Connect with us

BLOG

Omega 3s – The Good Guys in the Fat World, by Dr. Juliet M Getty

Published

on

Getty in barn small high res-1Fat is an excellent source of calories “” more than twice the calories offered by carbohydrates or protein, making it a great way to help your horse meet his energy needs while in training, working, or performing. Unlike sugary and starchy feeds like oats, sweet feeds, or grain-based products, fat doesn’t create insulin highs and lows, it doesn’t produce negative behavior, it doesn’t increase laminitis risk, and it doesn’t destroy the microbial population in the hind gut.
But are all fat sources created equally? Read on” Omegas “” 3, 6, 9 – First, what does “omega” mean anyway? It’s basically a numbering classification based on how fats are chemically configured. This has an influence on how the fat is metabolized, consequently affecting cells and tissues differently. The fat that you add to your horse’s diet (such as soybean oil, corn oil, flaxseed oil, etc.) provides a combination of these three omega types. The key is to know which types are in the highest concentration. Here’s why” There are two fatty substances, one omega 3 and one omega 6, that are considered “essential,” meaning the horse’s body cannot produce them. Therefore, they must be in the diet. Chemically, they are considered “polyunsaturated.” Omega 6s, while important, should not exceed omega 3s, because too many omega 6s increase inflammation.
If your horse suffered an injury, has aging joints, exercises regularly, or has an ulceration in his digestive tract, his inflammation level is already elevated. Feeding too much omega 6s will exacerbate this situation and result in more pain. Omega 3s, on the other hand, do the reverse” they decrease inflammation. They do a lot of other beneficial things too, such as:
balancing the immune system
protecting joints and ligaments
decreasing nervousness
improving heart and blood vessel health
reducing skin allergies
diminishing airway inflammation
supporting normal gastrointestinal function
maintaining hair and hoof health
improving sperm motility and speed
Omegas 9’s are chemically “monounsaturated.” Though there is not much research on their effect in horses, human-based studies reveal that they have a protective effect on the heart, brain, and blood vessels.
Know your fat sources – Balancing omegas is easy to do once you know the proportion of each type of fat in common sources. For example, fresh, healthy pasture contains approximately 4 times more omega 3s than omega 6s, making it a perfect food. Commercially fortified feeds, however, often add “vegetable oil” which is usually soybean oil or corn oil. The omega 6 content of each of these two oils is more than 50%, making them poor choices when trying to reduce inflammation. To balance these oils, you can add sources that are very high in omega 3s, such as flaxseed meal, flaxseed oil, or Chia seeds. Fish oils are also predominantly omega 3s, but their use should be limited since horses are not fish eaters. Some companies may do their own horse fish oil softgel manufacturing line for owners to check out, but it will need to be discussed with a vet first.
Balance your oils – To feed flaxseed meal or Chia seeds, it is best to limit the amount fed to no more than 1/2 cup per 400 lbs of body weight (120 ml per 180 kg of body weight).
The dosage for flaxseed oil should be 1.5 tablespoons per 400 lbs of body weight (22.5 ml per 180 kg body weight).
When feeding oils that are high in omega 6s, such as soybean, corn, and wheat germ oils, they should not exceed the amount of omega 3 sources. Even though soybean oil has about 7% omega 3s, the vast majority of its content is from omega 6s. And, if your horse requires more fat than these can offer, you can safely add rice bran oil (high in omega 9s).
Finally, it’s best to avoid coconut oil and animal fat. These contain too much saturated fat and horses are just not designed to handle these feed sources.
Not all equines are the same – Depending on the health status, exercise level, and condition of your horse, supplementation of fat may be beneficial. But other equines such as ponies, minis, donkeys, and mules cannot tolerate the high levels horses can. They require some fat, but generally 1/3 to 1/2 the amount given to horses.
Remember, fat needs to be in your horse’s diet, but not all fats are the same. Though they all provide the same number of calories, each fat source has its own individual omega profile, impacting your horse’s overall health.

[This article was published in Performance Horse Digest, Volume 4, Issue 10.]

Dr. Juliet Getty has taught and consulted on equine nutrition for more than 20 years. Her website,www.gettyequinenutrition.com ,offers a library of helpful articles, a forum on nutrition, and a calendar of appearances, teleconferences and interviews. Her comprehensive reference book, Feed Your Horse Like A Horse: Optimizing your horse’s nutrition for a lifetime of vibrant health, is available in hardcover and CD-ROM (pdf file) through her website or at Amazon.com. She offers a free monthly e-newsletter, “Forage for Thought” ; sign up through the website. Dr. Getty is available for individual consultations. Contact Dr. Getty directly at gettyequinenutrition@gmail. com or in Colorado at (970) 884-7187.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *