Effect of meal schedules and fasting on selected plasma free amino acids in horses

The effects of meal frequency and fasting on selected plasma free amino acids (PFAA) was studied in horses. Six 22-mo-old Quarter Horses were used in a replicated 3 X 3 Latin-square design in which each horse received one meal per day (1M), two meals per day (2M) or six meals per day (6M) for 2 wk. A complete pelleted ration was fed at a rate of 1.75% of body weight daily. The consumption of a meal by the horses fed 1M and 2M daily was followed by an increase (P less than .05) in plasma methionine. The highest levels were observed at 5 h and 3 h in the 1M and 2M treatments, respectively. The horses receiving the larger meal (1M) also had higher methionine levels. There were no significant changes in plasma methionine levels in the 6M group. Feed was withheld from the 1M group for 48 h and blood samples were obtained for alanine, glutamine, glutamate, lysine and leucine levels. These amino acids also peaked at 5 h, then declined through 19 to 25 h. During the last 24 h PFAA levels increased (P less than .05). Although glutamine and lysine appeared to level off at 49 h after the meal, alanine, glutamate and leucine were still increasing.