Insulin Resistance in Horses

I’ve had several questions about insulin resistance – here’s a good abstract from the late Dr. Kronfeld from Virginia Tech (J. Animal Science, 2005). Take home message is to avoid high starch, high fructan, high glycemic feeds in these types of horses.

Insulin resistance in the horse: Definition, detection, and dietetics1,2
D. S. Kronfeld*,3, K. H. Treiber*, T. M. Hess* and R. C. Boston
* Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Middleburg 20117; and and School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square 19348
3 Correspondence: Dept. of Anim. and Poultry Sci., Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0306 (e-mail: kronfeld@vt.edu

Specific quantitative methods for determining insulin resistance have been applied to obesity, activity/inactivity, reproductive efficiency, and exercise in horses, but only nonspecific indications have implicated insulin resistance as a risk factor or component of equine diseases. Insulin resistance derives from insulin insensitivity at the cell surface, which regulates glucose availability inside the cell, or from insulin ineffectiveness due to disruption of glucose metabolism inside the cell. Interplay of insensitivity and ineffectiveness should be considered in regard to patterns of disease, such as laminitis. Detection of insulin insensitivity is made weakly on the basis of fasting hyperinsulinemia, more strongly with a statistically validated surrogate, such as the logarithm of the reciprocal of basal insulinemia, or best by a specific quantitative method. Subjects found to be at risk can be managed to improve their insulin sensitivity by dietetics. Claims for dietetic prevention of a disease should be distinguished from claims for avoidance of a dietary risk factor. The evidence required for a claim of prevention is a controlled intervention trial as for a therapeutic drug, according to the U.S. FDA. In contrast, the evidence required for a claim of avoidance is association revealed by population studies plus causation shown by mechanistic experiments, as formulated in the Surgeon General of the Public Health Office’s (1988) Report on Nutrition and Health. In this view, no appropriate evidence is available for the prevention or treatment of insulin resistance in an equine disease. Evidence is available, however, to justify avoidance of high-glycemic feeds, such as high starch intakes in grains, clover, and alfalfa, and high fructan intakes in grasses, to decrease the risk of acute digestive disturbances associated with rapid fermentation, and chronic metabolic disorders associated with insulin resistance. During submaximal exercise, high-glycemic meals have been shown to increase glucose utilization immediately. On the other hand, chronic adaptation to feeds that exchange corn oil and fiber sources for sources of sugar and starch confers benefits to athletic performance that may be due to several aspects of fat adaptation, including the regulation of insulin sensitivity, as well as glycolysis and lipid oxidation by signals from insulin receptors. Information regarding insulin resistance suggests methods for protecting health and promoting horse performance.

J.Tim Potter, Ph.D., PAS
Area Specialized Agent-Equine

RC Car Race

During the intermission of the 2009 Carquest Spring Mowdown Lawnmower Race on Saturday, May 9th there will be a RC(remote control) Car Race. If you are a student in grades 6-8 or an adult and would like to participate in the race, click here for your entry form. Entry forms are due to Joe Whisnant or to the Extension Office by Thursday, May 7th.

There is also a raffle taking place. If you would like a chance to win a RC Car (valued at $200) stop by Carquest in Sparta to enter. Tickets for the raffle are $1 each or 6 for $5.

2009 Strawberry Field Day

The Piedmont Research Station in Salisbury is hosting the 2009 Strawberry Field Day on Tuesday, May 5th. Registration is at 9:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 9:50 a.m. Highlights of the program includes: strawberry tunnel research, plant material considerations for tunnels, strawberry breeding research and biological mite management. Click here for directions. For more information, contact Barclay Poling at 919.418.9687 or barclay_poling@ncsu.edu.

Did you know it is National Park Week?

National Park Week is an annual Presidentially proclaimed week for celebration and recognition of National Parks. Consider visiting one of the National Parks in North Carolina!

Here is a little challenge-can you name all the National Parks in NC? (there are nine).
http://www.nps.gov/state/nc/

For more information and a list of National Park Week events in NC, go to http://www.nps.gov/npweek/

Miss America gives credit to 4-H

Ask Katie Stam about her passion for community service, and she'll tell you it all started with 4-H. Long before winning her title as Miss America, Katie Stam from Seymour, Ind. would spend hours in 4-H performing in creative dramatics, competing at the Jackson County fair, and visiting with 4-H friends and family. It was there that she learned the values of leadership, mentorship, and community service. And like most 4-H kids, she collected blue ribbons and trophies along the way to mark her accomplishments.

In January the Indiana farm girl was crowned Miss America 2009 and now that she's in the national spotlight, Stam is getting the message out that community service is important and rewarding. Stam's platform, Promoting Community Service and Involvement, aims to get youth involved in their own neighborhoods.

With community service as her national platform, Stam could potentially transform the way millions of young people think about giving back to their communities and 4-H. "4-H is such an advocate for community service," says Stam. "It encourages you to reach out to people in so many different ways."

She is also the National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network and is the official spokesperson for Zerosmoke.Stam is currently being considered for Time Magazine's annual 100 Most Influential People List. The annual list asks the public to rate each candidate on their influence on the world. Those recognized fall in one of five categories: Leaders & Revolutionaries, Builders & Titans, Artists & Entertainers, Scientists & Thinkers, and Heroes & Icons. Within each category, the 20 most influential people are selected, for a grand total of 100 each year.

This article was reprinted from The Cattle Business Weekly.

Soil Testing

Have you ever wondered what a soil test is or what the purpose of one is? Here is a in-depth fact-sheet from NCDA that gives you the answers to these questions and more. If you have further questions or need more information regarding soil testing, please feel free to contact our office.

Aquaculture Workshop

The McDowell County Center of NC Cooperative Extension is hosting a Small Scale Aquaculture Workshop on Monday, May 4, 2009. The registration deadline is Thurs., April 30th. Click here for the flyer that contains all the information regarding this workshop.