Feeding grape seed extract to horses: effects on health, intake and digestion.

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.