Flaxseed

[MissMolly]

How many of you feed Flax seed? What exactly are the benefits? Do you feed whole or ground? How much do you give them? I have heard that it is good for them, but not sure why!

 

[Reble]

Found this info for you.

http://horsecare.stablemade.com/articles2/flax.htm

Also should be fed with bran

http://horsecare.stablemade.com/articles2/bran_mash.htm

 

[MissMolly]

Thanks for the info, that was very interesting!

 

[outlawridge]

We feed organically grown brown and golden flax that is rolled. It's the whole seed rolled not a meal. There is a new grower/distributor plant in ND that we get this from. The horses love it! Flax has very beneficial for lots of reasons as I am sure that article mentioned (didn't get to read that yet) and it is also a probiotic. Great for hooves and coats too. Years ago our vet told us about a Belgian draft horse 2 year old that had a nasty attitude, very unusual for them. After being fed flax for about two weeks there was a dramatic different in his attitude and he was quite calm. She said they were surprised at that as there were no studies about flax and attitude. He was given the flax for an entirely different reason. Also, if you feed flax to your chickens their eggs will have more Omega 3 and Omega 6 in them.

 

[whitney]

I feed ground linseed/flax meal. I get it from the elevator.

I did a bit of an experiment with 2 of my minis that were on the EXACT same diet except I fed one 1/2 cup BOSS the other mini got 2 Tablespoons of flax meal a day for almost 2 months. The boss horse looked the same after 2 months. The flax horse and a sheen to his coat BIG TIME.

The only benefit I noticed from the BOSS was I was growing ALOT of sunflowers in the manure pile. So I'm saving the rest of the BOSS for the birds.

 

[outlawridge]

Whitney, you bet! Even mine that are white with winter woolies have a major shine to them!

:

 

[horsesmakeubroke]

I've fed flaxseed (linseed) mashes for over 30 years but never raw. As the link on Reble's reply shows, it is toxic! It contains an enzyme called cyanogenic glycoside which produces cyanide on contact with air. Boiling renders this harmless. I've always soaked it over night then boiled for an hour. Be careful tho, it turns to gloop and boils over very quickly! Just in case you do... the easiest way to clear it up off the stove and floor is with a syringe (minus the needle). High in healthy oils it's a good laxative and fed regularly, produces wonderful shiny coats. It's also used to here to darken coats, especially chesnuts, who turn deep coppery red when fed regularly. I use a teacup of seed to about 2 pints of water to produce a slimy "tea" that can be added to their feed. NB These are the proportions I use for big horses. It also makes a great old fashioned warm mash when mixed with what bran (for cold, tired or sick horses). Wheat bran shouldn't be fed regularly to youngstock tho, due to it's low calcium high phosperous ratios.

Kate

 

[chandab]

I was under the impression that modern varieties of flax were safe to feed whole or ground; no cooking necessary. So, which is it? Whole/ground? Or, cooked?