The coconut meal for horses - Gustavo Mirabal Castro

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Coconut is a delicious tropical fruit with a high nutritional value for horses. In this article we will talk about it.

Coconut: nutritional properties

From this fruit you can drink the water stored inside it or eat the fresh pulp.

You can also get oil, butter, milk, even flour.

This fruit has a thick and hairy skin that covers the pulp, which is white, with an unmistakable aroma.

100 grams of pulp provide 342 calories; Yes, it is one of the most caloric fruits but with a host of nutritional properties.

Among the many benefits of the coconut include its antioxidant properties, its ability to regulate blood pressure and lower triglycerides.

It is also rich in fibers and minerals (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and vitamins E, C, and B).

It grows on coconut trees, the most cultivated palm tree in the world. Its origin is found in tropical islands, and there are different types of coconut trees that are classified as giant, dwarf and hybrid.

But how can we know if the coconut is at its point? Well, shaking it. If you shake it and you do not hear the movement of the water then it is dry and its pulp rancid.

Benefits for horses

Since horses are delicate animals, coconut is a great alternative to include in your diet.

This low-nonstructural carbohydrate fruit helps lower blood glucose levels and control insulin.

In this sense, it is advisable to supply flour coconut and coconut oil to our friends horses.

These provide important nutritional components for horses.

Both forms are rich in protein and high in fiber. But the main reason why they are added to the equine diet is because of the fat content.

The nutritional profile of the flour / oil:

Nutrient	Amount
Energía Digerible	29,4 Mj/Kg
Protein	23%
Fiber	15%
Oils	8%
Calcium	0,2%
Phosphorous	0,65%
Sugar	1%

Coconut flour contains less than 2% starch (non-structural carbohydrates), therefore, it does not cause starch-related disorders such as colic and laminitis.

The high protein, fiber and fat content make this an ideal food component in the equine diet.

As with other high-fat products, coconut oil has very high levels of energy and produces about twice as much as starch or protein. It is an easily digestible energy, without warming the horse as with high diets in cereals.