Yep! You can grind it up if you'd like (it'll go bad really fast if you do however) but horses can digest it just as well whole.
I thinkkkkk the limit is something like 2 cups before you start messing up the omega balance, or something like that.
However, the most I've ever heard of someone feeding at once was 1/2 cup.
I personally feed about 2oz/day (whole seeds) and see great results with just that little bit. I mainly feed it for it's immune system+anti-inflammatory benefits but since I've started feeding it, Lacey's fleabitten spots come in darker during the summer and her coat is softer = I have no complaints.
My girl decided she didn't like beat pulp anymore but, she's a tad ribby despite free choice. I add a few tbs to her beat pulp and she gobbles it up. Sometimes for a treat I mix a bucket of short cut grass hay with a few tbs flaxseed. She really enjoys the latter.
I give my horse 2 oz whole seeds twice a day. He doesn't get fresh grass at all in the winter, and not enough to really count in the summer, so he needs some help in the omega-3 department.
As for how much you can feed... I haven't seen any hard limits, but Triple Crown recommends 6 oz to 1 lb for every 1000 lbs for their ground, stabilized flaxseed (Omega Max)
I buy it at a local feed store in 50lb bags and store it in an airtight container. Depending on where you live, it is best if you call around and if they say they have it - ask them what the availability it unless you plan on buying it that day (I learned this the hard way). However, where I use to live had a co-op that sold it by the pound - your container...so you might try that route.
I just grind it in the blender. You can't get greedy about it, I grind only 2 or so cups at a time. I just prep 10-12 cups or so of seed at a time (I only have 2 horses).
Flaxseed is a wonderful supplement to add to any ration, and the horses love the addition. I feed each of my horses 1/3 cup, twice a day. I grind it fresh at every feeding using a coffee grinder (dedicated to flaxseeds only). It takes about 5 seconds from start to finish
Flax seed easily goes rancid if pre ground. It does have cyanide compounds, especially when consumed raw, but that seems to also make it effective for certain skin growths.
Just as a side note- you'll see some references on the internet to either soaking or boiling flaxseed to get rid of the cyanide compounds. While it's true that flaxseed does contain components of cyanide, they're present in small amounts and appear to be neutralized in stomach acid; I'm not aware of any reported cases of cyanide poisoning from feeding raw flaxseed.
Soaking is the most dangerous way to feed flaxseed as the two components are able to combine in water so you end up with a bunch of flaxseed sitting in cyanide water. They combine in boiling as well, but it gets boiled off so it's no longer in the seeds that you would feed to your horses. However, heating flaxseed also destroys the omega-3 fatty acids, which is the main reason most people are feeding it to begin with. Read more here: Flax Seed
On another note, chia seeds are also a great source of omega-3. They're about 10x more expensive in my area, but I've seen at least one other HF member say they're cheaper than flax in her area.
Same as many here, I feed my 950 lb mare 1/3 cup ground flax twice a day. I buy mine ground in small batches at my local food co-op (the volume I buy lasts me about 10 days). My feed store also has it as whole seeds in bulk a little cheaper, but I don't want to have to grind every day.
It is interesting to read you guys feeding ordinary flax seeds or linseed as we call it, as people over here seem to be terrified to feed unground seeds and no-one does it. I buy micronised linseed by the sack (it is stable and keeps well) and feed about 200gms a day (more sometimes to my TB).
It is quite expensive here and unprocessed seeds are not available exceot as bird food.:?
Yes I understand the terror over there about feeding any grain/seed uncracked/crushed/rolled.....in NZ EVERYTHING is crushed, cracked or rolled....and sometimes soaked:wink:
I just feed flax whole, some people claim that the horse cannot digest it if its not ground first, but really the seeds are so small and soft I find it hard to believe that the outer capsule of a flax seed would survive in the gut of a horse.
Within three weeks of feeding flax whole to my horse I noticed a huge difference. Also, at the feed store I go to they sell HUGE sacks of ground flax....I will never buy it, as I cannot use it fast enough before the oils in the flax go rancid because they've been exposed to the air.
I have been feeding my Percheron 1/2 cup of flax seed (whole seed measurement) per day for 5 months. I started feeding him whole, but then he picked it out of his grain! I now grind it daily. I bought a little spice grinder that I keep in the grain room.
My guy had horrible feet when I got him and had been fighting this battle. I have a great farrier and my horse is trimmed every 6 weeks. Well this past visit the farrier asked what I had been doing because his feet seem much healthier. I told my farrier about the flax seed. My farrier is going to share my success with his other draft clients!
Another bonus is that his winter coat, while dirty because of no baths, is still shiny and very soft. Now that he is shedding his coat is super shiny.
Did you ever just give the feed a quick sprinkle of water before feeding and giving it a quick toss? That's what I do and it makes the flax seed stick to the larger ration pellets, no picking through there!!! You want to eat the ration, well you have to eat the flax that's stuck to it!:wink:
I feed 1/2 cup whole flaxseed per day to all my horses for the last 6 months and everyone's health has improved. Their hooves stronger and coats soft and glossy. Mine lick it up the seeds and seem to enjoy the taste.
I had trouble finding flax at the feed store. It was either ground ( and getting rancid) or they only ordered it one certain days because there wasn't enough demand. I ended up finding it at a bulk grocery food store and its human grade, 20 lbs for $20, which was cheaper than ordering it at the feed store.
Do you need to keep it in airtight containers if its whole seed? Posted via Mobile Device
Yes, keep it in sealed or airtight containers if you can, just like any other food it will start going stale if the air and moisture have their way:wink:
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