Original Research
The Effect of Serum-Based Bioactive Proteins for the Prevention of Squamous Gastric Ulcers in Horses

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2016.05.003Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Bioactive serum proteins can prevent the formation of gastric ulcers in horses.

  • There appears to be a dose-related effect of these proteins on prevention of gastric ulceration.

  • Bioactive serum proteins can decrease the incidence in ulcer formation in horses subjected to the stress of training and hauling.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of serum-based bioactive proteins on the prevention of squamous gastric ulcer formation in horses in moderate exercise programs over a 21-day period. Horses without ulcers were identified and randomly assigned to treatment or control group. Horses were subjected to a training program which induced squamous gastric ulceration in control horses. In horses treated with 210-g bioactive proteins, the incidence of squamous ulcers was significantly reduced (P = .0001) compared to control horses. In horses treated with 80-g bioactive proteins, 66.67% (10/15) of the control horses developed squamous gastric ulceration compared to 33.55% (5/15) of those administered bioactive proteins. In conclusion, dosing horses with bioactive proteins derived from serum was effective for preventing gastric ulcers in horses experiencing stress from exercise or training.

Introduction

The high incidence of equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) in performance horses of multiple disciplines has been identified in numerous publications [1], [2], [3]. The exposure of the squamous mucosa to volatile fatty acids and hydrochloric acid can result in cellular damage in a time-dependent manner [4]. The physical aspects of exercise increase abdominal pressure, pushing the acidic contents upward [5]. Exercise beyond a walk for prolonged periods of time such as is seen in race horses and endurance horses can lead to ulceration of the squamous mucosa due to acid exposure. Furthermore, the roughage in the diets of performance horses may be decreased along with sporadic feeding resulting in prolonged periods with less material in the stomach to buffer the continual acid secretion [6].

Mechanisms to prevent ESGD include omeprazole, which is a proton pump inhibitor, dietary and behavioral management, and supplements. Omeprazole has been shown to effectively prevent the formation of squamous gastric ulcers and prevent recurrence in race horses during training [7], [8], [9]. Continuous access to grass pasture, splitting the ration into multiple feedings, and decreasing sweet feeds that increase volatile fatty acids can all decrease squamous mucosal ulcers in the horse [10]. Decreasing exercise can also decrease the formation of gastric ulcers, but this is not often a viable option for horses in training.

A number of oral supplements for the prevention of ESGD have been evaluated. Antacids alone are of limited value due to the short duration of their effect [11]. Combinations of pectin-lecithin, antacid and Saccharomycis cerevisa, herbs, and coating agents have shown protective effects against ESGD [12], [13], [14], [15]. When bovine colostrum containing immunoglobulins and growth factors were supplemented in the diet of race horses, their racing performance and postrace recovery improved [16]. It is well established that plasma-derived proteins from bovine, porcine, and other sources, when added to the diets of several species of animals, lead to improvements in appetite, weight gain, intestinal growth, and gut barrier function in a number of intestinal disorders [17], [18], [19], [20]. Plasma proteins added to pig diets have been shown to reduce proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 8 in the intestinal tract [21], [22]. In horses, improved gait kinematics were observed with the supplementation of serum-based bioactive proteins [23], [24]. Bovine serum concentrate added to the drinking water of pigs reduced the morbidity associated with ulcers in growing pigs [25]. Based on the recognized effect of bioactive proteins from either bovine colostrum or plasma proteins in horses and the prevention of gastric ulcers in pigs, the value of bioactive proteins for prevention of ESGD should be considered. The objective of these studies was to evaluate the effect of orally administered bioactive proteins on the prevention of ESGD in horses during a western performance training/showing environment.

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Material and Methods

The study was completed in two phases. In phase 1, a dose of 210 g of bioactive proteins (contained in 382 g of supplement) was administered to 15 horses and compared to a control supplement (382 g) administered to 15 horses. In phase 2, a dose of 80 g of bioactive proteins (contained in 230 g of supplement) was administered to 15 horses and compared to a control supplement (230 g) administered to 15 horses. The two phases were conducted during separate periods with different horses.

Horses

In phase 1, gastroscopic examinations were performed on 33 horses on day 0 of the trial of which the first 30 qualifying horses (15 horses per treatment) with a gastric score of zero were selected. One horse was diagnosed with a spasmodic colic on day 18 of the study. Flunixin meglumine was administered, and the horse was not administered any grain or test material that day. That horse and the corresponding horse in the block were dropped from further evaluation. No additional health issues

Discussion

When bioactive serum proteins were dosed daily at 210 g, the formation of squamous gastric ulcers was prevented resulting in significantly fewer ulcers (14.3 vs. 85.7%) developing in treated horses compared to controls during an exercise and training program. When administered at 80 g per day, there was a trend toward fewer squamous ulcers developing in the treated horses compared to the controls during an exercise and training program in which 67% of control horses developed gastric ulcers,

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by APC Inc. J.C. and J.P. are employees of APC. All authors contributed significantly to the portions of the design, completion, and preparation of the manuscript.

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