EFFECTS OF MACA (LEPIDIUM MEYENII WALP) POWDER ON SERUM INDICES AND METABOLIC RESPONSES IN RACEHORSES

Abstract

Eighteen racehorses, 6.5 +/- 1.17 years old, were divided into three groups. During 45 days, control group was fed basal diet, experimental groups M50 and M75 were fed basal diet plus 50 and 75 g/day maca extract, respectively. There were no significant differences between groups for initial and final body weight, average daily feed intake and blood hemogram values during the study. On day 45, while M75 had higher aspartate transaminase level than M50, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase level in this group were higher than both control and M50 (p0.05). The differences between groups were found statistically significant only at 60th min.