How Grains are Processed for Horses By Karen Briggs /The Horse How Grains are Processed for Horses For small hard grains, such as milo, rye, and wheat, processing is essential for horses to extract any nutrient value. While some grains can be fed to horses whole—whole oats, for instance—grains can also be processed prior to feeding for a variety of purposes, including improving digestibility. Heres what happens to processed grains as the make their way from the field to your horses feed bucket. The practice of processing grains sometimes can markedly improve their digestibility, but it is not without its disadvantages. Chief among these is the fact that when you break the hard coat that is the seed’s natural protection, you make it vulnerable to invasion from microorganisms as well as insects. You also open the endosperm to more rapid nutrient breakdown on exposure to the elements. At the very least, breaking open the kernel exposes the grain to oxidation, causing a stale flavor that quickly decreases its palatability. (Some feed companies apply antioxidants and mold inhibitors to their processed grains to combat this.) Grains that have been crimped, rolled, steamed, or otherwise processed must be stored for much shorter periods than whole grains and must be watched closely for signs of mold. Oats can be fed whole or processed (cleaned, crimped, rolled, or steam flaked), but researchers have determined that crimping and rolling oats results in a small increase in the nutrients available, while naked oats (those that have had their less digestible hulls removed) are much higher in starch, fat, and energy than whole oats. In the case of harder grains, such as barley and corn, processing can provide significant advantages in terms of the amount of starch digested in the small intestine (as opposed to the cecum), and reduce the risk of diarrhea, colic, and founder. For small hard grains, such as milo, rye, and wheat, processing is essential for horses to extract any nutrient value. Methods of processing can include cracking and rolling of the dry grains to varying degrees. The grains should not be finely ground, as this decreases palatability and increases the dustiness of the ration. In any case, the use of finely ground grain is no better (and possibly worse) than more coarsely ground kernels. Larger pieces of the individual kernels also make it easier for you to assess the quality of the grain. Heat processing—which can include steam-flaking, micronizing, pelleting, and extruding—almost invariably makes grain more expensive, but it also offers some pluses. Studies have shown that protein use from both oats and milo is 2% to 3% higher when these grains are micronized (cooked with dry-heat microwaves), and starch digestion of corn in the small intestine was improved by almost three times when the grain was extruded. In addition, most horses show prefer processed grains over unprocessed ones, with the exception of oats.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 16:41:26 +0000
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