Re: RC: Re: wheat bran

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/21/99 8:44:39 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
suendavid@worldnet.att.net writes:

<< A lot of people feed wheat bran because they think it has laxative
 properties, so will help avoid impaction colic during a ride, but in fact
 this isn't true, either.  During some research trials, wheat bran was fed up
 to 45% of the total ration and the fecal water content did not increase (as
 it would if the bran were acting as a laxative).
 
 So, mostly, wheat bran just has value as something easy to mix water into to
 make a sloppy mash, and as a source of carbohydrates, and gives crews
 something warm and fuzzy to do for the horse. :-)
 
 Susan Garlinghouse >>

Also, the brans tend to coat the stomach/small intestine, limiting digestion 
of other nutrients and, in race horses, contributing to the formation of 
ulcers (at least, when you take the bran away and start feeding MSM, the 
ulcers clear up).

ti


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