CHIA SEEDS ARE RICH IN GOOD QUALITY PROTEINS FOR HORSES
Proteins are one of the important pillars of horse feeding. Proteins are the essential building blocks of the body, and the horse needs proteins for tissue maintenance, growth, pregnancy, milk production, and muscular work. Protein affects physiological needs of the horse. Growing foals and pregnant mares need a lot of protein for tissue regeneration. In adult horses, the use of a protein essentially maintains the existing tissue. Horses doing heavy physical work need more protein than the horses that rest.
Too little protein intake may interfere with the performance of sports horses and cause weight loss. Lack of protein in pregnant mares can cause miscarriages or decrease the nursing mare's milk production. Poor muscles, bad hair or bad growing hooves could be a sign of protein deficiency. On the other hand excess protein can also cause problems in the horse. Excessive amount of protein can cause, for example, bowel dysfunction, nervousness or increased urinary excretion.
Proteins are composed of amino acids in the form of chains, and the horse cannot store amino acids in the body. For this reason, the quality of protein feed is important for the horse. If one of the amino acids in the horse body is in too little quantity, the body's protein synthesis will be affected, even if other amino acids are available. In most cases, the missing amino acid is lysine in case of horses, as hay and oats do not contain it in significant quantities.
Good sources of protein include soy, milk powder, Alfalfa (silage of good quality), as well as flax and chia seeds. Hay analysis is an important tool for planning the right kind of horse nutrition.
