Re: More feed questions

["Susan Evans Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Rose <sloryder@fix.net>
To: suendavid@worldnet.att.net <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>; Mia Nalias
<arabs2go@yahoo.com>
Cc: RideCamp@endurance.net <RideCamp@endurance.net>
Date: Saturday, January 23, 1999 8:43 AM
Subject: Re: More feed questions


>
>I have a  Question, What is the difference between rolled & Crimped
>processing, do it affect the nutrition and digestion?
>
>Mary Rose
>


Very similar, both just mean that the grains are steam-heated and go through
a pressure process so that the grain is squished and broken up a bit.  From
the nutrition point of view, it doesn't affect it as long as the grain is
fed fairly quickly.  If it's kept around for more than a month or so,
depending on circumstances like heat, etc, then some of the fat-soluble
vitamins will oxidize somewhat.  As long as the horse's teeth are in good
shape, and he doesn't bolt his food, rolling or crimping won't increase
digestibility for the soft grains like oats, but is increased by about 5-6%
for hard grains like corn and barley.

The process does increase the moisture content of the grain, so  a fifty
pound bag of processed grain actually contains slightly less actual grain
(and more water) (like maybe a few pounds) than does a fifty pound bag of
unprocessed grains.  So getting processed grains is more or less cost
effective if you're buying corn or barley, but not if you're buying oats.
But it's also not hugely critical either way.

Hope this helps,

Susan G