Flax seed/Linseed

["shelton" <dshelton@cyberhighway.net>]

>Just a question : what is linseed MEAL.
>Over here, I use linseed, which is a schlep as I have to boil it for 5
hours
>before using it, to make sure its safe for horses.

Hi Tracey and Others interested in Flax Seed,

I've been feeding fresh (uncooked) ground flax seed to my horses, dogs, and
myself for years. I've never read anywhere about any toxic properties of
flax seed. Yet I've heard it mentioned several times over the years. I
finally found a vet that provided  me with some answers on flax, and how to
make it safe....

"The skin of flax seed contains Linamarin which is a glycoside containing
cyanic acid(cyanide!).  This Glycoside itself is not poisonous, as, e.g., in
the human digestive system there is no beta-glucosidase(enzyme), which
splits the glycoside into sugar, cyanic acid and acetone.  However, certain
bacteria living in the digestive tract (also in horses) can also split the
glycoside and therefore cause the cyanic acid to be released. Plants which
contain these cyanic acid-containing glycosides also contain extracellular
glucosidase! Only by chemical or physical destruction of the cell walls can
this glucosidase reach the glycoside inside the cells and split it. When you
grind or soak the flax in water the glucosidase gets into contact with the
glycoside and cyanic acid is released, which then ( in the case of grinding)
gets in contact with Oxygen and "flies away", or in the case of soaking: the
cyanic acid gets released into the water and can be thrown away with the
water. Boiling destroys the glucosidase/and the cyanic acid  gets removed
with the steam."

So apparently, ground flax seed is safe to feed. Does this sound correct,
anyone know differently?

I feed flax for the Omega 3 Essentail Fatty Acids (one reason among many). I
feed my horses flax seed uncooked. Heat destroys the EFAs. Missing Link
supplement's number one ingredient is fresh ground flax I believe.

Cheryl