Authors: Saastamoinen Markku, Särkijärvi Susanna
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Linseed Groat Supplements and Equine Diet Digestibility Linseed and its derivatives are widely incorporated into equine feed programmes with claims of health benefits, yet evidence supporting their digestibility and safety profile remains limited. Finnish researchers conducted a controlled crossover trial using two balanced 3×3 Latin Squares to compare a baseline hay-oats diet against two linseed groat-based supplements (Feed 1 with carrot and garlic; Feed 2 with molassed sugar-beet pulp, carrot and garlic), with horses maintained at energy equilibrium on a 70:30 forage-to-concentrate ratio. Both supplemented diets significantly improved crude protein digestibility and ether extract (fat) digestibility compared to the control (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 respectively), with no adverse changes detected across measured blood parameters. At inclusion rates of approximately 6.3–6.7% linseed groats in dry matter (0.8 g/kg bodyweight daily), these fibrous supplements offer practitioners a viable strategy for reducing starch intake whilst maintaining nutrient availability and preserving metabolic health—particularly relevant for performance horses, those with starch sensitivity, or animals requiring alternative energy sources. The incorporation of soluble fibre sources alongside linseed appears to drive the digestibility gains, suggesting that supplement formulation composition warrants consideration when selecting products for specific management objectives.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Linseed groat-based feeds can improve protein and fat digestibility in hay-oat rations, making them a practical grain-replacement option for horses requiring lower starch diets
- •Supplementation at approximately 0.8 g/kg bodyweight daily is safe with no detectable negative effects on blood health markers
- •Consider these supplements as a strategy for metabolic or starch-sensitive horses while maintaining or improving digestive efficiency
Key Findings
- •Linseed groat-based supplements (6.3%-6.7% of diet dry matter) significantly improved crude protein digestibility compared to control hay-oats diet (p < 0.05)
- •Ether extract digestibility was higher in supplemented diets than control (p < 0.01)
- •No statistically significant differences in blood parameters between control and supplemented diets, indicating no adverse health effects
- •Linseed groat supplements with soluble fibre sources can replace grains to reduce starch intake without affecting horse health