TRUTH OR MYTH

UNTREATED OATS ARE THE SAFEST AND BEST ENERGY SOURCE FOR MY HORSE

Myth

Oats are only a safe and effective source of energy, especially for performance horses, if part of a balanced and varied diet and best slightly crushed.

Cereals are widely fed to horses due to their high carbohydrate content and fibrous properties, however, grains such as corn (maize) and barley contain starch that is particularly difficult to digest. Puffing corn and barley significantly improves digestibility, making the starch safer, highly digestible and reducing risk of colic.

Oats on the other hand are highly digestible in a more natural state. Oats should be fed lightly crushed, not heat treated. The crushing process means that the husk is slightly broken to allow amylase (the digestive enzyme responsible for breaking starch down to release glucose for ATP or energy production via the krebs cycle during aerobic respiration) to act on the starch within the oats. The husk is then optimally retained within the feed for fibrous bulk – fibre is important for slowing down the digestive process, allowing slower and sustained energy release.

If oats were to be fed completely untreated with the husk intact, it would not be possible for all oat grains to be broken down by the horse’s teeth in the chewing process. These uncrushed oat grains would not be digestible in the Small Intestine and would then pass through undigested to the Large Intestine. When this happens, potential risk factors can occur, such as changes to the pH (acidity) and the balance of the microbiome. These changes can increase risk of colic, and lead to increased gut permeability, where food particles pass through the gut lining into the bloodstream, which can cause an inflammatory/immune response – this then impairs optimum health (for example Laminitis) and therefore performance. In this lightly crushed form, oats are 80% digestible, removing the need to puff the grain as with other cereals (like corn and barley), but this crushing process is crucial to the digestibility and safety of oats as an energy source.

XPE ask ThE T

THE QUESTION

I have a horse that is often diagnosed with gastric ulcers. I have treated the horse with Omeprazole twice but the ulcers seem to come back. Is there a way to get rid of the ulcers permanently without sacrificing the energy intake and allow my horse to keep on training and racing? At the moment I provide 7 kg of quality racehorse cubes per day (2 kg morning, 2 kg noon and 3 kg evening) as well as 2 times 2 flakes of hay per day (morning and evening). As we’re in the middle of the racing season I cannot reduce the amount of feed per day or change to a feed that contains fewer sugars/starches as the horse needs its energy to perform.

– Newmarket UK based trainer - 4 year old flat race horse (sprint distance)

EVERY HORSE IS DIFFERENT. EVERY HORSE HAS INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. FEED YOUR HORSE ACCORDING TO ITS NEEDS. WOULD YOU LIKE A CONSULTATION? THEN VISIT WWW.MYCAVALOR.COM OR CALL OUR CONSUMER LINE: +32(0)92202525

THE ADVICE

It is important to know that the horse produces stomach acid 24 hours a day. If the stomach is empty, there is nothing for the stomach acid to digest. Stomach acid then splashes against the unprotected squamous area of the stomach wall and causes gastric ulcers. Feeding sufficient roughage avoids an empty stomach, which is an important factor in avoiding and repairing gastric ulcers. A recent study at Ghent University has shown that the majority of racing horses have gastric ulcers classified in grades going from grade 1 (mild) to grade 5 (severe). According to the study, grade 1 and 2 cases don’t require immediate treatment while limited performance caused by gastric ulcers can be expected from a diagnosed grade 3 case on. Give your horse small quantities of roughage throughout a 24 hour period, for example using a slow feeder (hay net with small holes) avoids prolonged periods without access to food. Roughage works as a buffer against stomach acid. Saliva also helps to neutralize stomach acid. Chewing roughage releases a lot of saliva. Ensure that you give the horse enough roughage, a minimum of 7.5 kg per day (1.5 % of your horse’s body weight). We suggest a maximum of 5 kg of Cavalor concentrates per day, broken down as follows: 1.5kg in the morning, 1.5kg for lunch and 2kg in the evening. It is important to understand that concentrated feeds stimulate the production of stomach acid, so you should always give roughage first, and then concentrates. If you opt for muesli, you are providing extra structure (compared to pellets). The structure ensures that the horse has to chew the feed thoroughly, and that also stimulates saliva production. With Cavalor Superforce, you are feeding a muesli that is ideal for the demands placed on sprintdistance horses that need to produce explosive energy, over a short distance. Cavalor Superforce contains puffed cereals that are easier digestible and ensure a maximum absorption of the safe starches in the cereals. Finally, we advise supplementing the diet with Cavalor Gastro Aid. This supplement has a corrective effect to maintain a neutral pH value in the stomach and to protect the stomach wall against irritation. By feeding for a minimum of 8 weeks alongside a balanced feeding regime that is appropriate for the type of work, you can ensure optimal stomach health. – Cavalor Nutritionist, Peter Bollen

ADVICE FROM OUR EXPERT (ASSUMING YOUR HORSE WEIGHS 500KG)

• Minimum 7.5 kg hay, divided into several portions per day • Cavalor Superforce 5 kg • Cavalor Gastro Aid Powder 2 x 1 scoop per day or Liquid 2 x 30 cc (= 1 pump) per day