Insulin dysregulation and obesity can increase the risk of horses and ponies developing pasture-associated laminitis, but this can also occur in non-obese animals. Therefore, researchers in Australia in collaboration with WALTHAM™ examined if diet, obesity and breed may play a role in a horse or pony’s insulin sensitivity.
 

Read more on this exciting research that was recently awarded as the 2017 “Most Commendable Paper in an International Journal” by the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS)!
 

Insulin dysregulation and obesity can increase the risk of horses and ponies developing pasture-associated laminitis, but this can also occur in non-obese animals. Therefore, researchers in Australia in collaboration with WALTHAM™ examined if diet, obesity and breed may play a role in a horse or pony's insulin sensitivity.
 

Study Objectives
 

To evaluate the effects of gaining weight by feeding either a fat/oil-rich or cereal-rich diet on body fat, insulin sensitivity and the level of "signaling proteins" secreted by fat tissue in different breeds of horses and ponies.
 

Horses & Diets
 

  • 11 Standardbreds, Andalusians and mixed breed ponies (33 total) were assigned 2 of the following diets over 2 study periods
    • Fat/oil-rich diet as vegetable oil
    • Cereal-rich diet as micronized maize
    • Control fed base ration only
  • The fat/oil-rich and cereal-rich diets provided 200% of their daily energy (calorie) requirements
  • The control diet was fed to maintain moderate body condition
  •  All groups were fed the same ad libitum hay and a base ration of soaked soy hull pellets and a vitamin/mineral supplement


Take Home Message
 

  • Obesity alone presents a welfare risk to horses and ponies due to the effects on the skeletal and thermoregulatory systems
  • Overfeeding a cereal-rich diet can cause obesity, reduce insulin sensitivity and reduce adiponectin, potentially putting horses and ponies at greater risk for the development of laminitis


Results
 

  • Feeding the fat/oil-rich and cereal-rich diets resulted in an increase in body condition score (BCS), body weight, total body fat and plasma leptin levels
  • Obesity as a result of feeding a cereal-rich diet reduced tissue insulin sensitivity in all breeds while gaining weight through the fat/oil-rich diet did not
  • Adiponectin concentrations were reduced following the weight gain on the cereal-rich diet
  • Ponies and Andalusians had a lower level of insulin sensitivity compared to Standardbreds regardless of diet


For more information, please click here (opens in new window) .
 

References:
 

Bamford NJ, Potter SJ, Baskerville CL, Harris PA, Bailey SR. Effect of increased adiposity on insulin sensitivity and adipokine concentrations in different equine breeds adapted to cereal-rich or fat-rich meals. Vet J. 2016 Aug;214:14-20. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2016.02.002. Epub 2016 Feb 12. PMID: 27387720.