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ElectroBytes

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Chia

Flax.jpg

Flax

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Beet Pulp

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Molasses

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Whole Flour

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Have you ever needed to give you horse a pill and then wondered if they actually at the pill? Have you tried to hide it in something else, just for it to fall out? Sneaky snack are an extremely palatable, malleable cookie that you can hide small pills in. Horses love them as treats as well!

 

Directions for Use

Give 1 to 2 cookies a day as desired as a treat or to administer medications as directed by your veterinarian. Not to be used as a sole diet. Use caution when feeding horses, as they can bite. 

Chia

 

Chia has on been newly introduced to horse diets in North America. Their benefits have been long known for human health and are now being discovered for horse health.

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Chia contains, on average, 27% highly soluble fiber. It is extremely easily digested, meaning it does not need to be ground for a horse to experience the benefits. It also contains approximately 18% protein and only about 5% non-structural carbohydrates. On top of having many natural nutritional benefits, chia is able to absorb up to 12% of its weight in water. When soaked in water it creates a mucilage, which improves gastrointestinal health and helps with gastric ulcers and hydration. 

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Chia contains approximately 35% fat, of which 60% is linoleic acid or ALA. Aside from being high in fat content, the ratios of the fat is highly anti-inflammatory with a 3:1 ratio of omega 3:6 fatty acids. Chia is also rich in many essential nutrients. It is a superb source of vitamin E, vitamin B, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and copper. It also contains all 9 essential amino acids.

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Benefits of feeding chia include improved gastrointestinal health, skin and coat health, decreased insulin levels, increased immune function, increased conception rates, improved cardiovascular health, decreased anxiety, decreased histamine release and improved joint function.

Flax

 

Horsemen have been feeding flax for decades. They noticed that horses fed flax developed healthy, shiny coats. Flax contains about 45% fat, of which 58% is linoleic acid (ALA). The ratio of omega 3:6 fatty acids is approximately 3:1, making it highly anti-inflammatory. 

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Aside from improving coat condition, flax provides a natural source of vitamin E, highly digestible fiber (30%) and protein (20%). It has been shown to decrease sensitivity to fly allergies and cab reduce excitability. It is also beneficial for horses with inflammatory diseases such as heaves and osteoarthritis. 

Beet Pulp

 

Beet pulp is an amazing source of highly digestible fibre that is processed quite quickly  by the intestines. Normally we equate fibre with filler in feed materials, but since the horse evolved to digest highly fibrous material it actually provides a significant source of energy that is quickly available for the body to use. This fibre also acts as a prebiotic that helps promote a healthy gut flora.

 

Unless beet pulp is mixed with other products it is very low in sugar and ideal for horses that are sensitive to high sugars in their feeds (insulin resistance, PPID (Cushing's)). It also provides a good source of digestible feeds for horses with dental problems.  

Molasses

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Molasses is commonly used in horse feeds and treats - for good reason! Horses LOVE it! It is used to increase the palatability of many products. Its also a great source of quickly available energy  

References

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  • Barros, R., et al. Dietary intake of a-linolenic acid and low ratio of n-6:n-3 PUFA are associated with decreased exhaled NO and improved asthma control. British Journal of Nutrition. (2011): 106, pp. 441-450. 

  • Coelho, M. S. and Salas-Mellado, M. M. Chemical Characterization of CHIA (Salvia Hispanic L.) for Use in Food products. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research., (2014): 2(5), pp. 263-269.

  • de Silva Marineli, R., et al. Chemical characterisation and antioxidant potential of Chilean chia seeds and oil (Salvia ispanica L.). LWT - Food  Science and Technology. (2014): 59, pp. 1304-1310. 

  • de Falco, B., Amato, M. and Lanzotti, V. Chia seeds products: an overview. Phytochemical Review., (2017): 16, pp.745-760.

  • Deka, R. and Das, A. Advances in Chia Seed Research. Advances Biotechnology & Microbiology, (2017): 5(2), pp.64-66.

  • Elghandour, M. M. M. Y., et al. Plant bioactive and extracts as feed additives in horse nutrition. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. (2018): 69, pp. 66-77.

  • Equus. 3 things you didn't know about beet pulp. Equus Online. https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/feeding-beet-pulp-26851. Published April 15, 2020. 

  • Gazem, R. A. A. and Chandrashekariah, S. A. Pharmacological properties of Salvia hispanica (Chia) seeds: A Review. Journal of Critical Reviews. (2016): 3(3), pp.63-67.

  • Getty, J. Chia - Small Seed, Big Benefits. Innovative Veterinary Care, accessed online at https://ivcjournal.com/chia-small-seed-big-benefits/. Published December 20, 2013.

  • Goyal, A., et al. Flax and flaxseed oil: An ancient medicine & modern functional food. Journal of Food Science and Technology. (2014): 51(9), pp. 1633-1653.

  • Hadeler, E.K. and Maderal, A. D. Drug Interactions of natural supplements in dermatology: a review. International Journal of Dermatology. 

  • Hansen, R. A., et al. Effects of dietary flaxseed oil supplementation on equine plasma fatty acid concentrations and whole blood platelet aggregation. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. (2002): 16, pp. 457-463.

  • Higon, J. Essential Fatty Acids. Oregon State University Online. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/essential-fatty-acids. Published 2003, updated June 2019. 

  • Janicki, K. 5 Facts about Flax. The Horse Online. https://thehorse.com/148473/5-facts-about-flax/. Published July 15, 2019.

  • Katare, C., et al. Flax Seed: A potential medicinal food. Journal of Nutrition and Food Science. (2012): 2(1).

  • Kentucky Equine Research. Benefits of Beet Pulp for Horses. Equinews Nutrition and Health Daily. Accessed online. https://ker.com/equinews/benefits-beet-pulp-horses/ . Published March 19, 2018.

  • Kentucky Equine Research. Future Feedstuff: Chia for Horses. Equinews Nutrition and Health Daily. Accessed online. https://ker.com/equinews/future-feedstuff-chia-horses/. Published March 26, 2014.

  • Kentucky Equine Research. Omega-3 and -6 Fatty Acids for Horses: Is there an Ideal Ratio?. Equinews Nutrition and Health Daily. Accessed online. https://ker.com/equinews/omega-3-and-6-fatty-acids-horses-there-ideal-ratio/. Published October 28, 2015.

  • Kzczynski, B., et al., The Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Chia Seeds - Current State of Knowledge. Nutrients. (2019): 11, pp.1242-1257.

  • O'Neill, W., et al. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) supplementation associated with reduced skin test lesional area in horses with Culicoides hypersensitivity. The Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research. (2002): 66, pp. 272-277.

  • Parker, J., et al. Therapeutic Perspectives on Chia Seed and its oil: A review. Planta Med. 

  • Pereira da Silva, B. et al. Chemical composition of Brazilian chia seeds grown in different places. Food Chemistry. (2017): 221, pp. 1709-1716.

  • Rabetafika, H. N., et al. Flaxseed proteins: food uses and health benefits. International Journal of Food Science and Technology. (2011): 46, pp. 221-228.

  • Richardson, K. and Murray, J.-A.M.D. Fiber for performance horses: A review.  Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. (2016): 46, pp. 31-39.

  • Rodiek, A.V. and Stuff, C. L. Glycemic index of ten common horse feeds. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. (2007): 27(5), pp. 205-211.

  • Ross-Jones, T., et al. Effects of Omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on equine synovial fatty acid composition and prostaglandin E2. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. (2014): 34, pp.779-783.

  • Sembratowicz, I., et al. Effect of Dietary Flaxseed Oil Supplementation on the Redox Status, Haematological and Biochemical Parameters of Horses' Blood. Animals. (2020): 10, pp.2244-2255.

  • Thunes, C. Chia or Flax: Which is Better for My Horse? The Horse Online. https://thehorse.com/113167/chia-or-flax-which-is-better-for-my-horse. Published Nov 11, 2019. 

  • Ullah, R., et al. Nutritional and therapeutic perspectives of Chia (Salvia Hispanic L.): A review. (2016): 53(4), pp. 1750-1758.

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