Re: RC: Lewis on VFAs

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/16/99 9:02:19 PM Pacific Standard Time, CMKSAGEHIL 
writes:

<<  
  During competition, when energy demands are high, it becomes obvious that 
  carbohydrate supplementation will further elbow out other energy sources, 
  including VFAs. It's the preferred fuel.  >>
 
 Interesting jump in logic there.  You FEED more carbs, and the body uses 
more carbs.  Is it because they are preferred?  Or because there are more of 
them there?  Interesting that on a high carb diet the horse STILL gets 30% 
from that "barely digestible" forage, isn't it?>

Your logic remains faulty. Without carbs, the body makes do with what it can 
scrounge from the bottom of the energy barrel. Sludge. At basal metabolism on 
a high carb diet, VFAs might contribute 30% of energy needs. At work we get 
into those harmonies you were talking about--things get more complicated, and 
immediate emergency energy supplies get higher priority. 
 
 <<Lewis also states, "In all species, as the fiber content of the diet 
 increases, the digestibility of diet organic matter generally decreases, but 
 the reduction in digestibility is greater for horses than for cattle."
 
 So, if you want to go all-fiber for feeding for an endurance race, better be 
 riding a cow.>>
 
> No one suggested all-fiber.  We merely pointed out that the fiber was an 
important part and that your suggestion of an all-carb diet was not really 
very practical.  Sounds like Lewis backs this up, from your quote.>

Really? Which part of the quote backs up the impracticality of an all-carb 
diet? Are you saying that a horse can't survive on, say, nothing but oats 
corn and barley? 
 
 Heidi >>

ti


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=