A Fibre- vs. cereal grain-based diet: Which is better for horse welfare? Effects on intestinal permeability, muscle characteristics and oxidative status in horses reared for meat production.
Authors: Raspa Federica, Dinardo Francesca Rita, Vervuert Ingrid, Bergero Domenico, Bottero Maria Teresa, Pattono Daniele, Dalmasso Alessandra, Vinassa Marica, Valvassori Ermenegildo, Bruno Elena, De Palo Pasquale, Valle Emanuela
Journal: Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Summary
# Editorial Summary Nineteen young Bardigiano horses (averaging 14 months old) were allocated to either a high-cereal grain diet (57% grain-based pellets with 43% hay) or a high-fibre diet (30% fibrous pellets with 70% hay) over 129 days, with tissue and blood samples collected at slaughter to assess intestinal integrity, meat quality and oxidative stress markers. The cereal grain-fed group demonstrated significantly compromised gut barrier function, evidenced by elevated bacterial counts in mesenteric lymph nodes and liver, alongside unfavourable changes in muscle composition including reduced protein content, lower polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations, and diminished water-holding capacity—particularly in females. Whilst the grain-fed horses showed elevated antioxidant enzyme activity within muscle tissue (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase), this compensatory response was coupled with reduced plasma catalase activity, suggesting systemic oxidative imbalance rather than improved antioxidant status overall. These findings carry substantial implications for meat horse producers, indicating that high-grain feeding protocols—common in intensive production systems—compromise both intestinal health and meat quality whilst potentially elevating infection risk through increased microbial translocation. A shift towards higher forage diets would likely enhance both animal welfare and carcass characteristics, supporting the case for evidence-based revision of feeding practices in this production sector.
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Practical Takeaways
- •High-grain feeding (>50%) in meat horses compromises intestinal barrier function and increases pathogenic bacterial translocation—consider fibre-based feeding (70% forage) to improve welfare and reduce contamination risk
- •Cereal grain-based diets trigger compensatory antioxidant responses in muscle tissue, suggesting cellular stress; lower plasma catalase indicates systemic oxidative burden despite upregulation at tissue level
- •For producers of horse meat, fibre-based feeding protocols may improve food safety outcomes (reduced bacterial contamination) and overall animal welfare without necessarily compromising carcass quality
Key Findings
- •High cereal grain diet (57% grain) significantly increased intestinal permeability with elevated mesophilic bacteria in mesenteric lymph nodes (p=0.04) and liver (p=0.05) compared to high fibre diet (30% grain)
- •Horses fed high cereal grains showed increased muscle pH (p=0.02), lighter muscle colour (p=0.01), and higher intramuscular fat (p=0.03) but lower protein content (p=0.01)
- •High cereal grain diet increased muscle antioxidant enzyme activities (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, p=0.01 and p=0.03) but decreased plasma catalase activity (p=0.05), indicating systemic oxidative stress
- •High fibre diet resulted in lower muscle polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations and reduced water holding capacity, particularly in females