Page 24 - The Game July 2006

24 The Game, July 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
HULLESS OATS - CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
Horses on hulless oats consume more calories per mouthful than horses on conventional oats.
That’s a really big plus for trainers trying to get suf- ficient feed into picky eaters. It means getting more energy into the horse without increasing the volume the horse must consume to do it. Or, looking at it from the other direction, that extra fat means you can get the same amount of energy into the horse using less feed. That helps reduce the added risks of colic or founder associated with a high carbohydrate diet. Research at Virginia Polytechnic Institute also discovered that hors- es on high fat diets were calmer than those on con- ventional high carbohydrate diets.
The more researchers look at fat, the better they like it as a source of energy for horses. A study at Texas A & M University found that horses with fat-supplemented diets had 28 percent more muscle glycogen reserves compared to horses on conventional diets. That differ- ence could translate into just that extra bit of dash need- ed to put a horse’s nose in front at the end of a race.
Need more reasons to like hulless oats? Hulless oats contain 15 to 20 percent protein compared to 9 to 12 percent in conventional hulled oats. Compared to hulled oats, hulless hulless oats contain 60 percent more lysine and 100 percent more methionine, essential amino acids that horses need to build and maintain muscle. The right amino acid balance is especially important for young racehorses that are still growing to help them reach their full potential for size and stride length.
If hulless oats have a drawback it is that they are easy to overfeed. Since hulless oats have 25 to 30 percent more calories than conventional oats, 7 to 8 pounds of hulless oats will supply the same amount of energy as about 10 pounds of conventional oats.
FORGET THE FIBER
Oats and hay, particularly straight alfalfa or mixes of alfalfa/clover or alfalfa/grass, has always been a “peace of mind” combination for many horsemen. It provides a good balance of energy, protein, calcium and phosphorous for mature horses. With 30 percent more phosphorous than conventional oats, hulless oats are a particularly good choice to feed with a high calcium legume like alfalfa in order to keep the calcium-to- phosphorous ratio in the overall diet within good ranges. Keeping calcium and phosphorous levels in proper balance is particularly important when feeding young, growing horses.
One feeding myth about conventional oats that hulless oats must overcome is belief of many old-timers that bulky fiber in oat hulls helps prevent colic.
First of all, horsemen need to understand that not all fiber is created equal. The meaningful fiber in oats is found in the oat bran, that thin skin on the outside of each kernel. Hulless oats may leave their hulls in the field but they take their beneficial bran fiber with their kernels. Indigestible oat hulls don’t actually do much for the short distance performance horse. In fact, Dr. Derek Cudderford at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh reports that oat hulls absorb water in the horse’s gut, adding to the weight the horse must carry.
Second, it’s much, much cheaper to provide a horse with more fiber by feeding it a little bit more hay than it is to expect its grain to provide the roughage it needs. With hay ranging from 25 to 35 percent crude fiber and conventional oats only about 12 percent crude fiber, the amount of fiber coming from the horse’s grain ration is far less significant that coming from its forage.
CATCHING ON
While hulless oats readily found favor with dairy and hog farmers who like their nutrient profile, palatability, and storage advantages, North American horsemen have been slower to switch to hulless oats than their overseas counterparts. Horse breeders who were early adopters of hulless oats had to solve the supply problem by growing their own. Thoroughbred trainers interested in feeding them often had to ship supplies from the United Kingdom or other overseas sources.
As a commodity, hulless oats suffered because of erratic supply and processing issues. Oats of any kind have never been a big crop, economically speaking, in the North America for a number of reasons and most growers did not see much sense in growing for a small
niche in an already small market. To compound the problem, early hulless oat varieties had weak stems that toppled easily affecting their harvest. They also had excess hairs that irritated mill workers. Mill equipment for handling conventional oats is different from that needed for hulless oats and millers were reluctant to retrofit until markets build. Distributors were reluctant to stock an item they could not rely on getting again while their customers were reluctant to pay a premium for feed that, on the surface, did not look a lot different from what they were already giving their horses.
Meanwhile, two dedicated plant breeders were working diligently to find oat varieties that would thrive under North American growing conditions and have traits acceptable to growers, mill operators, and horse owners. Retired Pennsylvania State University agronomist Dr. Harold Marshall was one of the pioneers who believed in the nutritional superiority of hulless oats for people as well as livestock. For years, he bred and selected superior lines at his farm in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and lobbied commercial growers to test them in their fields and markets. Simultaneously, Dr. Vernon Burrows, research scientist emeritus with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, was developing hulless oat lines at the Eastern Cereal & Oilseed Research Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, that would be ideal for Canadian growers.
When these two researchers caught the attention of Jacques Beauchesne, President of Semican, Inc., a seed producer in Plessisville, Quebec, Semican began growing and testing hulless oat varieties in earnest. Over time, Semican purchased the rights to Marshall’s oat lines with the goal of becoming the leading hulless oat supplier for the North American Thoroughbred community. “We are achieving our goal,” says Beauchesne, pointing to recent wins by horses racing on Semican’s EQUAVENA brand hulless oats including Belmont stakes (Grade 1) winner Jazil trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Woody Stephens Stakes (Grade 2) winner Songster trained by Thomas Albertrani, and The Just A Game Stakes (Grade 2) winner Gorella trained by Patrick Biancone.
Because of their higher fat and protein content, Beauchese says, horseman could pay 20 to 25 percent more for hulless oats than they do for top quality crimped oats and still get the same energy value for their dollar. Distributors, however, are pricing hulless oats comparably to their top conventional oat lines in order to encourage horsemen to try them. Comparable pricing makes hulless oats a real feed bargain.
Toni Kosiczky of Triple Star Horse Feeds in Elmont, New York, was one of the first dealers to carry EQUAVENA hulless oats for her Thoroughbred trainer clients. She likes the quality and consistency of the hulless oats from Semican compared to hulless oats she’s been offered in the past. With an ensured supply of quality oats, she feels hulless oats will find ready acceptance at the track once trainers understand they offer a superior way to get more calories into picky eaters. “Why would anyone want to pay a premium for fiber?” she asks. “Hay is cheaper and everyone is looking for high fat feeds.” Kosiczky expects to sell a lot more hulless oats as trainers wise up to their multiple advantages.
Oats alone will never make a champion. Even with the best of feeds, it still takes the right combination of genetics, management, training and luck to transform raw talent and raw energy into a stakes winner. But the extra energy, fat, and protein in hulless oats could be a factor in that split second difference between the winner’s circle and second place.
Equine nutritional consultant Ginger Rich, Ph.D., works with breeders, farm managers, and feed manufacturers in the United States and overseas from the offices of Rich Equine Nutritional Consulting in Eads, Tennessee.
Bonnie Kreitler of Kreitler Media Services in Easton, Connecticut, writes as a publicist and marketing consultant for the horse industry.
Stakes Recaps
Assiniboia Downs
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Golden Boy Stakes - 3 yr-old
$40,000
Winner: Quick Witted
Owner: L. Carter, A&E Corbel and S. Campbell Trainer: Emile Corbel
Jockey: Travis Hightower Breeder: Highclere Inc.
Sunday, June 4, 2006
La Verendrye Stakes - 3 yr-old & up fillies & mares $40,000
Winner: Remiewaterbluz
Owner: Well-Being Stable
Trainer: Carl Anderson
Jockey: Rohan Singh
Breeder: Bob Rothenberger
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Chantilly Stakes - 3 yr-old fillies
$40,000
Winner: Hey Hey Renee
Owner: Off 2 Win
Trainer: Ardell Sayler
Jockey: Rohan Singh
Breeder: John Franks
Pedigree: Anziyan - Roadability, by Gnome’s Gold in CA
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Free Press Stakes - 3 yr-old & up
$40,000
Winner: Raggidy Rowe
Owner: Melvin Davis & Heather Skeoch
Trainer: Melvin Davis
Jockey: Keveh Nicholls
Breeder: Melvin Davis
Pedigree: Superior Success - Extradite, by Rehaan in Oregon
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Manitoba Stakes - 3 yr-old colts & geldings
$40,000
Winner: Ruark
Owner: Dr. Betty Hughes
Trainer: Curtis Maxwell
Jockey: Jerry Pruitt
Breeder: Dr. Betty Hughes
Pedigree: Rebmec - Tan O’Shea, by Magnificent Micky in MB
Photo Below - Trainer Emile Corbel recorded his 700th career victory when 3-year-old, Quick Witted, won the Golden Boy Stakes
on June 3.
After being presented with a wall clock, a large sign signifying his 700th career victory and a bottle of champagne, Emile commenting on the future plans for Quick Witted,“He wants to run further, I don’t think he likes to be rushed.There are a couple of things we have to work on with him, but I am absolutely pointing him towards the Manitoba Derby. I hope we have success with him in that venture”.
Golden Boy Winner Quick Witted with trainer Emile Corbel
& Travis Hightower