Saracen Level Grow Pellets

Research studies have shown a relationship between the glycemic nature of feed and the incidence of skeletal disorders, such as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in young horses. High-glycemic feeds are those that produce a large blood glucose response post feeding, such as cereal grains and molasses. It appears that the normal bone formation processes in young horses are being disrupted by the elevated blood insulin concentrations post-feeding following the consumption of a diet rich in starch and sugars.
Due to smaller pastures and higher athletic expectations, today’s young thoroughbreds are often fed concentrate feeds that are high in starch and sugars. It is not the glucose by itself that causes the potential problems, but the resulting insulin that may affect chondrocyte maturation, leading to altered matrix metabolism and faulty mineralisation of bone. OCD lesions occur on the articular cartilage, which is the cartilage at the end of the bones that protects the joints. The skeleton starts as cartilage, so if there is a problem in the maturation of that cartilage, it can set the stage for lesions to develop. Not all young horses are affected, but some are more sensitive to high levels of glucose and insulin than others. In a study carried out by Kentucky Equine Research in 2001, a high glucose and insulin response to a concentrate meal was associated with an increased incidence of OCD.
Glycemic responses measured in the weanlings in this study were highly correlated with the glycemic index of the feed, but the bodyweight and condition of the weanling and the mare were also considered to be possible factors. Based on those results, it would be prudent to feed foals concentrates that only produce a low-glycemic response 2-4 hours after eating.