Re: Re: Flax seed/Linseed

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

Hi, Susan.  Your comments kind of gelled with what I have been told over the
years.  On a related point, I am heartily tired of cooking linseed (which I
invariably BURN) and I thought of adding Sunflower Oil to the feed.  I am
getting mixed responses to this - some people scream "cardiac arrest",
others think its fine.

What do ridecampers think.  Oh and don't even bother advising me to use Corn
Oil, out here I could buy a car for the same price!
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Garlinghouse <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>
To: shelton <dshelton@cyberhighway.net>
Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Thursday, May 11, 2000 9:55 PM
Subject: RC: Re: Flax seed/Linseed


>While it is "safe" to feed ground flax seed, I think you need to look at
the
>Big Picture.  Yes, linseed/flax is high in fat, about 38%---but if you're
>only feeding a few ounces, you're really not adding a significant amount of
>anything.  If you feed a significant amount, like more than a cup or two,
>you're just providing a lot of protein, and not even particularly
>high-quality protein at that (someone else posted they like flax seed
>because of the lysine content, but flax is actually fairly deficient in
>lysine).
>
>As far as essential fatty acids, they're a lot more important to
monogastric
>species than they are to the microbial fermenters.  The only FA that flax
>contains to any real extent is alpha-linolenic---which is fine, except that
>the microbial population is able to synthesize sufficient FAs from the
>breakdown of carbohydrates.  Horses and ruminants don't have an essential
>fatty acid requirement like the simple-stomached species do, so while
you're
>certainly not doing any harm (assuming you're not feeding pounds of it),
the
>clear-cut benefits may be a little hard to define, either.  In several
>research studies, they fed the animals diets that contained no essential
>fatty acids at all and found absolutely no differences in health
whatsoever.
>
>Susan G
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: shelton <dshelton@cyberhighway.net>
>To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
>Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2000 1:22 PM
>Subject: RC: Flax seed/Linseed
>
>
>> >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
>>
>>
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>
>
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>Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
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