Clean whole oats, dust free and of the best quality for horses.
Oats are a staple cereal in the horse's diet. It provides quick release energy due to its highly digestible starch content. This cereal does not need to be treated or cooked for its nutrients to be assimilated, unlike other cereals with high starch content. The digestibility of the starch contained in oats is around 90%, while that of other untreated cereals such as corn or barley is around 35%.
Furthermore, compared to other cereals typically used in horse diets, oats are the cereal with the highest fiber content and the lowest concentration of sugars and starch. For this reason, they reduce the risk of glucose and insulin peaks in blood, as well as gastrointestinal or behavioral alterations derived from the high sugar and starch content.
This cereal, besides being highly palatable for horses, is a good source of phosphorus, protein, fiber and B vitamins.
Phosphorus is an essential compound, like calcium and magnesium, for the proper maintenance of healthy bones, teeth, joints and hooves. Phosphorus is also essential for various metabolic functions such as protein synthesis or the utilization of carbohydrates and fats and is one of the electrolytes that the horse in intense work loses through sweat and therefore needs to be replenished. However, the calcium content of this cereal is low. It is very important that the calcium:phosphorus ratio is balanced, so it will be necessary to complete the ration with the right ingredients.
On the other hand, oats are a good source of beta-glucans, a polysaccharide with multiple beneficial health effects. It favors the correct maintenance and development of beneficial bacterial flora, reduces the incidence of insulin resistance, reduces blood glucose fluctuations and improves enzymatic digestion of starch in the small intestine, thus reducing the incidence of acidosis.
