He is incorrect in stating that horses cannot
handle large amounts of processed oils!!! Absolutely UNTRUE. Studies
as far back from 1981 out of Virginia, Kentucky, Germany, France, and England
have consistently shown that horses can utilize up to 30% of their
diet as fat (by weight). This comes out to as much as 50% of the
calories from fat. These studies have been conducted for the last 25
years, and the only problems seem to be with purity of vegetable
sources (digestibility problems due to "additives"),
and there are some absorption problems with animal fats, NOT
corn oil..
Some soapy, or foamy stools (steatorrhea) from animal fats have also
been reported I have never seen evidence of vitamin interferences
that would cause deficiencies in horses from corn oil. Also, Food material cannot
simply "pass through" the system with corn oil. Corn oil is 97%
digestible, and is virtually gone before the food ingested reaches
the large intestine. Corn oil can actually slow down gastric emptying a
little bit, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the
grain ration is not super bulky. Mineral oil is inert, not absorbed,
and comes out the other end intact, hence clearing a blockage and
dragging vitamins out with it. (One concern with Olestra for humans).
These 2 oils are completely different! The tying-up study is an
excellent one, but only speaks in support of high fat diets to
alleviate tying-up, it does NOT state that one product works and one
does not.
So, as you see, convincing may not be CONVINCING! Sorry this is so
long, but this topic is near and dear to my heart!!!!....I will call
him and speak to him..thanks! Cheers...Lynn
Lynn E. Taylor, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Equine Science
Otterbein College
Westerville, Oh 43081
ltaylor@otterbein.edu