Suitable Proteins Other Than SBM

[Doc-t]

There are other protein sources but SBM (soybean meal) has a long track record. More importantly, SBM also has a complete amino acid (AA) profile. It is important to use these words before the word protein: “poor quality,” “good quality” or “high quality.”

SBM is a high quality protein as it has all the AA’s while all hay and mono-grass pastures are only good quality proteins. Add to this the ability of the horse to absorb these AA’s (the bioavailability) which determines how much of the protein needs to be eaten, SBM is 80% absorbed while all hay is about 50%.

All soft seeds such as wheat, oats, barley, chia, flax, sunflower etc were not meant to be eaten. To defend themselves, these plants created lectins which are plant proteins that damage the animal eating them. Gluten is one example of a lectin. There are thousands of them and I believe that they are the cause of EOTRH of the incisors and canine teeth of horses. They are the cause of leaky gut and autoimmune diseases in humans. They all have starch as well.

Occasionally eating them when they are in season will still have a negative effect on many individuals however feeding them daily throughout the year can be worse. There are zero seeds that I believe are “good” for horses. And why do we need to “supplement?” The answer lies in the fence surrounding them. Without access to migration, horses no longer have access to the variety of plants they need to gain all the essential amino acids. Therefore a high quality protein needs to be added.

There are plenty of minerals in the ground water and in the mined salt block we provide. Both of these are “supplementing.”

There are plenty of vitamins made by the gut bacteria in healthy horses provided the microbes have not been destroyed by feeding glucose in excess daily.

There is no evidence of needing any “essential” fats in horses because they are very good at creating all their needed fat from cellulose through their healthy gut bacteria.

Get the gut right and there will be no need to supplement with any food other than to restore their essential amino acids. Remember, ALL MUSCLES PREFER FAT FOR FUEL. Excess glucose destroys the gut microflora and upsets the rest of the nutrients. This includes the fashion supplements of chia and flax.

By the way, it has been determined that in some horses there is a RARE genetic deviation that consumes Vitamin E in greater amounts than the horse can make it. These horses will become Vitamin E deficient and need to be supplemented. However, most horses do not need Vitamin E or ANY Omega 3 fat supplementations if their gut microbes are normal and they have access to 1) cellulose and 2) body fat.

[Rosie]

If that is the case, then why do we see positive external effects from horse owners feeding chia seeds? Ex: The shinier coats.

[Doc-t]

Our eyes tell us there is a correlation between a shiny hair coat and chia seeds but is the cause of the hair coat shine the same as the shiny hair coat people see after adding soybean meal? There are so many factors at play. What other parameters should we look at? Top line development or hoof quality might be other things to look at and we know SBM will improve these as well. It also will help the neurodegenerative disease of Cushing’s disease. But I have not heard of Chia seeds doing anything else for the horse other than to give a shine to the hair coat.

I don’t have all the answers here but I have a barn full of questions. The biggest one I have asked is where are the proteins? This is why I have advocated for adding high quality protein to horses to replace the lost amino acids from lack of supply and increased consumption through gluconeogenesis. What is the role of inflammation in horses including the quality of their hair coat? We don’t know and maybe adding chia seeds adds the anti inflammatory Omega 3 fats. But removing grain and other sugar reduces fat formation which is also anti inflammatory.

You know this about me but it is worth mentioning here for everyone else. I am a big fan of removing causes and not adding supplements unless there is a specific need. In my opinion, adding chia seeds is not addressing the underlying cause of the poor looking hair coat. Removing inflammation allows for the bacteria to make more fatty acids from the cellulose and resupplying the lost amino acids (of which hair is made of) both affect the cause of the poor hair coat resulting in the first sign people see after 2 weeks of changing the diet – a shiny hair coat!

Thanks for this question Rosie. It is important for me to get to the bottom of things and your question allowed me to explained this philosophy. To me it makes more sense to resolve the problem then to add for the rest of their lives a supplement. Doc T

[Rosie]

Thank you Dr. Tucker! I believe in the phrase “less is more” as well. I can’t imagine adding multiple supplements (hoof, coat, colic care, fly repel, oils, etc) and additives (rice bran, seeds, wheat bran, etc) to a horse’s diet can be good for them, or wouldn’t cause some sort of GI upset or imbalance. Even before the No Grain diet I only added one supplement to my horse’s feed for nervousness (coconut oil) which I don’t use anymore because I don’t need it with this diet!