Effects of fat supplementation on plasma glucose, insulin and fatty acid analysis in ponies maintained on a forage-based diet

The objective of this study was to observe how fat incorporated into an equine forage-based diet through supplementation altered levels of plasma glucose, insulin and fatty acids. Five Shetland/Hackney cross pony mares were fed alfalfa pellet diets top dressed with commercially available vegetable oil (blend of soya bean, canola and corn oils) at 0%, 5%, 10% or 15% of diet. Ponies were randomly assigned one of four diets to start, with a 14-day adjustment period between transitioning to another one of the four diets. Ponies were gradually adapted to the new diet within the 14-day period before a five-day trial period. Each pony received all four diets by the end of the study. Each trial was a five-day period with a three-day sample collection. Blood samples for each collection week were taken 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240 and 270 min and at 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 hr post-feeding. Excess fat did not impact plasma glucose (p > .1), nor did it affect blood plasma insulin concentration. While there was no time alteration found for plasma fatty acid concentration (p > .1), C14:0 increased when ponies were fed 0% fat and C18:2 decreased when ponies were fed 0% fat. Plasma fatty acids (% of total FA) were higher in C18:0, C18:1, C18:2 and C20:1 in the added fat diets (p < .1). These findings suggest the amounts reported in this study of fat supplementation on a forage-based diet did influence the fatty acid analysis within the pony, but did not negatively impact blood glucose and insulin concentrations.