I don't know about any published studies (I've never looked) but I think
you can get that kind of information from a county extension agent, at
least regarding your own region. I do know oats have different values
when grown on the Pacific coast (it's in the NRC book) and it would seem
to me that other grains would behave the same way---after all, it seems
logical that a foodstuff can't contain an element that it hasn't gotten
from the soil it's grown in, ie the selenium you and Wendy were
discussing earlier. If you find anything, I'd like it hear about it.
>
> My understanding is that the jury is still out on enterolith formation.
Mine too.
>But since
> magnesium and ammonia are both constituents of the stones, I would stay clear of high
> magnesium and high protein (ammonia is a breakdown product of protein) feed.
I would, too, but I tend to be pretty conservative with my guys, anyway.
I don't like feeding excessive anything if I can help it. But that's
just me.
>
> Susan F. Evans wrote:
> > [snip]
> > > In another post you indicated a magnesium figure of 0.7%. This is a very high number.
> > > Alfalfa which is also high is half that. It is magnesium that is the probably culprit
> > > in enterolith formation and the reason many refuse to feed alfalfa.
> >
> > This is true, however, NRC cites numbers based on "average" alfalfa's
> > content of magnesium. Alfalfa grown in California is SEVEN times higher
> > than the "average", which makes Mg even more of a problem. I was taught
> > that incidents of enterolith formation is highest in California (where,
> > obviously, a whole bunch of horses are fed straight alfalfa), and also
> > highest among Arabians, although I don't think anyone knows for sure why
> > Arabians should be particularly at risk. At least I don't. Do any of
> > the vets (or anyone else) on-line have any idea why this may be?