Effect of feeding dehydrated young wheat grass pellets to horses on antioxidant levels and immune status

This study investigated the use of dehydrated young wheat grass pellets on serum antioxidant status and immune function in horses. Horses (n = 24) were assigned by age, gender and breeding to one of two treatments, and fed a basal ration without supplementation (control) or a basal ration with supplementation of wheat grass pellets (227 grams twice per day). Horses were maintained on treatments for five weeks, after which time the treatments were switched and horses maintained for an additional five weeks. Supplementation of horses with wheat grass pellets did not affect (P > 0.05) total red and white blood cell numbers, nor the number of lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, or basophils. In addition, supplementation did not affect (P > 0.05) total serum protein or total antioxidant status (TAOS). Furthermore, supplementation with wheat grass pellets did not affect (P > 0.05) lymphocyte proliferation in response to Concanavalin A (ConA).