J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1985. 61:1103-1110.
© 1985 American Society of Animal Science
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Humoral, Hormonal and Behavioral Correlates of Feeding in Ponies: The Effects of Meal Frequency

R. J. Youket, J. M. Carnevale, K. A. Houpt and T. R. Houpt1,2,

Cornell University3, Ithaca, NY 14853

Abstract

The effect of meal frequency on body fluid, glucose, triiodothyronine (T3), heart rate and behavior was measured in 10 ponies. A simple reversal design was used in which each pony received one meal/day (1x) for 2 wk and six meals/day (6x) for 2 wk. The total intake/day was held constant. Feeding was followed by a rise in plasma levels of glucose, T3, protein and osmolality. One large meal was followed by significantly greater changes in all of the variables than was a meal one-sixth the size. Plasma T3 rose from 41 ± 5 (SE) ng/liter before feeding to 43 ± 5 ng/liter following a small meal, but rose significantly higher, from 39 ± 4 to 60 ± 10 ng/liter, following a large meal. Glucose rose from 84 ± 3 to 109 ± 7 mg/dl following a small meal and rose significantly higher, from 83 ± 3 to 154 ± 11 mg/dl, after a large meal. Plasma protein rose from 6.55 ± .14 to 6.62 ± .16 g/dl following a small meal and from 6.45 ± .14 to 6.99 ± .11 g/dl following a large meal. Osmolality rose from 227 ± 1 mosmol/liter before to 279 ± 1 mosmol/liter following a small meal and significantly higher from 278 ± 2 to 285 ± 1 mosnol/liter following a large meal. Heart rate rose from 42 beats/min in the absence of feed to 50 beats/min when food was visible to the ponies and did not rise higher when eating began. There were no significant differences in the cardiac response to one large meal and that to a small meal. Behavior was recorded for the hour before, during and after the time of single meal of the 1x/day ponies. The only difference in behavior between the ponies when eating 1x/day and 6x/day was during feeding when the 6x/d ponies spent less time eating and more time standing, walking, drinking and eating bedding than the 1x/day ponies.

Footnotes

1 Send reprint requests to K. A. Houpt, Dept. of Physiol., New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853.

2 The statistical assistance of C. E. McCullough is gratefully acknowledged.

3 Dept. of Physiol., New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY 14853.






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Copyright © 1985 by the American Society of Animal Science.