Re: Sources of Foods (Grains)

[HELFTER 77 <HELFTER77@aol.com>]

Sources of Foods

Horse feeds are evolving toward processed forms with feed companies using
"least cost" ingredients and manufacturing practices. Commercial feeds may be
composed of soybean meal or cleanings and fines from cracked corn (by-
products) with molasses added to reduce dust and increase palatability of
ingredients which would otherwise be discarded with a swish of the upper lip
or one good snort, and understandably so. 
Sugar is as bad for horses as it is for any other species, and horses may
exhibit mood swings similarly seen in humans. Time and time again horses calm
rapidly after molasses-sweetened feeds are removed from the diet. Molasses
also contains chemical preservatives or surfactants. Preservatives to reduce
spoilage in the heat of the summer and surfactants such as propylene glycol to
reduce congelation in the chill of the winter. Molasses and its baggage bring
inconsistencies that we like to avoid.  
Pelleted feeds are used as alternatives to sweet feeds and do not cause the
increase in blood sugar that is associated with feeding molasses coated
grains. However, pelleted feeds bring forth other concerns. One, poor-quality
grains are easily disguised in pellet form and two, many pellet binders are
chemically based. The major concern lies in the quality of the grains. Grain
sources are where a number of amino acids and natural occurring trace minerals
are retrieved. With the methods of pelleting, even if the quality of the
grains are good to begin with, many of the nutrients are lost in processing.
The philosophy behind a good quality feed is to make sure you see what you are
getting. Therefore the best feeds are oats, barley and corn. A combination of
the three is the best providing a wide spectrum of amino acids and trace
minerals. A mixture that works well consists of 45% oats (large racehorse oats
or crimped oats); 30% steamed, rolled barley (the only form available in
bulk); and 25% large cracked or flaked corn. However, in some areas quality of
the grains may be a concern and an adjustment of the ratios may be made.
Contrary to popular belief, corn generates less heat when digested as opposed
to other grain sources because corn contains less fiber and more digestible
energy. This makes corn an excellent summertime horse feed, particularly for
the equine athlete.
Of course the horse's superior source of food is found in the back yard.
Pasture need not be lush and chemically fertilized to be a nutritional benefit
to horses. Excellent grazing can be obtained from pasture with herbs (weeds)
mixed with grass; this combination gives the horse opportunity to select (free
choice) plants other than grass for nutritional and medicinal reasons.
Hay constitutes the bulk of the horse's diet in the winter and, in some areas
of the country, year round. The horse's "fermentation vat" (cecum) needs long-
stem fiber and not chopped fiber such as the form found in hay cubes.
Digestion of short-stem fiber takes place primarily in the small intestine,
leaving the cecum less full than it should be. Some parts of the country have
access to only alfalfa hay, which is too high in protein and calcium.  A
variety of hay is the best. A horse was created to eat long-stem fiber for
about 20 hours a day, not in two small meals of rich hay.
Another source of food necessary for survival and is the foundation for any
diet is water. Does your water serve its nutritional purpose? 
When horses are provided adequate nutrition they have fewer health problems,
recover from disease faster, are more resistant to contagious illnesses, are
given the opportunity to reach genetic potential and are better able to
maintain physical condition.


Kendra Helfter Lax
President
Advanced Biological Concepts
1-800-373-5971     Fax 309-522-5570     Helfter@netexpress.net