m.s-2 at W8; p < 0.0001), the 2400 m performance test (average speed: 8.88 m.s-1 at W0 and 10.55 m.s-1 at W8; p < 0.0001), and the incremental continuous exercise test (speed during the fastest stage: 9.57 m.s-1 at W0 and 10.53 m.s-1 at W9; p = 0.030). Although oxygen consumption increased with training (p = 0.071), it was not influenced by the diet. On the contrary, carbon dioxide production increased in the high-starch group only (high-starch group: 84.0 vs. high-fibre group: 77.7 mL.kg-1.min-1 at W9; p = 0.031). The results illustrate that horses in both groups progressed similarly but did not use the same metabolic pathways during exercise. This hypothesis is supported by carbohydrate oxidation, which tended to increase in the high-starch group at W9 but decreased in the high-fibre group (p = 0.061). In conclusion, the substitution of high-starch by high-fibre diets enabled similar performance over an 8-week training period and altered energy metabolism in a way that could be beneficial during high-intensity exercise.
Copyright © 2023 Martin, Lepers, Vasseur and Julliand.
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Publication Date: 2023-09-08 PubMed ID: 37745248PubMed Central: PMC10514361DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1213032Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research examines the influence of high-starch and high-fibre diets on horses’ energy metabolism and physical performance over an eight-week training period, indicating that both diet types allow similar levels of performance but different metabolic pathways.

Objective of the Research

  • The study aims to investigate the effects of high-starch and high-fibre diets on the energy metabolism and physical performance of horses during an 8-week training regimen. Specifically, it investigates if horses can maintain performance levels over extended training cycles with different diets.

Methodology

  • The research utilizes two groups of French Trotters, fed either a high-starch diet (consisting of hay and oats) or a high-fibre diet (where 75% of the oats are substituted by dehydrated alfalfa).
  • The horses were untrained for a minimum of four months prior to the study and had been previously fed only hay.
  • The training regimen included interval training sessions and performance tests over 2400 metres from the 1st to the 8th week.
  • The team monitored the horses’ cardiorespiratory parameters before and after the training period during an incremental continuous exercise test.

Findings

  • The study found that both groups demonstrated similar progress in their physical performance over the interval training sessions and the 2400-metre performance test.
  • Oxygen consumption, unaltered by diet, increased with training while carbon dioxide production increased only in the high-starch group.
  • The investigators found that the two groups used different metabolic pathways during the exercise, supported by changes in carbohydrate oxidation that increased in the high-starch group and decreased in the high-fibre group by the end of the training period.

Conclusion

  • The study concludes that substituting high-starch diets with high-fiber diets enables horses to achieve similar physical performance levels over an 8-week training period.
  • However, the study also indicates that this diet substitution alters energy metabolism in a way that could be favorable during high-intensity exercise.

Cite This Article

APA
Martin A, Lepers R, Vasseur M, Julliand S. (2023). Effect of high-starch or high-fibre diets on the energy metabolism and physical performance of horses during an 8-week training period. Front Physiol, 14, 1213032. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1213032

Publication

Frontiers in physiology
ISSN: 1664-042X
NlmUniqueID: 101549006
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 14
Pages: 1213032

Researcher Affiliations

Martin, Agathe
  • Lab To Field, Dijon, France.
Lepers, Romuald
  • INSERM UMR 1093-CAPS, Université de Bourgogne, UFR des Sciences du Sport, Dijon, France.
Vasseur, Maximilien
  • Lab To Field, Dijon, France.
  • INSERM UMR 1093-CAPS, Université de Bourgogne, UFR des Sciences du Sport, Dijon, France.
Julliand, Samy
  • Lab To Field, Dijon, France.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Connysson M, Jansson A. Starch Allowance and Muscle Enzyme Activity in Healthy Standardbred Trotters Trained by Professional Trainers. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2025 Sep;109(5):1130-1137.
    doi: 10.1111/jpn.14127pubmed: 40329464google scholar: lookup
  2. Vasseur M, Lepers R, Langevin N, Julliand S, Grimm P. Fibrolytic efficiency of the large intestine microbiota may benefit running speed in French trotters: A pilot study. Physiol Rep 2024 Nov;12(21):e70110.
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