Effect Of Corn Processing On Glycemic Response In Horses

Hoekstra, K.E., K. Newman, M.A.P. Kennedy and J.D. Pagan. 1999. Effect of corn processing on glycemic response in horses. In: Proc. 16th Equine Nutr. and Physiol. Soc. Symp. pp. 144-148.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate how cracking, grinding or steam processing affects starch digestibility of corn, using glycemic response as an indirect measure of prececal starch digestibility. In a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square design, six mature horses were fed either cracked, ground, or steam-flaked corn (2 g/kg of BW in a single meal) and 1% BW/d hay over six periods, each lasting 8 to 10 d. At the end of each period, horses were fed their respective grain meals and blood samples were taken at 30-min intervals for 8 h. Area under the curve, mean glucose and lactate, peak glucose and lactate, and time to peak glucose and lactate were determined. Steam-flaked corn produced a greater glycemic response than cracked or ground corn. Peak glucose was also greater for steam-flaked
corn. Results of this study indicate that steam flaking alters glycemic response (and presumably starch digestibility) to a much greater extent than grinding or cracking.

 

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