A process used to improve the digestibility of grains. The grains are pre- treated by soaking in water then steamed before passing under an infra- red grill which heats them sufficiently to gelatinize the starch granules inside. Immediately afterwards the hot grain is passed through rollers which flatten it before cooling. The effect is to produce a flaked grain with a toasted flavor which is highly palatable to horses. Micronization improves the access of digestive enzymes in the small intestine to the starch inside the grain. This raises the small intestine digestibility and reduces the likelihood of undigested starch entering the hind gut which may have adverse consequences. Simple rolling or flaking will render around 60% of starch in grains digestible in the small intestine but this figure can be raised to about 85% by micronization, depending on the grain involved, making micronized grains a safer alternative.
