title: Incorporation of sunflower oil or linseed oil in equine compound feedstuff: 1 Effects on haematology and on fatty acids profiles in the red blood cells membranes.
abstract: Eight trained horses (6 mares - 2 geldings, 6 Selle Français, 2 Trotteur Français, 12 ± 5.8 years old, 538 ± 72.5 kg) were offered three diets to potentially affect haematology and the fatty acids (FA) profiles in red blood cells (RBC) membranes. The control diet was composed of 50% hay and 50% concentrate containing mainly rolled barley (48%) and whole spelt (48%). In the case of sunflower oil diet, sunflower oil (62.0% of α-linoleic acid, LA) was incorporated at a rate of 8% and substituted by an equal proportion of barley. In the linseed oil diet, first cold-pressed linseed oil (56.0% of α-linolenic acid, ALA) was utilised at a similar incorporation rate of 8%. The experimental design consisted of three 3 × 3 latin squares with one being incomplete. Each period lasted 8 weeks. On average, the total feed intake (straw excluded) was 6.2 kg/day and the oil intake 0.278 kg/day. The oils significantly increased the concentrations of RBC, haemoglobin and haematocrit. The oils had no significant impact on the haematology profiles except that platelets tended to decrease in both oil-based diets. The most abundant FA in the RBC membranes of the control diet samples were in the decreasing order LA, C18:1n9-7, C18:0, C16:0 and the arachidonic acid (ARA) respectively. The sunflower oil supplementation slightly increased the amount of LA (36.23 vs. 34.72 mg/dl, p = 0.55) and C22:4n-6 (0.21 vs. 0.09 mg/dl, p = 0.22), while the decrease was observed in case of other FA (C16:1n-7, 1.08 vs. 1.42 mg/dl, p = 0.03), C20:3n-6 (0.22 vs. 0.31 mg/dl, p = 0.02), and ARA (1.17 vs. 1.63 mg/dl, p = 0.08). Linseed oil induced similar effects in the n-6 series FA profiles. In the context of practical applications, our results show that linseed oil incorporation in the diet could improve the haematology and the n-3 FA profiles potentially leading to an increased performance.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Unit, Veterinary Medicine Faculty, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. spatoux@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patoux
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Unit, Veterinary Medicine Faculty, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Istasse
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D008043:Linseed Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000074242:Sunflower Oil
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074242:Sunflower Oil; D008043:Linseed Oil
keywords: blood parameters; concentrate; fat; feeding; horse