WHY FEED OIL TO HORSES?
We hear a lot about omega-3 oil for horses these days, but are they really worth it?
Oils are essential in the horse diet, and they do much more than just store fat. Fat is a key nutrient that affects early growth and development as well as nutrition-related chronic disease later in life.
Fats (or lipids) function as energy storage, chemical messengers, form the membranes of all the body’s cells, help the body absorb fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), control chemical messengers in the body and regulate inflammatory processes in the immune system. The difference between fats and oils are simply that fats are solid at room temperature whilst oils are liquid.
There are many situations when an oil supplement can be a useful addition to a horse ration:
- All types of oil are dense in calories, containing around 3 times as many calories as oats. Oil can be used to increase the energy consumption of a horse, especially when it is not safe or possible to add any more grain or concentrates to the diet. Commonly used in working horse feeds, when weight gain is needed, and as an alternative energy source for horses prone to laminitis, gastric ulcers, muscle metabolic conditions (RER, PSSM) or colic.
- Any oil can be used to add shine to a coat.
- Some oils can be used to help manage horses with dry, itchy skin or inflammatory conditions.
- Some oils aid in brain development, eye and heart health and can also boost fertility.
The oil supplement best suited to your horse depends on the current diet, your horse’s body condition, workload, stage of life, any medical conditions and the outcome you’re aiming for.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF OIL?
Scientists group oils into various categories depending on their molecular structure. Most dietary fats are triglycerides, including saturated, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).
The oils that form a natural part of the horse diet and the most common fat supplements are PUFAs, mainly omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids.
WHAT ARE OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 OILS?
Common omega-6 fats are linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid. Omega-3 fats include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Linoleic (LA) and alpha-linolenic (ALA) are considered ‘essential fatty acids’ because they are essential for life but cannot be manufactured within the body, therefore they must be supplied by the diet.
Horses convert some of the ALA which they obtain from green plants into EPA and DHA which are important for brain, eye and heart health, development and function of the nervous system, cell membrane integrity and oxygen transfer.
THE IMPORTANCE OF OMEGA-3 OIL FOR HORSES
One of the most important functions of PUFAs in the body is to control the body’s system of chemical messengers known as hormones. These regulate much more than reproduction; hormones control many functions including metabolism, blood sugar, electrolyte levels, blood pressure, calcium levels, body temperature and stress responses.
Omega-6 fatty acids produce hormones that increase inflammation as a natural part of normal immune function. The body needs inflammation to bring white blood cells to a point of injury or infection to protect itself from viruses or bacteria. Omega-6 fats also help with cell growth and blood clotting.
Omega-3 fatty acids work alongside the omega-6s to modulate the immune system, with the hormones that omega-3s influence have an anti-inflammatory effect. Since omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids compete for the same enzymes during metabolism, the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats has a significant influence on the general level of inflammation within the body.
Different kinds of omega-3 fatty acids perform different roles in the body and are important for general health, growth and development, cardio and immune function and musculoskeletal recovery from exercise.
Many of the oils used in premixed hard feeds or top-dressed onto feeds to boost caloric intake (such as rice bran, sunflower, canola, soy and other oilseed or ‘vegetable’ oils) are much higher in omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3s. If using oils for calories alone, canola oil has one of the lowest omega-6 to 3 ratios, making it easier to correct overall balance.
Horses with access to plentiful green grass may be safely fed these high omega-6 oils, but hay-reliant horses and those on large hard feeds will need a marine omega-3 balancer to correct fatty acid ratios.
Linseed, chia or camelina oils are the gold standard in plant-sourced omega-3s, containing more omega-3 than omega-6, but even more benefits are realised by providing marine-sourced omega-3 forms.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF OMEGA-3 OIL FOR HORSES
Plant-sourced ALA plays an important role in maintaining the health of the heart and circulatory system. DHA and EPA can be directly supplemented from marine-sources – either algae or fish oils.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid with profound health benefits for horses. DHA plays a crucial role in equine health, influencing various physiological processes and contributing to overall well-being.
Key health benefits of DHA for horses include:
- Brain Development and Function: DHA is a vital component of neural tissue, playing a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of the brain and nervous system. In young horses, adequate DHA intake is essential for optimal cognitive development, learning, and behaviour.
- Vision Support: DHA is concentrated in the photoreceptor cells of the retina, where it contributes to visual function and acuity.
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties: DHA exhibits potent anti-inflammatory effects within the body, modulating the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and promoting a balanced inflammatory response. In horses, chronic inflammation is associated with a myriad of health issues, including joint discomfort, digestive disturbances, and skin conditions such as Queensland Itch.
- DHA can play a role in improving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in horses, making it a healthy supplement for laminitis-prone, insulin resistant and horses with metabolic conditions such as EMS.
- Cardiovascular and Respiratory Health: DHA plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health, exerting cardioprotective effects and supporting optimal heart function. DHA can improve membrane phospholipids in horses with recurrent airway obstruction which may reduce pulmonary inflammation.
- Immune Function: Omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA, are integral to immune function, influencing the activity of immune cells and the production of cytokines and antibodies. DHA’s anti-inflammatory properties may mitigate the risk of autoimmune disorders and allergic reactions.
- Reproductive Health: DHA plays a critical role in reproductive health and fertility in horses. Adequate DHA intake during pregnancy and lactation may enhance neonatal viability, vigour, and cognitive function. Furthermore, DHA supplementation may benefit stallions by promoting sperm quality and motility, thereby optimizing fertility and reproductive success.
DOES MY HORSE NEED AN OMEGA-3 SUPPLEMENT?
It is important that the equine diet contains both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for a healthy immune system and nutritionists recommend horse diets be higher in total omega-3 levels than omega-6 to better mimic grass and manage inflammation. However modern horse diets of hay and hard feeds it difficult to achieve this balance.
Horses with diets predominantly of green pasture consume good levels of omega-3 as ALA but those eating a lot of dried forage and/or large hard feeds become deficient. Grains, hay, chaff and hard feeds are much higher in omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids.
An omega-6 imbalance can be avoided by choosing the oils you feed carefully and balancing ratios in favour of omega-3 fatty acids.
Horses with no or limited access to green grass will benefit from supplementation with both plant-sourced (ALA) and marine-sourced (EPA and DHA) omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in Farmalogic Omega Balancer.
Horses being fed an omega-6 rich vegetable oil (such as rice bran, canola or sunflower oil) will almost always need additional marine-sourced omega-3 oil to balance the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.
Horses with chronic inflammatory conditions, metabolic disease as well as performance, breeding, growing and aged horses will benefit from supplementation with EPA and DHA even if they are accessing ALA from green grass. Equine Vit&Min Omega-3 Plus is an all-in-one vitamin, mineral and omega-3 supplement making it the ideal, convenient solution to supplement these horses.
WHAT KIND OF OMEGA-3 SUPPLEMENT IS BEST?
Of the vegetable oils, flaxseed/linseed oil contains the highest concentration of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. Chia and camelina oils are also omega-3 rich. Plant sourced omega-3 oils are in the form of ALA.
EPA can be sourced directly from some algal meal and from fish oil.
Algae is the primary producer of DHA, and it moves up the food chain via plankton and fish into carnivores. Therefore, when horses are supplemented with marine (fish or algae) sourced omega-3 oils, the inefficiencies of conversion within the body become irrelevant.
It is advisable to choose an omega-3 supplement that has been extracted using cold-pressed techniques and stabilised with antioxidants to increases shelf life and preserves the omega-3 content under more ‘normal’ feed shed conditions. Powdered omega-3 sources have also been developed to enhance the protection of fragile omega-3 molecules and improve shelf life, ease of handling and storage. We recommend Farmalogic Omega Balancer or Equine Vit&Min Omega-3 Plus as quality, convenient solutions to giving your horses all their omega balancing needs.
Incorporating DHA-rich sources, such as fish oil or algae-derived supplements, into a horse’s diet can help ensure adequate intake of this essential fatty acid. However, it’s essential to consult with a veterinarian or equine nutritionist to determine the appropriate dosage and supplementation regimen based on individual horse needs, health status, and dietary considerations. By prioritizing DHA as part of a comprehensive nutrition plan, equestrians can help their horses thrive with enhanced brain function, vision, inflammation management, joint and cardiovascular support, immune function, recovery from exercise and reproductive health.