Protein is essential in your horse’s diet. These essential building blocks, packed with amino acids, are crucial for building cells and the functioning of the body. Your horse’s muscles, organs, nervous system, bones and even blood depend on proteins. In this article you will discover why high-quality proteins are so important for the well-being and performance of your horse.
Muscles and skeletal support
Whatever sport you and your horse are involved in, muscles are important. Strong muscles support the equine skeleton. Well-developed muscles provide better support to the spinal column and joints. Skeletal muscle consists of 75% protein, which is why it’s important that the horse’s diet contains sufficient protein. However, not all protein gives the same result. High-quality proteins provide the right building blocks – amino acids – in the correct ratio and quantity. The quantity and quality of protein needed for optimum muscle building in horses was not well known until recently. Because high-quality protein sources are expensive and the total protein content in equine diets often exceeds the daily needs of the horse, more research was needed looking into the quality and quantity of protein in equine rations in relation to maximum stimulation of protein synthesis in the muscles.
Necessary research
Not all proteins give the same results. High-quality proteins provide the right amino acids in the right ratio. Until recently, little was known about the quantity and quality of proteins required for optimal muscle building in horses.
High quality protein sources are expensive, and often the total protein content in a horse’s diet is too high. This makes it all the more important to do more research into the right balance between quality and quantity of proteins in horse feed. The goal? Maximising the stimulation of protein synthesis in muscles to make your horse stronger and healthier.
Protein supplementation research
Dr. Caroline Loos of the University of Kentucky studies protein supplementation and muscle development in horses. She focuses her studies on the influence of both protein quality and quantity on the mTOR signaling pathway in muscle. This pathway is a crucial link that activates protein synthesis and muscle building, and Dr. Loos’ research sheds new light on how we can optimize horse nutrition for maximum muscle growth and strength.
Optimal protein quantity
Dr Loos found that adult horses need about 140 g of high-quality protein per meal for maximum stimulation of the mTOR signalling pathway. More protein alone did not provide any additional stimulus. For best results, it is better to choose a smaller amount of high-quality protein rather than a large amount of low-quality protein. High-quality proteins provide the essential amino acids your horse needs for optimal muscle building, allowing you to achieve more with less.
Protein quality
By choosing high-quality protein sources such as soy and potato protein, you give your horse exactly what it needs. These proteins have an excellent amino acid profile and are highly digestible, making them perfect for muscle building. Leucine, an essential amino acid, in particular plays a key role. It activates the mTOR signaling pathway, which is crucial for muscle growth. With these high-quality proteins you ensure that your horse develops strong and healthy muscles.
Comparison of protein sources
Dr. Loos conducted an interesting comparison between alfalfa pellets and Cavalor VitAmino. What did he find out? Cavalor VitAmino led to a higher concentration of essential amino acids in the blood and ensured a stronger activation of the mTOR signaling pathway in the muscles. This research underscores that high-quality proteins are much more effective for muscle building than lower-quality proteins. With this knowledge you can make more targeted choices for food that will help your horse become stronger and healthier.
Insulin dysregulation and protein synthesis
Research has shown that insulin dysregulation does not negatively affect the activation of the mTOR signaling pathway after a high-protein meal. This means that high-quality proteins are also very useful in the diet of horses with reduced insulin sensitivity. These horses, which are fed low levels of sugar and calories, still need sufficient protein to maintain muscle mass. By choosing high-quality proteins, you ensure that these horses also maintain strong and healthy muscles.
The learnings from this article
- Provide sufficient protein: Make sure your horse is fed a diet rich in protein, essential for the development and functioning of muscles, organs, nervous system, bones and blood.
- Stimulate muscle development: Strong muscles don’t just happen. Training is an important part of building strength.
- Choose high-quality proteins: Prefer smaller amounts of high-quality protein over large amounts of low-quality protein. This provides the essential amino acids needed for optimal muscle building.
- Proteins and insulin sensitivity: High-quality proteins are also suitable for horses with reduced insulin sensitivity. Make sure these horses get enough protein for muscle maintenance, even when on a diet low in sugars and calories.
Why choose Cavalor VitAmino?
Cavalor VitAmino contains soy, alfalfa and potato protein. This unique combination of high-quality protein sources was formulated in such a way that the amino acid profile of Cavalor VitAmino closely matches that of the muscles. It provides all essential amino acids in the right ratio for the most effective muscle building and optimal recovery.
Want to know more about the science?
Read the research of Dr. Caroline Loos for detailed information on protein synthesis and muscle development in horses:
Loos CMM, McLeod KR, Stratton SC, van Doorn DA, Kalmar ID, Vanzant ES, Urschel KL. (2020) Pathways regulating equine skeletal muscle protein synthesis respond in a dose-dependent manner to graded levels of protein intake. Journal of Animal Science. 2020 Sep.
Loos CMM, McLeod KR, Vanzant ES, Stratton SA, Bohannan AD, Coleman RJ, van Doorn DA and Urschel KL (2022) Differential effect of two dietary protein sources on time course response of muscle anabolic signaling pathways in normal and insulin dysregulated horses. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 9:896220. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.896220
