If like me you have come to discover the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) for both human and equine health (sorry if it’s too far on the horse geek scale for some readers!) the next question may be, “but, should I be feeding my vegetarian horse fish?” Jury is out on that one. Until now, DHA and EPA supplementation was only possible by adding fish oil to horse feed ingredients, however, Omega Naturals is different. Set up by Ireland’s Kate Deegan, her company offers a 100% sustainable and plant-based alternative that actually contains more crucial EPA and DHA than fish. Win win!

New business

Busy teenage boys keep Kate on her toes and for the first time in her life she doesn’t have a horse of her own; launching a new business has put a pause on her riding for now. After Kate stopped training racehorses in 2018, she joined Dengie horse feeds as sales manager for Ireland. She went on to work for for Plusvital as their nutraceuticals sales manager in Ireland and the UK before she left to launch Omega Naturals.

Algae

“I’ve always been fascinated by nutrition having grown up on a dairy farm where it is such a key part of success,” says Kate. “A bachelors degree in science as well as many years of being involved with top performance horses has also given me a real understanding of just how important good nutrition is. We were always looking for that extra edge in the racehorses and it gave me a real interest in the benefits of targeted supplementation.”

Developing the product

According to Kate, the core ingredient in her innovative product Primeform is algal oil. “Whilst developing the product I wanted to have a meaningful inclusion rate of these highly desired Omega-3s as well as being conscious of the cost for the customer,” she explains.

“Until recently the Omega-3s EPA and DHA have derived mainly from oily fish, but the discovery of a special strain of algae that naturally produces these Omega-3s at higher levels has meant that it is now possible to get them from a sustainable plant source. Essentially the algal oil is cutting out the middle man as fish actually get their EPA and DHA from feeding on marine algae anyway. I think this is a really exciting development in both animal and human nutrition as the world looks to a more sustainable future.”

Joint function

Kate goes on to reveal that published research continues to highlight the many benefits of including the Omega-3s EPA and DHA in the diet. These include supporting joint function, the respiratory system, immune function, breeding, assisting with skin allergies, and coat condition. This is because these particular Omegas are the starting point of the production of hormones that influence the inflammatory processes in the body.

Kate explains that plant sources, for example, linseed, can only provide one of the Omega-3s (ALA), but the horse actually has to convert this to the bio-available Omega-3s EPA and DHA and this process is known to be inefficient. Omega-3s and Omega-6s are absolutely essential for normal body function, and are part of every cell membrane. Interestingly, they have to be ingested as just like in humans the horse’s body cannot make them. The algal oil is blended with linseed oil and contains Omega-3s, Omega-6s and Omega-9. There are no additives as the algal oil has no smell or flavour.

Scientific research

“For years I have been following the scientific research on marine derived oils that are regularly used in equine supplementation in the USA, to provide these highly desired Omega 3s. I worked closely with vets and advisors to ensure the inclusion rate of algal oil provided meaningful amounts EPA and DHA. I then of course had to make sure the algal oil was tested for prohibitive substances and horses liked eating it.

“Obviously, I’m a new brand with a novel ingredient in an incredibly competitive market place. It is early days but the feedback I am receiving from customers has been quite excellent and very satisfying. I’m looking to build the brand in Ireland before exploring distribution options further afield.”