Effect of increased dietary protein and decreased dietary carbohydrate on performance and body composition in racing Greyhounds.
OBJECTIVE
To determine effects of increased dietary protein and decreased dietary carbohydrate on hematologic variables, body composition, and racing performance in Greyhounds.


METHODS
8 adult Greyhounds.


METHODS
Dogs were fed a high-protein (HP; 37% metabolizable-energy [ME] protein, 33% ME fat, 30% ME carbohydrate) or moderate-protein (MP; 24% ME protein, 33% ME fat, 43% ME carbohydrate) extruded diet for 11 weeks. Dogs subsequently were fed the other diet for 11 weeks (crossover design). Dogs raced a distance of 500 m twice weekly. Rectal temperature, hematologic variables before and after racing, plasma volume, total body water, body weight, average weekly food intake, and race times were measured at the end of each diet period.


RESULTS
When dogs were fed the MP diet, compared with the HP diet, values (mean +/- SD) differed significantly for race time (32.43 +/- 0.48 vs 32.61 +/- 0.50 seconds), body weight (32.8 +/- 2.5 vs 32.2 +/- 2.9 kg), Hct before (56 +/- 4 vs 54 +/- 6%) and after (67 +/- 3 vs 64 +/- 8%) racing, and glucose (131 +/- 16 vs 151 +/- 27 mg/dl) and triglyceride (128 +/- 17 vs 104 +/- 28 mg/dl) concentrations after racing.


CONCLUSIONS
Greyhounds were 0.18 seconds slower (equivalent to 0.08 m/s or 2.6 m) over a distance of 500 m when fed a diet with increased protein and decreased carbohydrate. Improved performance attributed to feeding meat to racing Greyhounds apparently is not attributable to increased dietary protein and decreased dietary carbohydrate.
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610-0126, USA.
R C
RC
Hill
D D
DD
Lewis
K C
KC
Scott
M
M
Omori
M
M
Jackson
D A
DA
Sundstrom
G L
GL
Jones
J R
JR
Speakman
C A
CA
Doyle
R F
RF
Butterwick
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001831:Body Temperature; D001835:Body Weight; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D004906:Erythrocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000662:veterinary; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D006454:Hemoglobins