Postprandial Blood Glucose and Insulin Responses of Horses to Feeds Differing in Soluble Fiber Concentration.

The research article investigates how different high soluble fiber diets impact the post-meal blood glucose and insulin levels in horses. The findings show that such diets can influence these levels, with their consumption rate also playing a role.

Experimental Design

• The researchers conducted their experiment with a 4×4 Latin square design, a specific design used in experiments to avoid the influence of two nuisance factors. This design was used to manage the order of diets and control their effects on the variables measured.
• Four Quarter Horse geldings were acclimated to diets either made up of orchardgrass hay alone or combined with one of three treatment ingredients: molassed sugar beet pulp (BEET), almond hulls (HULL), or steam-crimped oats (OATS).
• The horses’ blood was systematically examined for a six hour period following their feed consumption to record changes in glycemic and insulinemic responses.

Glycemic and Insulinemic Responses during Meal Test

• The horses’ glycemic response during the meal test, an indicator of their blood sugar level, typically peaked between 60 and 90 minutes post feeding and differed slightly based on their diet.
• The level of insulin in the horses’ blood also was affected by their diet. Specifically, horses that were fed orchardgrass hay had lower insulin levels compared to those fed with the BEET and OATS diets.

Glycemic and Insulinemic Responses during Starch Test

• In a separate test to examine the effects of starch, horses that consumed the ORCH and HULL diets had lower glucose levels compared to horses on the BEET diet.
• Furthermore, horses that were fed the ORCH diet had lower insulin levels than those on the BEET diet.

Impact of Consumption Rate

• Interestingly, the rate at which the horses consumed their diets also led to variations in the post-meal glucose and insulin response. Horses took longer to consume the HULL diet, which likely influenced their post-meal responses.

Future Research Directions

• The researchers concluded their findings by suggesting the need for future studies to better understand the impact of soluble fiber on horses’ post-meal glucose metabolism. Specifically, they recommended integrating the functional properties of feeds with physiological responses for this future exploration.