Feeding Fat and Fibre for Health and Performance ‘Low Glycemic Feeding for Horses’
Horses have evolved as continuous grazers, eating small amounts of forage for a large part of the day. Their digestive system reflects this evolution, and contains microbes in the hindgut that ferment forage into volatile fatty acids for use as an energy source by the horse. When we remove horses from pasture, the traditional method of providing energy is in the form of grains, such as oats. The main source of energy in grains for the horse is starch.
Many horses do not have a problem with starch provided it is digested predominantly in the small intestine of the horse and not the hindgut. The amount of starch digested in the small intestine depends on the type of grain fed, processing of the grain, level and rate of intake, time and frequency of forage feeding and individual horse variation. Problems occur when the digestive system is overloaded with starch.
Some horses do not handle high starch or grain diets well. Potential problems and health risks associated with high grain diets include fizzy behaviour, tying up, laminitis, colic and digestive disturbances. Some metabolic problems of horses can respond to management with low starch diets. One method of reducing starch intake in a horse’s diet, and therefore reducing associated problems for some horses, is to replace some of the starch in the diet with fat and fibre.
Feeding Fat
Over the past decade, fat has become a popular ingredient in horse feeds. It is very well digested by the horse and supplies more energy than common foodstuffs, in a much safer form. For instance, 0.5kg of the high fat stabilised rice bran Equi-Jewel provides the same amount of energy as a 25% greater weight of oats. Making this substitution reduces the physical amount the horse is required to eat, which can benefit underweight horses, picky eaters and horses with a limited appetite due to a high level of fitness.
More important than the reduction in the amount of feed offered is the method in which energy is delivered. In typical feeds, calories are afforded primarily by starch-laden ingredients such as cereal grains. When grain is replaced by low-starch sources such as NRM Low GI Sport, fat and fibre fractions of the ration are boosted as starch content is reduced to provide energy from different sources. Many commercial feeds available have a fat content of around 4-5%; NRM Low GI Sport contains a minimum of 9% fat.
Feeding Fibre
While forages such as chaff and hay are well known sources of fibre, other feedstuffs are considered ‘superfibres’ because they have digestible fibre and energy levels much higher than typical forages. The energy levels found in super fibres are only slightly less than those found in grains despite containing very low levels of starch and sugar. Some of the most commonly fed superfibres are beet pulp and soybean hulls, which are more digestible than traditional fibres sources. Super fibres are safer to feed than cereal grains because their fibrous nature reduces the likelihood of starch overload.
Beet pulp, the by product of the sugar beet industry is an ideal super fibre to be used in horse feeds. The ease a with which the beet pulp can be digested and its complete fermentation means that it is not only easier on the horse’s digestive system than grain but also provides as many calories as oats. The increased contribution of fibre provided by utilising shredded beet pulp has significant benefits for the performance horse.
Copra has also found favour in horse diets, a raw ingredient derived from coconut meal it is low in starch and high in digestible fibre and fat. In addition it is very palatable making it an ideal ingredient to incorporate into the manufacture of equine diets.
Horsemen feed super fibres for a variety of reasons. Some horses will not or cannot eat large enough quantities of hay to fulfil fibre requirements. Dental problems, for example, may keep aged horses from consuming sufficient hay or pasture and horses on diets composed largely of grains may be unable or unwilling to eat large amounts of hay. Due to their high energy content, super fibres are also ideal for horses that have difficulty maintaining weight.
Horses that do not tolerate diets high in starch may also benefit from super fibres. Horses afflicted with tying up or behavioural problems often find relief when fed diets low in starch. When super fibres are fed to these horses, much of the energy necessary to support exercise is derived from fibre and not starch. Adding super fibres to the diets of horses will increase the energy content of rations along with the added benefit of preserving gastrointestinal health.
NRM Low GI Sport
With an awareness of the benefits of high fat and fibre diets, NRM, in conjunction with Kentucky Equine Research, have developed a new addition to the NRM Sport and Leisure range of premium equine feeds.
NRM LowGIsport is a high fat, high fibre and low starch pellet that can be used to reduce the vast array of side effects experienced by some horses on high grain diets. NRM Low GI Sport contains the premium high fat supplement Equi Jewel as well as the super fibre shredded beet pulp providing all the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals for a balanced diet and optimal health and fitness.
For more information on NRM LowGIsport, please contact NRM on 0800800380.
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