Nutrients: Fats EQS 125

icon located on the bottom right hand side of the slide Lecture Menu You may use the menu to the left to jump to main topics in the lecture or resume clicking your mouse or spacebar to progress through the lecture Fat Purpose & Function Fats in the Diet Fats for Performance Adding Fat If you wish to come back to this menu at anytime during the lecture click the icon located on the bottom right hand side of the slide

Fat Purpose & Function

What we think of when we hear fat What are Fats? Fats are another energy source for the horse Unlike in the human diet, fats used in the equine diet are typically plant-based Fats can be added into the horse’s diet as solids in commercial grain products or liquids that are added on top of grains What we think of when we hear fat

Fat Functions Fats have many positive functions in the equine diet Extremely important energy source for the athletic horse This point will be discussed later in the lecture, but fat is a secondary source of energy, allowing the horse more stamina for performance

Fat Functions Fats have many positive functions in the equine diet Essential for optimum health Healthy cell membranes Skin and hair coat Proper development of the nervous system Increases food efficiency Fats provide more energy than carbohydrates

Fats in the Diet

Aren’t fats supposed to be a bad thing? Human vs Horse Aren’t fats supposed to be a bad thing? In the human diet, the word fat often has negative connotations… We think of fat, then cholesterol, obesity, heart disease; the list goes on and on In North America, our diet contains far more fat than the 30% maximum fat recommended

Aren’t fats supposed to be a bad thing? Human vs Horse Aren’t fats supposed to be a bad thing? The horse on the other hand has a natural diet that contains almost no fat at all This is because fiber, which is the main component of the horse’s diet, contains very little fat Grains also provide very little, containing between 2% - 3.5% overall fat

Aren’t fats supposed to be a bad thing? Human vs Horse Aren’t fats supposed to be a bad thing? The horse on the other hand has a natural diet that contains almost no fat at all While the horse didn’t evolve to be a fat digester we have begun to realize horses can tolerate higher- fat diets and that fat is a very valuable energy source

Fats & Digestion Fats are easily digested by the horse – they may be even easier to digest than carbohydrates because they have no effect on cecum pH Fat is mainly absorbed in the small intestine once broken down via secretions from the liver, but an overflow to the hindgut does not pose the same issues as carbohydrates Fats are also more efficient to burn for energy than carbohydrates because they create less heat as a byproduct

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) One of the many important components of fats are essential fatty acids (EFAs)… They are called essential because they are not created by the body and need to be obtained from a dietary source, such as forage or grain Omega Fatty Acids are a type of EFA

3,6,9 Omega 3 There are three types of Omega Fatty Acids – 3,6,9 These fatty acids are not created equal in their benefits – we will take a closer look at 3 & 6 Omega 3 Omega 3s have been shown to decrease the inflammatory response and may help with osteoarthritis, allergies, and exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) Omega 3s are commonly found in fresh and dried forages, not grain!

3,6,9 Omega 6 There are three types of Omega Fatty Acids – 3,6,9 These fatty acids are not created equal in their benefits – we will take a closer look at 3 & 6 Omega 6 Omega 6 has the opposite effect – it has shown to increase the inflammatory response, aggravate allergies, and increase bronchial constriction during exercise Grain products and vegetable and corn oil are common sources

3,6,9 3 vs 6 There are three types of Omega Fatty Acids – 3,6,9 These fatty acids are not created equal in their benefits – we will take a closer look at 3 & 6 3 vs 6 We want more Omega 3 than Omega 6 in the diet but Omega 6 is needed in some amount– inflammation is a natural, necessary process to fight infection and create healing – currently, we do not have exact percentages of how much of each should be in the equine diet

Supplementing O3 Besides fresh and dried forage, there are certain oils with good Omega 3 content Flaxseed oil is an excellent source – fish oil is as well but many horses find it unpalatable

An overflow of fats will affect cecum pH Knowledge Check An overflow of fats will affect cecum pH True False Incorrect Fats have shown to have no effect on cecum pH, making them easier to digest than carbohydrates since carbohydrate overflow can disturb cecum pH Correct!

Knowledge Check Omega 3s have shown to decrease the inflammation response and may help with EIPH True False Incorrect Omega 3s have shown to decrease the inflammatory response and may help with osteoarthritis, allergies, and EIPH while Omega 6s have the opposite effect Correct!

Which oil is the highest in Omega 3? Knowledge Check Which oil is the highest in Omega 3? Soybean Oil Canola Oil Corn Oil Flaxseed Oil Incorrect, Try Again Incorrect, Try Again Correct! Incorrect, Try Again

Fats for Performance

Fats provide 2 ¼ times more energy than carbohydrates Fats & Energy If you need more energy and do not want to increase the overall feed intake, supplement fat! Lets look at the output of energy for carbohydrates & fats… 1 gram of fat = 9 kcal of energy 1 gram of carb = 4 kcal of energy Fats provide 2 ¼ times more energy than carbohydrates Some classifications of horses, such as the racehorse, push the limits of how much grain to provide because of energy needs – by adding more fat we can reduce grain intake Because fat provides more energy than carbohydrates, you can feed less in weight, which is better for GI health! For horses with increased energy needs, fat can be an incredibly useful tool in enhancing the diet

Fats & Exercise Aerobic Anaerobic How fats are utilized during exercise depends on if it is aerobic or anaerobic work Aerobic Muscles can use carbohydrates (blood glucose and glycogen) and fatty acids During a race 70% of the work is aerobic!! How does fat affect this? The body only has so much glycogen in its system; if it is used up by the time it switches over to anaerobic exercise it will not be able to sustain and lactic acid build up occurs. By having fat as a secondary source of aerobic energy, glycogen can be preserved for when it is needed most. By preserving glycogen, we can postpone fatigue – remember that a few inches is what determines 1st and 2nd. Anaerobic Muscles can only use glycogen Not efficient – depletes glycogen quickly and then lactic acid build up occurs

Fats & Exercise “It isn’t so much which horse is going the fastest at the end of the race – it’s more about which horse is slowing down the least”! If we have the ability to help the horse sustain its speed, whether it is ¼ of a mile or only a few feet, it can make the difference between winning and losing This is a great quote that really exemplifies the importance and impact nutrition can make on the horse’s performance ability

Fat & Other Conditions Hard Keepers Besides exercise what else can fat help with? Hard Keepers Hard keepers are horses that have difficulty putting on or keeping weight Added fat will help if the horse is not in heavy work – horses will store excess fat as adipose tissue

Fat & Other Conditions Older Horses Besides exercise what else can fat help with? Older Horses Horses lose digestive efficiency as they age, so the easier a feed is to digest, the better Remember that fats are easily digested by the horse and easier on the digestive tract

Fat & Other Conditions Broodmares Besides exercise what else can fat help with? Broodmares Studies have shown that a broodmare that gained condition (weight) are more likely to catch and maintain pregnancy with less difficulty It may also help improve the quality of milk

Fat does not make changes overnight! Fat Considerations While fat sounds like the “goldmine” of nutrients, it does have limitation and considerations… Remember that fat is not a catch-all – carbohydrates are needed as a fuel for anaerobic work and to provide another fuel source for aerobic work Fat does not make changes overnight! You must also challenge the body so fat is used – continue to train as normal with breezes and races The body needs time to learn how to use fat as energy source It will take a minimum of 3-4 weeks for muscle cells to adapt and up to 6 weeks for blood chemistry to adapt Lastly, the diet must be changed over a period of time – there are no overnight fixes!

Fats provide 2 ¼ times more energy than carbohydrates Knowledge Check Fats provide 2 ¼ times more energy than carbohydrates True False Incorrect Pound for pound, fat contains more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates Correct!

Knowledge Check Fats can be used as an energy source for aerobic and anaerobic exercise True False Incorrect Fats can only be used for aerobic exercise, providing a secondary fuel source to carbohydrates. Only carbohydrates can be used for anaerobic work Correct!

Adding Fat

Looking for Fat We can tell how much fat a commercial grain product contains by looking at crude fat on a feed label On a supplement, crude fat should also be listed

Creating a High-Fat Diet How can we optimize a horse’s diet to include higher percentages of fat? These feeds have a Crude Fat percentage of 6+% 1. Choose feed that is fat supplemented Rice bran is the most common 3. Add Solid Fat Supplements 2. Supplement with oil Oils provide 100% fat – 1 cup of oil can replace 1 ½ quarts of oats Remember your Omega 3 & Omega 6! Remember you must adjust your feed intake if you decide to supplement fat so you are not overfeeding energy!

Knowledge Check A fat supplemented feed will have a crude fat amount of 5% True False Incorrect Fat supplemented feeds have crude fat amounts of 6%+ Correct!

Finish

End of Lecture You have finished Lecture 5 – Nutrients: Fat. Complete Homework #5 prior to taking your Homework quiz in Blackboard.