Avoiding linseed for melanoma prone?

[Cornish]

Hi - I have historically fed my horses on speedibeet, chaff and linseed, with a few rolled oats for energy when needed, adjusted according to whether it is for the portly cob or the IDx who tends to drop weight over winter and can go flat in harder work. Both have a vit/min balancer and salt.

The mare was on 2 mugs linseed over winter to keep condition on. I avoid molassed chaff and alafa (mare can be a bit hormonal on it!).

However, I've been advised to avoid feeding linseed as she has active melanomas, due to one of the elements in it apparently promoting melanoma growth. I've not been able to find evidence to back this up, but nevertheless I'm wary of now feeding it!

What alternatives would work to replace the linseed, add calories and protein but not sugar/starch, and won't cost a fortune? I was considering copra but I've seen varying reports re the benefits...?

Thanks so much in advance ?

 

[PurBee]

That’s interesting. Ive never heard of linseed melanoma growth link either.

linseed is high in omega 3 fat, which is anti-inflammatory....which normally aids an hyper-immune response, that could be one of the causes of melanoma.

However, paradoxically, the inverse can also be true, in that, if a substance causes a diminished response in the body - the body in turn can try to over-turn this effect and then create an ‘excessive’ (immune in this case) response.

As you’re feeding 2 cups - which is a very high omega 3 content, even for a horse - from a source they wouldnt normally access in nature, i’d try a different high fat/protein product that has equal omega 3/6 ratio.

Horses get omega 3 from fresh grass intake, so linseed is given in the winter to supplement much needed omega 3 when theyre on a mainly hay diet as omega 3 isnt present in concentrations in hay like fresh grass. About 100grams per day for average 500kg horse is usual amount of linseed for the omega 3 - so in comparison to that dose, 2 cups is a lot, and potentially that high omega 3 is causing a see-saw reaction in your mare.

Whatever you do, dont swing the other way and introduce a very high omega 6 fat, and cut out omega 3 altogether. Canola oil is often used to aid weight gain in horses but its loaded with omega 6 and very limited omega 3. So then you’d have to introduce loads of omega 3 to balance out the ratio of high omega 6 in their diet. Omega 6 is pro-inflammatory and thus can also cause an immune response symptomology.

If copra isnt suitable and you find oils are the most economical option, then you could mix linseed oil / ground linseed, with a high omega 6 oil, to give you a balanced omega ratio. All oils are high in omega 6, compared to linseed oil. Hemp seed oil is high in omega 6 and low in omega 3, dont believe the ‘marketing hype’ concerning oil...its all BS, because they dont understand omega ratio’s. The best ratio is 1:1 - however in nature from grass horses get loads more omega 3 than 6 so its definitely wise not to invert that and give very high omega 6 oils while cutting out omega 3 altogether.

 

[PurBee]

Have you tried fresh grass nut cold pelleted? Hot pellet process is the norm potentially destroying omega 3 content.

 

[ester]

I'd need to know which element before I gave consideration to not feeding it/as much. (I have fed very much the same as you do).

 

[Cornish]

PurBee - thank you SO much for such an informative reply!! I hadn't appreciated the ratio between omega 3/6. So actually feeding a much smaller amount of linseed (which she was having but it gradually increased) possibly wouldn't provoke the same excessive response? (should also have said that a cup isn't a full cup measure - just my measuring scoop! But still more than the 120-140g recommended worked out on bodyweight).

I'm lucky enough that mine are still out on relatively good grazing so probably fullfilling their omega 3 requirement from that, meaning a splash of canola or corn oil may add in omega 6 and do the job I need?