Feed News Quarterly
Understanding The Basics
Feeding your horse: Choosing the right feed
Micronizing: Improved feed efficiency
Why is fibre so important to horses
Vitamins and Minerals in horses
What is digestible energy in horse feed
Discipline related
Common Equine Ailments
Laminitis - Feeding the Laminitic Horse
Feeding your horse after colic
Ulcers in horses:Why and what to do?
Joint structures and problems arising from their failure
Breeding
Management Issues
Pasture management for horses with metabolic disorders
Energy requirements of a racehorse
Bringing horses back to work after a spell
Feeding horses during a drought
Feed Supplementation
Micronizing: Improved feed efficiency
Micronizing is a "Short Time, High Temperature" patented process using the grains moisture and infrared heat to achieve conditions essential for the optimal cooking of starch and starch gelatinisation. During processing the grain becomes soft and pliable, causing the reconfiguration of the starch structure (gelatinisation). Immediate flaking further gelatinises the starch so as to significantly enhance the digestibility and nutritional value of the feed.
The small intestine is the epicentre of nutrient digestion in the horse. Vitamins, minerals, fats, protein and starch are readily absorbed in the small intestine. Research shows that feed digested in the small intestine significantly increases the rate of glucose (energy) absorption. The starch in MICRONIZED grains can be up to 95% digested in the horse's small intestine where as the starch in whole, cracked or steam-rolled cereal grains such as barley or maize is only 20-40% digested. The remaining starch is then fermented in the large intestine, this in turn increases the burden on the large intestine producing elevated levels of lactic acid, gas and heat.
MICRONIZED grains transfer the site of digestion back to the small intestine improving feed efficiency and reducing the burden on the hind gut resulting in fewer incidences of dietary induced problems such as colic, acidosis, laminitis, loss of appetite, nervousness, fatigue and reduced performance.
HYGAIN® MICRONIZED feeds and MICRGRAIN'S (MICRBARLEY®, MICRLUPINS®, MICRMAIZE®) provide nutritional benefits for all classes of horses.
For more information on micronizing please contact HY GAIN FEEDS on 1300 HYGAIN (494246) or your veterinarian.
