Nutrition

‘False-Flax’ Operation: Canola Oil Alternative Appears Healthy as Supplement

By Adam Marcus

The oil from an emerging crop plant called Camelina sativa could be a nutritious stand-in for other supplements used in equine feeding, such as canola and flax.

Although flax and canola—made from rapeseed—are well-established supplements for equine feed, mass production of these oils is taxing the environment.

Enter camelina. Sometimes called “false flax” or “gold of pleasure,” camelina is valued for having a high concentration of α-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid known to fight inflammation. The hardy plant has a long shelf life and is resistant to disease and drought, making it an ideal commercial crop.

Canadian researchers have been studying the effects of camelina oil on horses, turning up promising results for a range of outcomes. “In contrast to other species, there are not a lot of oil supplementation options for horses,” said Anna Kate Shoveller, PhD, a professor and Champion Petfoods Chair in Canine and Feline Nutrition, Physiology and Metabolism and a University of Guelph Research Leadership Chair at the University of Guelph, in Canada, who is helping lead the work. “The ratio of omega-6: omega-3 fatty acids plays an important role in reducing inflammation, with a lower ratio preferred. Inflammation is the basis of many of the comorbidities that horses have, such as metabolic syndrome or osteoarthritis.”

Horses do not produce their own omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients for a variety of body processes, including inflammation and metabolism. They also provide energy and support healthy skin, coat and bones, and metabolism.

As herbivores, horses generally rely on plant-based oils to obtain ALA, Dr. Shoveller said. Oils richer in fatty acids, such as those from fish and algae, are helpful for chronic inflammation but cannot be stored as long as plant-based products, she said.

Metabolic syndrome and osteoarthritis are 2 conditions for which ALA is helpful, she said. “In these cases, you should consider supplementing a plant-based oil such as camelina, flax or canola,” as well as a source of docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids, such as fish oil or that from algae.

But camelina has the edge for its concentration of polyphenols, which are natural antioxidants that give it a longer shelf-life than either flax or canola oil. “Polyphenols also convey health benefits to mammals, but there is a dearth of research on the species specific effects of polyphenols to herbivores,” she said.

Dr. Shoveller advises veterinarians and owners to give horses—particularly performance animals—diets with healthy oils, such as camelina. “Not only are oils a rich source of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, but inclusion of fat allows you to reduce the starchy grains and feeds in the horse’s diet. Inclusion of fat can help support the high energy demands of performance and reduce any gut related issues” associated with diets high in concentrates and feeds, she said.

Dr. Shoveller and her colleagues have found camelina oil to be a promising alternative to other plant-based oils containing ALA. In a 2023 paper, they reported horses fed camelina oil appeared to experience no deleterious effects on health and may show improvement in measures of blood fats over a 4-month dietary intervention.

In a second 2023 paper, Dr. Shoveller’s group found the same plant-based oils “improved coat color and quality in horses” and that camelina oil “is comparable to existing plant-based oil supplements in supporting skin and coat health and inflammation in horses.”

Other studies on the nutrient are in press, Dr. Shoveller said, including one suggesting horses fed camelina oil may buck less than those not receiving the supplement or camelina oil plus algal oil, although overall behavior appeared similar.

“Neither flax nor canola are bad at all,” Dr. Shoveller said. “But camelina broadens the ingredient portfolio, and all 3 support nutrition similarly.” MeV

For more information:
Burron S, Richards T, McCorkell TC, et al Effects of dietary camelina, flaxseed, and canola oil supplementation on plasma fatty acid concentrations and health parameters in horses. Animal. 2023;17(12):101034. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731123003518?via%3Dihub

Richards T, Burron S, McCorkell TC, et al. Effects of dietary camelina, flaxseed, and canola oil supplementation on transepidermal water loss, skin and coat health parameters, and plasma prostaglandin E2, glycosaminoglycan, and nitric oxide concentrations in healthy adult horses. J Anim Sci. 2023;101:skad373, 
https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/doi/10.1093/jas/skad373/7343722?login=false