Effect of dietary energy source on the plasma parameters of equine athletes trained in a deep water aqua treadmill

Abstract

The aim of the study was to test the effect of different dietary energy sources on several blood biochemical parameters on aqua treadmill trained show jumpers. Four horses in latin square arrangements consumed identical amounts of meadow hay, and four concentrates differing mainly in their energy source (control, starch from oat, oil from sunflower and sugar from sugar beet molasses) but providing the same amount of energy. One experimental period consisted of a 10 day adaptation and 4 day test period involving deep water aqua treadmill training. Blood samples were taken during and after the last aqua treadmill training and lactate, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, glucose and triglycerides levels were determined from the plasma. The different dietary energy sources resulted in similar plasma lactate levels. The increased starch content of the feed resulted in significantly lower (p < 0.05) creatine kinase level at the end of the first walking section of aqua training. This result appeared later as a tendency (p ≤ 0.1). Horses fed sunflower oil as a main energy source had higher aspartate aminotransferase level after two hours of the aqua training. The plasma triglyceride concentration in the sunflower oil group tended (p < 0.1) to be lower at the end of aqua training; while one hour after the training it was significantly lower. The elevated level of creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase indicates that lactate does not correctly reflect the strenuousness of the aqua training. The dietary energy source modifies the metabolic response to aqua training, even if it is not considerable.

Keywords

• Aqua training
• energy source
• equine
• plasma