Postprandial insulin responses to various feedstuffs differ in insulin dysregulated horses compared with non-insulin dysregulated controls

Abstract

Background: Controlling postprandial hyperinsulinaemia is important in insulin dysregulated (ID) horses to reduce the risk of laminitis. Objectives: To evaluate postprandial insulin responses of ID versus non-insulin dysregulated (NID) horses to feedstuffs varying in nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) and crude protein (CP). Study design: Randomised crossover. Methods: Eighteen adult mixed-breed horses (13.3 ± 2.2 years; 621 ± 78.8 kg) were individually fed [~1 g/kg body weight (BW)] specific feedstuffs within two crossover studies. Eight ID and eight NID were used in Study A, and 11 ID and 5 NID in Study B. In Study A, all horses were randomly fed once: cracked corn (CC: ~74% NSC & ~9% CP), r..