ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] Fat in Diet from Lon Lewis(very long!)
[endurance] Fat in Diet from Lon Lewis(very long!)
Shannon Loomis (loomis.102@ohio-state.edu)
Sun, 5 May 1996 16:22:11 -0500
I have had so many requests for this, I decided to send it to everyone. It
is very long and I apologize, but it is also very interesting. Sorry it
took me so long to get around to it, I have been buried by Midterms for an
entire week.
>hello,
>
>This is in Chapter 4 in "Feeding and Care for the Horse" by Lon D Lewis. I
>will edit as I feel necessary. This is a very good book and I highly
>recommend it.
>
>Fat and Oil Supplements for Horses
>
>Fats or oils may be added to the horse's diet:(1) to decrease dust;(2) to
>lubricate processing equipment; (3) as a binder for pelleting to to assist =
in
>preventing fine material, such as added vitamins, minerals or protein
>supplements from sifting out; (4) to try to give the horse a glossier hair
>coat: and (5) to increase energy density of the diet. The purpose of
>increasing diet energy density is to increase energy intake and /or decreas=
e
>the amount of feed needed to provide energy needs in order to increase
>athletic performance, milk production, reproductive efficiency, and growth
>rate and /or to maintain or increase body weight during hot humid weather a=
nd
>when energy needs are high. Fats or oils may be added to commercially
>prepared horse feeds for all five of these purposes, with the last two bein=
g
>the reason most horseowners add them to the diet. Fat supplementation appe=
ars
>to be of benefit for all of these purposes, except perhaps in giving the ho=
rse
>a glossier hair coat.
>
>The high amount of energy needed by horses during growth, lactation, traini=
ng,
>or use generally necessitates an increase in their diet's energy density so
>that a sufficient amount of dietary energy can and will be eaten to meet th=
eir
>needs and, thus, allow the young horse to grow rapidly and the mature horse=
to
>maintain optimum body weight, condition, and reproductive or athletic
>performance. The increase in the energy density of the diet is generally
>accomplished by increasing the proportion of grain in the diet up to a maxi=
mum
>of 40 to 60 % of the weight of the diet. More grain than this decreases
>forage intake too greatly, increasing the risk of founder, colic, diarrhea,
>and exertional myopathy (tying up). A decrease in forage intake also
>decreases the amount of water, electrolytes, and energy-providing nutrients
>present in the intestinal tract, which are quite beneficial for enduranc ty=
pe
>physical performance. A low-forage diet also increases the risk of boredom
>and stable vices in horses not on pasture. Fat supplementation can allevia=
te
>these detrimental effects of excess grain and inadequate forage intake, yet
>accomplish the needed and beneficial increase in the diet's energy density.
>
>
>Supplemental fats are well used by the horse. Utilization does not vary
>between different sources, but tends to be lower for animal fats than for
>plant or vegetable oils. Added fat or oil generally increases the diet's
>total energy digestibility and increases or has little effect on the
>utilization of other nutrients. Fat supplementation also has no effect on =
the
>horse's blood parameters except for increasing plasma cholesterol
>concentration. This effect is not detrimental in horses as it is in people=