RMR October 2011 Article - Triple Crown's Omega 3 Fatty Acids

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Product Profile

Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Horse Feeds

from Triple Crown

October 2011 issue

Omega 3 fatty acids in horse feed continue to get more attention. Research has proven that Omega 3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation in performance horses, increase stride length in race horses, improve overall immunity, and also improve sperm quality in breeding stallions.

It is believed that if Omega 3 supplementation can help with inflammation in performance horses, that it will also benefit arthritic senior horses by reducing inflammation.

Omega 3’s may also be beneficial for insulin resistant horses. The benefits are certainly there, but the necessary quantities required in the diet are still a bit elusive.

If your horse is on plenty of green grass, then Omega 3 supplementation is typically not necessary in the diet. However, Omega 3’s are reduced significantly in hay. So as we stall horses longer and reduce pasture for other reasons such as weight management, laminitis, poor pasture, etc., we may need to consider supplementation.

Dr. Amy Gill has a good article on the benefits of flax at www.triplecrown feed.com/article/ benefits-feeding-ground-flax-seed-horses.

Horse owners have added flaxseed to horse feeds for years knowing it helped, but not sure how. Flax is one of the highest sources of plant-based Omega 3’s, in the form on linolenic acid.

The linolenic acid is converted by the horse’s body to both EPA and DHA, nutrients the horse really uses. Fish oil, however, not only contains high levels of linolenic acid, but also both DHA and EPA, so no conversion is required.

If the levels of Omega 6 fatty acids are high, conversion of linolenic acid to EPA and DHA can be inefficient, so often a higher amount of flax is required for proper supplementation. You could just use fish oil powder where no conversion is needed.

Triple Crown Omega Max is a new product from Triple Crown that is 100% ground flax. A proprietary process based on how the seeds of golden flax are screened and cut, gives Omega Max a two-year shelf life. This is significantly longer than other ground flax products on the market and it is more reasonably priced.

Triple Crown Fish Oil powder was reformulated last year to improve palatability. It has a flaxseed/rice bran base to enhance Omega 3 fatty acids even more than before. Fish oil is a direct source of EPA and DHA which has worked well in a colonic ulcer protocol designed by our nutritionist, Dr. Bill Vandergrift at Equivision.

Ask your Triple Crown retailer to order either product for you, or order them online at:

www.triplecrownfeed.com.

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