Glucose and Insulin Response of Aged Horses Grazing Alfalfa, Perennial Cool-Season Grass, and Teff During the Spring and Late Fall.
Authors: DeBoer Michelle L, Hathaway Marcia R, Weber Patty Sue D, Sheaffer Craig C, Kuhle Kerry J, Martinson Krishona L
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Elevated nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) in spring and autumn pastures pose genuine metabolic challenges for horses, particularly those predisposed to insulin dysregulation, yet practical forage alternatives for high-risk grazing periods remain limited. Researchers monitored blood glucose and insulin responses in six mature horses grazing three different forages—alfalfa and cool-season grass in spring, cool-season grass and teff in late autumn—using jugular catheters and serial blood sampling throughout controlled grazing periods. During late fall, teff demonstrated substantially lower NSC concentrations than cool-season grass, which translated to clinically meaningful reductions in average glucose, average insulin, and peak insulin responses in horses consuming teff (P ≤ 0.05). For practitioners managing metabolically sensitive horses during high-risk seasons, particularly autumn, establishing teff as a dedicated grazing option could meaningfully reduce the glycaemic and insulinaemic burden; spring management remains more complex given that alfalfa and cool-season grass showed comparable metabolic effects, though the findings underscore the value of forage analysis and strategic seasonal pasture selection for at-risk populations.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Consider introducing teff as an alternative grazing option during high-risk periods (late fall) to reduce metabolic stress in horses prone to insulin dysregulation
- •Monitor aged horses more closely during spring and late fall grazing when NSC levels in pastures are elevated, as these periods present metabolic challenges
- •Teff grazing may be particularly beneficial for horses with metabolic sensitivities, offering lower insulin and glucose spikes compared to traditional cool-season grasses
Key Findings
- •Teff had significantly lower NSC compared with cool-season grass in late fall (P ≤ 0.05)
- •Horses grazing teff showed lower average glucose, average insulin, and peak insulin concentrations compared with cool-season grass (P ≤ 0.05)
- •Seasonal differences in NSC and metabolic response were observed between spring and late fall grazing periods
- •Grazing teff in late fall could be a management strategy to reduce glucose and insulin responses in horses