Abstract
In a cross-over study with six adult horses, the effect of isoenergetic replacement of dietary glucose by beetpulp on the concentration of plasma triacylglycerols was studied. The test ration contained 25% beetpulp in the dietary dry matter. The feeding of beet pulp lowered plasma triacylglycerol concentrations (p = 0.058) in the fasting state and raised the activity of heparin-released lipoprotein lipase (LPL) (p = 0.059) and the concentration of HDL2 cholesterol (p = 0.058). In the fasting state, the plasma concentrations of free fatty acids (p = 0.073) and those of beta-hydroxybutyrate (p = 0.043) were increased after feeding beetpulp. At 3 h after feed intake, consumption of beetpulp instead of glucose had produced higher plasma concentrations of both glucose (p = 0.014) and insulin (p = 0.040). It is suggested that beetpulp ingestion activates LPL followed by a drop in plasma triacylglycerols.