Carbohydrate metabolism and metabolic disorders in horses

Abstract

Horses evolved consuming primarily fermentable forage carbohydrates, but forage diets have been traditionally supplemented with grain meals rich in starch and sugar in order to provide additional calories, protein and micronutrients. Starch and sugar are important for performance horses, but the consumption starch-rich meals may cause equine digestive and metabolic disorders. The critical capacity for preileal starch digestibility appears to be 0.35 to 0.4% but may be as little, depending on the source of starch. Small intestinal absorption of simple sugars is limited by the activity and expression of two classes of glucose carrier proteins, which are affected by chronic intake of hydrolyzable carbohydrate but may be sluggish to respond to abrupt changes in diet, further exacerbating the risk of overload. The most rapid fermentation occurs during starch overload or in the presence of fructans. Rapid fermentation perturbs the microbial and pH balance of the cecum and colon, favoring proliferation of Lactobacillus spp and acid production and increasing the risk of colic and laminitis. In addition to digestive disturbances, feeding grain concentrates rich in hydrolyzable carbohydrate may increase the risk of insulin resistance, which has been associated with obesity, laminitis and chronic founder, developmental orthopedic disease, and Cushing's disease in horses. This threshold concentration of starch intake may be a starting point for horse owners, feed manufacturers and veterinarians that may be claimed to be "low" enough to reduce risk in insulin resistant horses sensitive to grain-associated disorders.