High-fructose corn syrup for managing negative energy balance in sheep

Ketosis and its severe complication in small ruminants, pregnancy toxemia, are major metabolic disorders characterized by hypoglycemia and high blood concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) resulting from negative energy balance (NEB). Although conventional treatments rely on glucogenic precursors like glycerol and propylene glycol, farmers often turn to lower-cost alternatives, including sugary soft drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and carbonated water (cWater). In this study, we evaluated the relative contribution of the primary components of Coca-Cola (Coke), used here as a representative and readily accessible energy source, in mitigating NEB in sheep. Twenty-eight Afec-Assaf ewe lambs (N = 28), fasted for 48 h to induce NEB, were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (n = 7): 1 L of either Water, cWater, carbonated HFCS solution (cHFCS), or Coke. Blood samples were collected at 0 and 1, 2, and 3 h post-treatment to measure glucose and BHBA concentrations. Glucose area under the curve (AUC) values were highest in cHFCS (2339.5 ± 628.6 mg/dL × min) and Coke (1778.5 ± 437.6 mg/dL × min), intermediate in cWater (950.8 ± 391.3 mg/dL × min), and lowest in Water (570.0 ± 184.5 mg/dL × min). ANOVA indicated significant treatment effects (P <0.037), with post-hoc analysis showing that cHFCS yielded higher glucose AUC than Water (P <0.05). BHBA AUC also differed significantly among treatments (P <0.018), with greater effects for cHFCS (-4.72 ± 4.55 mM × min) and Coke (-5.59 ± 2.96 mM × min) compared with Water (-20.98 ± 5.1 mM × min) and cWater (-21.02 ± 5.12 mM × min). Pairwise comparisons showed no significant differences between cHFCS and Coke, but indicated a trend (P = 0.08) toward a greater response to cHFCS compared to Water and cWater. Overall, the results identify HFCS as the primary component of soft drinks responsible for improving NEB, suggesting that HFCS could represent a practical and economical energy supplement for on-farm ketosis management.