Glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to feeding hay with different non-structural carbohydrate content in control and polysaccharide storage myopathy-affected horses.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether the glycaemic/insulinaemic responses to hay with non-structural carbohydrate (NSC, soluble carbohydrate) of 17% (HC), 10% (MC) or 4% (LC) differs in control horses and whether these responses differ between control and horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM). Five clinically normal control horses and seven PSSM horses, all unfit and of Quarter Horse breeding (age 9.4 ± 3.4 years, body condition score range: 4.5-6). A crossover design compared the HC and LC hay, with horses randomly assigned to hay type for 5 days, and all horses fed the MC hay during washout, after which the diets were switched. Horses were fed 1.5% BW (as fed) divided into 2 feeding per day, no grain. On morning of the fifth day of each block (seventh day for washout), horses were given 0.5% BW in hay, blood was drawn before and every 30 min for 5 h after feeding, and the rate of intake was measured. Whole blood glucose and plasma insulin were measured. The intake rate was significantly higher for HC. In control horses, the insulin area under the curve (6891.7 ± 3524.2 HC vs. 1185.4 ± 530.2 LC) was significantly higher than LC. Polysaccharide storage myopathy horses had significantly higher glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to HC vs. LC, however; the magnitude of insulin response was lower and glucose response higher in PSSM vs. control horses. Results suggest that insulin responses can differ significantly with the NSC content of hay. Feeding hay with 17% NSC produces elevations in insulin that could be detrimental for PSSM horses.
© 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2010-12-28 PubMed ID: 21198966DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01116.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The researchers investigated the effects of hay with differing non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) contents on blood sugar and insulin responses in healthy horses and those with polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM), a muscle disorder. The results indicated that the NSC content of the hay significantly affected the insulin responses in both healthy and PSSM horses, with higher NSC content feeding potentially harmful for PSSM horses.
Research Aim and Methodology
- The primary objective of this study was to figure out if the blood sugar (glycaemic) and insulin (insulinaemic) responses to feeding hay with different non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) contents differed in healthy control horses and those suffering from polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM), a glycogen storage disease in horses.
- The researchers used a crossover design, feeding the horses hay with high (17%), medium (10%), and low (4%) NSC content over different periods. The horses were randomly assigned the type of hay for five days, with a subsequent washout period during which all horses were fed medium content hay before switching diets. The horses were fed twice daily.
- Blood samples were collected before and at 30-minute intervals for five hours after feeding on the fifth day of each feeding block. The blood glucose levels and plasma insulin were measured. The rate at which horses consumed the hay was also monitored.
Findings
- The horses consumed hay with high NSC content more quickly.
- In the control group, horses fed with high NSC hay showed a significantly higher insulin response compared to those fed with low NSC hay, indicating that the insulin responses can differ based on the NSC content of hay.
- Horses with PSSM had higher blood glucose and insulin responses to high NSC hay in comparison to low NSC hay. However, the magnitude of insulin response was lower and blood glucose response higher in PSSM horses compared to control horses. This result suggests that horses with PSSM metabolize carbohydrates differently from healthy horses.
Implications
- The results suggest that feeding horses, especially those with PSSM, hay with higher NSC content leads to insulin elevations that can be detrimental.
- Therefore, the NSC content of hay should be considered as an essential factor in the dietary management of horses, particularly those diagnosed with PSSM.
Cite This Article
APA
Borgia L, Valberg S, McCue M, Watts K, Pagan J.
(2010).
Glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to feeding hay with different non-structural carbohydrate content in control and polysaccharide storage myopathy-affected horses.
J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl), 95(6), 798-807.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01116.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, MN, USA. borgi003@umn.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
- Animals
- Blood Glucose
- Cross-Over Studies
- Diet / veterinary
- Dietary Carbohydrates / analysis
- Glycogen Storage Disease / metabolism
- Glycogen Storage Disease / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / metabolism
- Horses
- Insulin / blood
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Stang FL, Bjerregaard R, Müller CE, Ergon Å, Halling M, Thorringer NW, Kidane A, Jensen RB. The effect of harvest time of forage on carbohydrate digestion in horses quantified by in vitro and mobile bag techniques. J Anim Sci 2023 Jan 3;101.
- Weinert-Nelson JR, Meyer WA, Williams CA. Crabgrass as an equine pasture forage: impact of establishment method on yield, nutrient composition, and horse preference. Transl Anim Sci 2022 Apr;6(2):txac050.
- Fitzgerald DM, Pollitt CC, Walsh DM, Sillence MN, de Laat MA. The effect of different grazing conditions on the insulin and incretin response to the oral glucose test in ponies. BMC Vet Res 2019 Oct 16;15(1):345.
- Owens TG, Barnes M, Gargano VM, Julien L, Mansilla WD, Devries TJ, Mcbride BW, Merkies K, Shoveller AK. Nutrient content changes from steaming or soaking timothy-alfalfa hay: effects on feed preferences and acute glycemic response in Standardbred racehorses1. J Anim Sci 2019 Oct 3;97(10):4199-4207.
- MacLeod C. ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2019 May;33(3):1123-1124.
- Durham AE, Frank N, McGowan CM, Menzies-Gow NJ, Roelfsema E, Vervuert I, Feige K, Fey K. ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Mar;33(2):335-349.
- Tosi I, Art T, Cassart D, Farnir F, Ceusters J, Serteyn D, Lemieux H, Votion DM. Altered mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation capacity in horses suffering from polysaccharide storage myopathy. J Bioenerg Biomembr 2018 Oct;50(5):379-390.
- Lindåse S, Nostell K, Bröjer J. A modified oral sugar test for evaluation of insulin and glucose dynamics in horses. Acta Vet Scand 2016 Oct 20;58(Suppl 1):64.
- Brøkner C, Austbø D, Næsset JA, Blache D, Knudsen KE, Hansen HH, Tauson AH. Glycaemic and insulinemic response to dietary carbohydrates in horses. Acta Vet Scand 2016 Oct 20;58(Suppl 1):69.
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