ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] fat in diet - Lon Lewis update

[endurance] fat in diet - Lon Lewis update

Lynn E Taylor (LTaylor@otterbein.edu)
Tue, 7 May 1996 08:29:24 +0000

I wanted to just clarify a few things...the Lewis text is certainly
an excellent book, but the field of nutrition changes so quickly that
I would suggest not taking the book written word as gospel all the time.
The reasons for feeding fat are many, AND it may affect performance as
well. I would not personally recommend feeding 60% concentrate to
that many horses - up to 50% grain with high quality hay will usually
suffice except maybe for youngsters and most notably broodmares in early
lactation. Fat is utilized well by the horse, as there is a constant
flow of bile from the liver, even though the gall bladder is absent.
Utilization DOES vary slightly between plant oils, and can have a
significant effect on other nutrients.Fiber digestibility and protein
digestibility can be reduced by feeding fats. There are
some excellent studies being conducted currently in France (Andrieu
and Martin-Rosset), Germany (Meyer) and in the U.S. (Kronfeld et. al,
various - Va Tech). The type and amount of fat in the diet will
affect other dietary components, and new blends and types of fats are
being investigated all the time. Hopefully we will soon find the best
one for our equine athletes....Cheers!

Lynn Taylor, MS, PhD
Otterbein College