# Feeding soya bean meal to horses



## zoeshiloh (12 May 2009)

A show producer told me that they feed soya bean meal to their horses and it works wonders. I am able to get it from my local stockists, but have never used it, and have been told it needs cooking (like linseed). Does anyone know how long you have to cook it for etc? If you get soya flakes, do these still require cooking?


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## arwenplusone (12 May 2009)

I think that you can buy it cooked?   (I certainly have in the past).   I normally then soak it &amp; feed limestone flour with it to balance the calcium/phosphorous ratio.

Not sure how long you cook it for if you buy it raw but it absolutely MUST be cooked.   
I think there are some feeds on the market now that have it as a main ingredient - will look them up


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## Tnavas (12 May 2009)

Be careful feeding it - research is now showing that it is responsible for metabolic problems.


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## Fairynuff (12 May 2009)

I add 60gs of soya meal to my neds evening feed and have been doing so for years. Soya contains high levels of essential enzymes that are needed to adsorb and utilise high grade protiens. I swear by it and all of my oldies are a picture of health all year round.I have never had any problems with it and wouldnt be without it. M. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




PS, I buy it from my feed merchant and its ready to use.


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## kellyeaton (12 May 2009)

is soya oil just the same?


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## Tnavas (12 May 2009)

The majority of processed feeds have Soya in it, since the advent of processed feeds - yes I'm old enough to remember the very first of them - we've begun to have metabolic problems with horses. 

Horses never suffered from diabetes/insulin resistance, skin allergies and head shaking. I wish that I could remember the website I found the information on. Found it! See copy below

My own horses and those that I've cared for and had control over the feeding have never had problems - I feed only the basic traditional feeds. However the places I've worked where I've not been responsible for the feeding and the horses have been fed processed compounded feeds I've seen problems.

*Whats wrong with soya?
Allergens* Soya allergies are on the rise as soya consumption goes up. These days, allergies to soya proteins - the symptoms of which include rashes, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps and breathing difficulties - are almost as common as those to milk. 

*Phytates* These substances can block the uptake of essential minerals - such as calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc - in the intestinal tract. All beans contain phytic acid, but soybeans have higher levels than any other. Oriental children who do not consume fish or meat products to counterbalance the effect of their high-phytate, soya- and rice-based diets have been shown to suffer nutritional deficiency illnesses, stunting, rickets and other developmental problems. 

*Enzyme inhibitors* Soya contains potent enzyme inhibitors, which block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion. Normal cooking does not deactivate these substances, which can also cause serious gastric distress and reduced protein digestion, and can lead to chronic deficiencies in the uptake of essential amino acids such as methionine and leucine, as well as isoleucine and valine. These are all needed to combat stress, avoid depression, synthesise new body protein and maintain a healthy immune system. 

*Hemagglutinin* Soya products also contain another chemical, hemagglutinin, which promotes clumping of red blood cells. These clumped red cells are unable fully to take up oxygen and carry it, via the bloodstream, to the bodys tissues and organs. Hemagglutinin has also been observed to act as a growth depressant. Although the process of fermenting soybeans does deactivate hemagglutinin, cooking and precipitation do not. 

*Phytoestrogens* Soya contains high levels of oestrogen mimics known as isoflavones, which can disrupt hormone function in both men and women. High levels of circulating oestrogens are a risk for certain types of oestrogen-dependent cancers, for instance of the breast, ovaries and testicles. Animal studies have linked high consumption of isoflavones with infertility and reduce immunity. 

*Antithyroid agents* The plant oestrogens in soya can also cause an underactive thyroid and are implicated in thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soya formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease. 

*Aluminium* To manufacture soya protein isolate - the high-protein derivative of soya that is used in snacks, infant formulas, protein bars, breakfast cereals, baked goods, ice creams and yoghurts - soybeans are first mixed with an alkaline solution to remove fibre, then precipitated and separated using an acid wash and, finally, neutralised in an alkaline solution. Acid washing in aluminium tanks leaches high levels of aluminium into the final product. As a result, soya-based formula can contain around 1,000 per cent more aluminium than is found in conventional milk-based formulas. 

Link http://prismwebcastnews.com/2009/01/13/behind-the-label-soya/


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