Protein: It's Quality, Not Quantity, That Counts with Equine Athletes
It never fails, the feed sales representative always will compare their feed tag with the one you are currently using for protein. Inevitably they will try to emphasize more is better if they are lucky enough to have a higher crude protein level on their feed tag. The salesperson will only talk total protein content and very rarely will mention its composition. Protein on horse feed tags list crude protein, a measure of quantity not quality.
No indication can be determined from a crude protein reading as to its bioavailability or amino acid profile. Many horse feed manufacturers constantly compare their protein level to Summer Heat's 12.5%. One company often compares its products to Summer Heat's protein level. Emphasis is always the crude protein difference and not protein quality or availability. People easily understand the concept of "more;" however, it is harder for people to understand the differences of protein function in relation to its makeup.
After water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the horse's body. One third is found in muscles and the rest in bones, skin, cartilage, blood and other body substances. Protein transports nutrients in and out of cells and is responsible for their growth, maintenance and regeneration. It is also needed for the formation of hormones and enzymes. Proteins are important to the immune system as it is used to make antibodies and white blood cells.
All protein is made up of amino acids. They are the "building blocks" of life. All proteins are not the same, though they are manufactured from the same twenty-two amino acids. They have different functions and work in different areas of the body.
Amino acids are considered "essential" because they are required for growth, and the horses body cannot synthesize them: Phenyalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophane, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, arginine, lysine and leucine. The remaining 12 amino Acids "non essential" that are naturally found in the horse, can be produced from the 10 essential amino acids, though not always in quantities that the body requires. A "complete" protein provides the proper balance of the necessary essential amino acids. "Incomplete" protein lacks certain essential amino acids and is not used efficiently when eaten alone. Incomplete protein feedstuffs can be combined to obtain a balance of all the essential amino acids and provide a complete protein meal. The protein sources in Woody's Summer Heat are selected to achieve the "complete" protein effect. Woody's Equine Nutrition Professionals do not believe in overloading a performance horse with excess crude protein just to have a tag that has a high protein reading. We know that once a horses basic protein needs are met, consuming more protein may not help an equine athlete support changes in body composition: increased muscle or lean body mass or repair of damaged muscle or protein rich tissue. This is where amino Acids can influence the mechanisms that control nitrogen retention, thereby benefiting the equine athlete.
The total amount of protein consumed by equine athletes can be reduced when protein quality is increased. Therefore, it is possible that fewer grams of total protein may be required when horses are fed higher-quality protein sources such as those found in Summer Heat. Various horse studies have found no positive effects of high dietary proteins (Miller and Lawrence, 1988); Miller-Graber et al, 1991; Pagan, 1987). Conversely, it has been suggested that diets containing excessive levels of proteins may be detrimental to equine performance.
If protein replaces carbohydrate in the diet, then glycogen storage may be affected. Another potentially deleterious effect of excessive protein intake is increased urinary excretion. Increased urinary nitrogen excretion may contribute to increased inspired ammonia levels, which could adversely affect respiratory health (Hodgson and Rose, 1994).
Unique to Summer Heat is its precise blend of added synthetic amino acids. The amino acid most likely to be deficient or limiting are added in exacting amounts from a known, controlled pure crystalline source.
Rarely does a performance horse feed address the proper blend of branched-chain amino acids as does Summer Heat. Plentiful in the muscles are the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) isoleucine, leucine and valine, which have "branched" side chains off the main part of the molecule. The BCAAs make up roughly one third of muscle tissue. These aminos, especially valine, are used in large amounts during intense exercise.
The BCAAs serve as the building blocks for glutamine and alanine, two other important amino acids, and appear to be important for protein synthesis, and therefore for muscle growth and repair.
The BCAAs, especially leucine, also seem to spare muscle from being broken down to supply energy during exercise. Leucine may increase growth hormone (HGH) release as well.
Growth hormone releasers are compounds that are able to stimulate the pituitary gland's secretion of growth hormone (HGH). Growth hormone is a natural hormone manufactured and stored in the pituitary. During the growing years, this hormone is responsible for the accelerated growth of bones and muscles, wound healing, resistance to disease and the metabolism of fat stores. Heavy exercise can lead to HGH release, and this may improve muscle and ligament repair.
For athletic development, HGH releasers may offer direct and indirect benefits: increased synthesis of protein in the muscles, decreased rate of protein breakdown I the tissues, and possibly, for increased blood flow to muscles, which is important for tissue repair.
Too many well meaning equine nutritionists are adding amino acids improperly into horse rations with disastrous results. For example aromatic amino acids (tryosine and pheylalanine) and tryptophane when added at an improper ratio to branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) have been implicated in development of hepatoenchalopathy. Hepatoencephalopathy is a disorder of cerebral function resulting in dementia, head pressing, and altered behavior in horses as a consequence of hepatic (liver) dysfunction. Diets and supplements should be selected that minimize excess protein and aromatic amino acid intake. Just because a horse feed or diet contains added amino acids does not make it better than one that does not contain any. The key to the feed containing amino acids is if it was put together by a qualified experienced equine nutritionist and mixed by a company that knows performance horse feeds. You get all of this expertise in each bag of Woody's Performance Horse Feeds.
One can easily see that just comparing protein quantity will lead to incorrect interpretations of a product's true value, it's quality not quantity that counts with equine athletes.
Woody's
Performance Horse Feeds
An American Classic
info@woodysfeed.com
Woody's Performance Horse Feed Products
7th Avenue West, P.O. Box 1934
Dickinson, North Dakota, US 58601
(800) 342-9663 (Mountain Time)
(701) 225-5161; FAX (701) 225-1308
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