Feeding grape seed extract to horses: effects on health, intake and digestion.
Abstract: A feeding trial involving four Thoroughbred race horses was undertaken to establish whether inclusion of grape seed extract (GSE) in the diet of horses undergoing mild exercise had any effects on their general health, intake and digestion. Supplementation with GSE had no effect on either feed or water intake of the horses and the supplement was readily palatable to the horses at all levels of inclusion. Feeding GSE caused no adverse effects in terms of animal health (temperature, pulse and respirations rates), and there were some positive effects related to a presumed alteration in fermentation in the hindgut. Feeding GSE increased faecal pH, changing from acid faeces (pH 6.6) when no GSE was fed to neutral faeces (pH 7.0) when 150 mg GSE/kg body weight (BW) was fed. In addition, blood glucose concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased when GSE was fed at 100 and 150 mg/kg BW (5.50 ± 0.26 and 5.32 ± 0.72 mmol/l, respectively) compared with the control diet (5.77 ± 0.31 mmol/l). The actual mechanisms causing these alterations are yet to be elucidated, but could have important implications for the prevention of acidosis.
Publication Date: 2009-03-01 PubMed ID: 22444308DOI: 10.1017/S1751731108003509Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article investigates the effects of feeding grape seed extract (GSE) to Thoroughbred race horses. It found that GSE did not negatively impact the horses’ health or intake and digestion, but led to some positive alterations, such as a rise in faecal pH to neutral and a reduction in blood glucose concentrations.
Research Method and Subjects
- The study was conducted using a feeding trial with four Thoroughbred race horses. The horses were subjected to a diet that included grape seed extract (GSE), and their health parameters, as well as intake and digestion, were examined.
Observations and Results
- GSE supplementation did not affect the feed or water intake of the horses, indicating that the substance was palatable even at high concentrations.
- No negative health effects were observed in the horses, as assessed by temperature, pulse, and respiration rates. This suggests that GSE supplementation did not cause any harm to their overall health.
- The researchers observed potential positive effects related to alterations in hindgut fermentation. This is suggested by an increase in faecal pH, changing from acidic to neutral with a GSE dose of 150 mg/kg body weight.
- Another significant result was a decrease in blood glucose concentrations when GSE was fed at 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight. This was compared to the control diet which did not include GSE.
Implications and Future Research
- The exact mechanisms causing these observed alterations in intestinal pH and blood glucose levels were not identified in the study. Thus, further research is needed to fully understand how GSE supplementation brings about these changes.
- The findings could have important implications for the prevention of acidosis (an excess of acid in the body fluids), a common condition in racehorses caused by the high grain, low forage diet typically fed to these animals. The identified shift towards a neutral pH in the faecal content of the horses after GSE supplementation might mean that GSE could be used strategically to prevent this condition.
Cite This Article
APA
Davies JA, Krebs GL, Barnes A, Pant I, McGrath PJ.
(2009).
Feeding grape seed extract to horses: effects on health, intake and digestion.
Animal, 3(3), 380-384.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731108003509 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- 1School of Agriculture and Environment, Curtin University of Technology, PMB 1, Northam 6401, Western Australia, Australia.
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Mokni M, Amri M, Limam F, Aouani E. Effect of grape seed and skin supplement on milk yield and composition of dairy ewes. Trop Anim Health Prod 2017 Jan;49(1):131-137.
- Quagliardi M, Frapiccini E, Marini M, Panfili M, Santanatoglia A, Kouamo Nguefang ML, Roncarati A, Vittori S, Borsetta G. Use of grape by-products in aquaculture: New frontiers for a circular economy application. Heliyon 2024 Mar 15;10(5):e27443.
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