Feed intake patterns and associated blood glucose, free fatty acid and insulin changes in ponies.
Abstract: The feeding patterns of five pony geldings fed pelleted diets ad libitum were quantified for five 24-hr periods. Eighty percent of a given pony's total daily intake (6.3 ± .81 kg or 2.9 ± .41% BW) was eaten in 10 ± .9 separate meals. Each meal averaged .49 ±.13 kg of pellets and lasted 44 ± 10 minutes. The mean intermeal interval was 84 ± 10 min, with a maximum of 3 hour. The animals spent 38 ± 7.2% of a 24-hr period engaged in eating activities, 84 ± 3.7% of which was devoted to meals, the other 16% spent in nibbling activities. Forty-nine percent of the total daily intake was consumed between 0800 and 1700 hours. Fewer (P<.01), smaller (P<.05) and less frequent (P<.01) meals were observed between 1700 and 0800 hour. Wood chewing was observed only in the course of aggressive interactions between ponies.
The ponies were placed on a feeding schedule that mimicked their normal ad libitum feeding patterns. Venous blood samples were drawn 1) after 1 hr of feeding; 2) after a subsequent 3-hr fast; 3) at the end of a second meal after the fast. Plasma glucose dropped from a satiety level of 111.4 ± 7.1 mg/100 ml to 87.5 ± 4.9 mg/100 ml after the 3-hr fast (P<.05) and had risen to the previous satiety level (104.6 ± 13.4, P<.005) at the end of the subsequent meal. Immunoreactive Insulin (IRI) dropped from 85.2 ± 43 µU/ml t0 52.4 ± 43 (P<.005) during the fast and rose to 91.4 ± 48 (P<.05) after the second meal. Plasma free fatty acids (FFA) did not change significantly from the first satiated state (.187 ± .04 meq/ml) to the normal hunger state (.196 ± .03 meq/ml) or at the second satiated state (.184 ± .05 meq/ml). There were interpony variations (P<.01) in the plasma IRI at all three sampling times. The plasma glucose level at normal hunger was negatively correlated (P<.01) with the subsequent meal size and rate of eating. It is postulated that plasma glucose levels may play a role in the control of feed intake in ponies.
Publication Date: 1979-09-01 PubMed ID: 393688DOI: 10.2527/jas1979.493838xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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The study investigates the feeding patterns of ponies and the impact on blood glucose, free fatty acid, and insulin levels. The findings suggest that plasma glucose levels may have a role in controlling feed intake in ponies.
Feeding Pattern Analysis
- Five pony geldings were observed over five 24-hour periods while being fed a pelleted diet freely.
- The ponies consumed 80% of their daily food intake (around 6.3kg) in roughly 10 separate meals.
- Each meal averaged about 0.49kg and lasted 44 minutes.
- The average gap between meals was 84 minutes with a maximum of 3 hours.
- Over a day, the ponies spent around 38% of their time eating. Out of this, 84% was spent on meals while the remaining 16% was spent nibbling.
- Half of the total daily intake occurred between 8am and 5pm.
- During the hours of 5pm and 8am fewer, smaller, and less frequent meals were observed.
- Aggressive interactions between ponies were associated with wood chewing.
Changes in Blood Components
- The ponies were then put on a feeding schedule that mimicked their regular feeding habits.
- Blood samples were taken after 1 hour of feeding, after a subsequent 3-hour fast, and at the end of a second meal after the fast.
- After fasting, plasma glucose levels dropped from 111.4 mg/100 ml to 87.5 mg/100 ml, but levels rose back to the initial level after another meal.
- Insulin levels also decreased during fasting and returned to the initial levels after the second meal.
- Free fatty acid levels did not change significantly before and after meals or during fasting.
- There were variations in insulin levels among different ponies at all three sampling times.
- The blood glucose level when the pony was normally hungry was negatively correlated with the size of the subsequent meal and the eating rate.
- The study suggests that plasma glucose levels could impact the control of feed intake in ponies.
Cite This Article
APA
Ralston SL, Van den Broek G, Baile CA.
(1979).
Feed intake patterns and associated blood glucose, free fatty acid and insulin changes in ponies.
J Anim Sci, 49(3), 838-845.
https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1979.493838x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed
- Animals
- Blood Glucose / analysis
- Fasting
- Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / blood
- Feeding Behavior
- Horses / metabolism
- Insulin / blood
- Male
- Satiation
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Watts AG, Kanoski SE, Sanchez-Watts G, Langhans W. The physiological control of eating: signals, neurons, and networks. Physiol Rev 2022 Apr 1;102(2):689-813.
- Scharrer E. [Satiation mechanism]. Z Ernahrungswiss 1984 Dec;23(4):241-54.
- Kirton R, Sandford I, Raffan E, Hallsworth S, Burman OHP, Morgan R. The impact of restricted grazing systems on the behaviour and welfare of ponies. Equine Vet J 2025 May;57(3):737-744.
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