Effects of oat processing on the glycaemic and insulin responses in horses.
Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different oat processing techniques on the plasma glucose and insulin response in horses. In a cross-over design, six horses (ages 4-15 years, mean body weight+/-SD: 450+/-37 kg) were fed in random order: untreated oats, finely ground, steam-flaked and popped oats. The total oat intake varied between 1.05-1.5 kg/day, and the amount of diet was adjusted to a starch content of 630 g starch per day and horse (1.2-1.5 g starch/kg BW/day). During the stabilization period of 10 days, horses additionally received 6 kg grass hay. Following this adaptation period, plasma glucose and insulin responses to the respective dietary treatments were tested. Horses were fed their test diet (exclusively oats), and blood samples were collected at defined times to determine glycaemic and insulin response. Oat feeding resulted in a significant increase in mean plasma glucose and insulin concentration. However, glucose and insulin peaks as well as their respective areas under the curves were not clearly influenced by oat processing. The glycaemic index varied between 94.7+/-11.2% (steam-flaked oats) and 102.6+/-14.5% (finely ground oats, n.s.), the insulin index ranged between 93.8+/-18.9% (popped oats) and 150.0+/-77.6% (finely ground oats, n.s.). The insulin reaction to oat feeding showed a high variability between the horses. The results of this study indicate that the glucose and insulin responses are not clearly altered by the different types of oat processing. However, the glucose and insulin responses tended to be lower in thermally treated oats when compared with untreated or finely ground oats.
Publication Date: 2003-09-27 PubMed ID: 14511133DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0396.2003.00420.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research is about studying how different methods of oat processing influence the glucose and insulin levels in horses. It was observed that while all forms of oats did raise glucose and insulin levels, the way in which the oats were processed didn’t show a clear impact on glucose and insulin responses. However, oats treated with heat tended to have a lower response than untreated oats.
Research Methodology
- Six horses aged between 4 and 15 years were used for the study. Their mean body weight was about 450 kg.
- Each horse was given a different oat processing diet type, which included: untreated oats, finely ground oats, steam-flaked oats and popped oats. This was done in a random order.
- The total intake of oats varied between horses, but it ranged from 1.05 kg to 1.5 kg per day.
- The quantity of oats in the diet was adjusted to contain 630g of starch per day per horse.
- During a stabilization period of 10 days, horses were also provided with 6 kg of grass hay.
Monitoring Glycaemic and Insulin Response
- After the 10 days, blood samples were taken from the horses at specific times to check glucose and insulin levels.
- They observed that oat feeding generated a significant increase in plasma glucose and insulin concentration irrespective of the oat processing method.
Impact of Oat Processing on Glucose and Insulin Levels
- Despite the increase in insulin and glucose levels, there was no clear evidence that the type of oat processing influenced these levels specifically.
- The glycaemic index across the oat processing types varied between 94.7% (for steam-flaked oats) and 102.6% (for finely ground oats).
- Similarly, the insulin index varied between 93.8% (for popped oats) and 150.0% (for finely ground oats).
Conclusion
- The study therefore concludes that while oat intake certainly affects glucose and insulin levels in horses, the method of oat processing does not appear to have clear impact.
- However, the study also noted that thermally treated oats slightly lowered the glucose and insulin responses when compared to untreated or finely ground oats.
Cite This Article
APA
Vervuert I, Coenen M, Bothe C.
(2003).
Effects of oat processing on the glycaemic and insulin responses in horses.
J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl), 87(3-4), 96-104.
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0396.2003.00420.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, D-30173 Hannover, Germany. ingridvervuert@tiho-hannover.de
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed
- Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
- Animals
- Area Under Curve
- Avena
- Blood Glucose / metabolism
- Cross-Over Studies
- Female
- Food Handling / methods
- Horses / metabolism
- Insulin / blood
- Male
- Random Allocation
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Thorringer NW, Weisberg MR, Jensen RB. The effects of processing barley and maize on metabolic and digestive responses in horses. J Anim Sci 2020 Dec 1;98(12).
- Huang X, Li Q, Li X, Li C, Li J, He L, Jing H, Yang F, Li X. Effects of different grain types on nutrient apparent digestibility, glycemic responses, and fecal VFA content in weaned foals. BMC Vet Res 2025 Apr 14;21(1):273.
- Jensen RB, Walslag IH, Marcussen C, Thorringer NW, Junghans P, Nyquist NF. The effect of feeding order of forage and oats on metabolic and digestive responses related to gastric emptying in horses. J Anim Sci 2025 Jan 4;103.
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